Between the Lines discussion

What can I say but Wow! Love his writing style. I've only read The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp (about 20 years ago) but love how descriptive he writes. Love the characters, settings, plots!

John Irving is one of my favourite authors. I love Cider House, Owen Meany and Garp - they are some of my absolute favourite all time books and I've read them so many times.
I got stuck trying to read A son of the Circus and The Fourth Hand was good but not as good as the other three.

The only book of his I've read is A Prayer for Owen Meany. I really liked it. I don't know why I haven't read more of his work.

One of my favorite authors.
I have read A Prayer for Owen Meany
The Cider House Rules
A Widow for One Year
Until I Find You: A Novel

I loved every one of them.

Kellie, would you say Until I find you is as good as the earlier works? I didn't think The Fourth Hand was quite as good as Garp, Cider House and Owen Meany and I haven't gotten around to reading Until I find you yet, but if it is on the same level, maybe I will soon ...
Been thinking about reading some of his books soon since I've heard a rumour that he has a new book out next year!

I liked Until I Find You.
I was a little intimidated becuse it was so long. But, I was pleasantly surprised.
Irving is such a good writer, I forgot how long it was and just enjoyed it.

Looking forward to reading another. I still have a few here at home I haven't read.

Irving's A Widow For One Year is one of my favorite books. I'm always recommending it to someone.

I just bought A Widow for One Year. That's good to hear that it's good Kathy.

Lilly: In chapter two of cider house I walked away for a week or two but once I got further into the book I couldn't put it down.

Emilee, let me know how you like A Widow For One Year. Everyone that I've recommended it to has liked it.

I have never been able to finish an Irving book. It must be something in me because so many people I know really like him.

Old2new wrote: "I have never been able to finish an Irving book. It must be something in me because so many people I know really like him."

You may count me as one more who cannot abide Irving's writing. It is odd because my classics professor at the university absolutely adored him... and we had so much in common otherwise. As you say, it must be something ingrained in our personalities, but be aware that there are at least two of us now:)

I love John Irving, the World According to Garp is one of the best books I've ever read.

Old2new wrote: "I have never been able to finish an Irving book. It must be something in me because so many people I know really like him."

I'm with Old2new and Rhonda, although I can't actually put my finger on what it is that I dislike about Irving. I don't even like the movies. It's almost as though I can't tell if it's meant to be satirical, humorous, dramatic... For what it's worth, I have the same reaction to Garrison Keilor. Not that the two are alike, although perhaps both have a certain regional appeal that might escape folks unfamiliar with the region?

The movies are missing a ton from the books. Sad part is that I heard he did most of the screen plays. In Cider HOuse so much is cut out of the book it's rather sad.

I saw the movie version of Garp years ago - and I remember liking it but I can't remember much of what's missing from the book.
I also saw Cider House and remember liking it, mostly because of Michael Caine, I think. I actually like that he does he's own screen plays because then he chooses what will be enough to tell the story - and you always have to cut something when making a movie.
I haven't seen the movie version of Owen Meany but I've heard that it's awful - but the voice of Owen Meany is so important in the book and I can't imagine capturing that in a movie....

Okay I didn't know the referee was John Irving. I have to pull my Garp out and watch it! I have it on VHS so need it on DVD.

I think Robin Williams looks like a kid in the movie! I am so watching this tonight!

Yeah, it's a really good movie!
Btw - I've heard rumours that he has a new book out sometime this year - anybody know anything about this?

Thanks Ken- that sounds really good. Looking forward to that.
600 pages - I love long books!

Wow! there are a bunch of good books coming out this fall.

What else are you looking forward to, Emilee?

The final book in the Eye of the World Series. Very excited for that. I'm trying to decide if I should re-read the first 11 books.

The Robert Jordan series? Isn't he dead??
I've been thinking about starting this for years - sounds like you can recommend it???

yes he passed away before the final book was finished but his wife who was his editor picked Brandon Sanderson to complete the unfinished book. It's to come out this fall.

i really liked the books. They were great. This series has been compared to lord of the Rings. i really liked it a lot. Got my kids to read it too!

Okay thanks. Maybe I will have to push it up a bit higher on my list of possible buys.

I so need to finish reading his books! I hear great things about the one's I haven't read yet.

I just read Hotel New Hampshire which I'v never read before - and loved it. I think I'll read A Widow for one Year as my next John Irving read - never read that one either... Still have some big holes in my John Irving reading. And I've loved every one I've read by him (except A Son of the Circus - didn't get far in that one.). I actually bought Until I find you as soon as it got out and that hardback has just been standing on my shelf ever since - never read it. But I have a plan to have read all his books before the new one comes out later this year - we'll see if I make it...

I read Garp last year and it is one of the best books I've had the pleasure of reading. It had so many layers, so strange of subject but at the same time I could relate to the feelings and the circumstances the characters found themselves into; however I can see how people that are a little more conservative than myself might find him offensive and the book was indeed truly raw in places.

I've read several of John Irving's books- Cider House Rules, Widow for a Year and others. For a while he was widely read and discussed, then it seemed I did not hear of his later books or hear his name mentioned. To me Cider House Rules was his best.

Mr. Irving is running neck & neck with Toni Morrison and Gabriel Garcia Marquez for my alltime favorite author. As the only one of the three I've had any personal interaction with, I can vouch that he's truly a class act. I have read every one of his books, including his charming children's book that my daughter adores, and will continue doing so as long as he keeps writing them. The World According to Garp is about as close to a perfect novel as you can get. I'm looking forward to Last Night In Twisted River when it comes out in October. If only I had the pull to get my hands on an advance copy. Regarding the comments about his movie adaptions, he writes novels that are so full and rich and complex that it's simply impossible to capture their full essence in a couple hours of screen time. Cider House Rules probably comes closest, and it was a wise decision to make a film based on only a portion of one of his novels (A Widow for One Year) rather that trying to capture the whole book. No group of film makers could have possibly done full justice to Garp, but the effort is nonetheless praiseworthy, particularly the performances by Robin Williams (who knew back then that he was such a good actor) and John Lithgow. A Son of the Circus is easily his weakest novel IMHO, but a weak John Irving novel is better than the best by most authors.

I've only read Owen Meany and there were parts I loved and parts I hated (something I've never experienced before in a book). I don't know if I'll read another of his books.

That is the one thing I like about Irving is that you hate and love parts of his book. Just like life, sometimes we love it sometimes we hate it.

John Irving has written some amazing novels. My favorites are The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meaney and The Cider House Rules. Oh and A Widow for A Year is really good too. Actually, The Hotel New Hampshire is great too. Wow! There are so many that are great.

Reading Until I Find You A Novel made me really want to get a tattoo. I haven't gotten up the nerve yet, but it's definitely on my bucket list. One of these days!

John Irving is going to be in NYC soon (end of Oct, I think) doing a book tour! Check it out on the b&n website if you are near that area..... I havent read anything by him, tho I own two of his novels (perhaps I should read them soon!)

It's October 29th at 7 pm. At Union Square store. I'm so excited! I wish I had time to read more of his novels, I read only one. But I would really like to go.