OT: Question for fans of John Irving's books

[foodfiend]

John Irving's coming to Toronto for the Festival of Authors, and I started reading Hotel New Hampshire. I couldn't get into it. I've had similar experiences with some of his other books. Can someone explain the appeal of his writing? I'm not being facetious here. I don't understand why his writing is so popular. I tried reading Prayer for Owen Meany a few years ago and stopped half-way through, but I've met people who read it in one sitting.

[little_bopeep]

Irving is really hard for me to read, but I perservere because I really like his stories. He uses 10 words when 2 will do and he goes into waaaaaay too much detail...but the end result is a good story.

[Meganator]

I has been years since I read any of his books, so I can't really say what I liked about them - and maybe I wouldn't still like them, as my tastes have changed over time. But your post made me laugh because I read "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and passed it on to my sister. She STILL teases me about how I could like such a weird book, and that it gives her nightmares, etc...! :p

[Elizabeth B]

I've read most of his books, mainly because A Prayer For Owen Meany is my favorite book. I've given it as a gift to several friends. It really touched me and I cry every time I get to the end. I like John Irving's writing style, which I find dryly funny and very descriptive, even though some of his darker themes are disturbing. I keep hoping he'll write another book that will speak to me the way Owen Meany has. I would love to meet John Irving and tell him personally how much that book has meant to me.

[funniegrrl]

I've read Garp, and Hotel New Hampshire, and um ... one other whose title I can't recall right this second. I think Garp is one of the most original novels of the 20th century. It would never occur to me to call myself a "fan" since those are the only three I've read, but overall I find that his characters are well-drawn and interesting, the plots are inventive and original, the prose is rich and memorable. If you don't like it, though, you don't like it. Those books aren't exactly light reading, so obviously they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

[Peggy]

I'm not a HUGE fan but have read 4 or 5 of his books. I think I like his character development and his descriptive style. Interesting, quirky characters make a book for me and he always has an abundance of those. :D

Peggy

[badunnin]

Hijack - how would this thread be considered off-topic?

[foodfiend]

To me, it's an "out-there" (OT) question because I'm not trying to share my love of his writing, as in regular threads.

[NewMrsG]

I LOVE Irving. His books are the only books I can read without forcing myself not to skim. I love his stories (for the most part), but for whatever reason it's more about the writing and the storytelling that does it for me.

I will say, though, that some of his books are just too out there for me - Hotel New Hampshire being one of them, and also Son of a Circus.

A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my all-time favorites, I also love Cider House Rules (which was nothing like the movie), A Widow for One Year, and Garp.

I just finished his latest book - Until I Find You - which was classic Irving. The story was probably one of the most disturbing stories I've ever read, but his writing somehow envelops me so much that I'm somehow able to look past it.

[AvrilH]

I started with Owen Meaney and loved it's originality. I moved on the Cider House Rules and appreciated the polemic. INMHO all others of his I have read do not compare. A Widow for One Year was fine, as was Son of the Circus. But I thought the Fourth Hand has hideous and am wary about his new book - which is sitting in my bedside table right now.

I think his style is soooo distinctive (verbose writing, bizarre storylines, outrageous characters) that despite his reputation and success, some people can and do quite honestly not like his work.

BUT - I did go to a reading of his once and it was very entertaining. You might be surprised by home if you do go.

[SaraInWisc]

I've read several of his books and found them hit or miss for me. I liked Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Widow for a Year, and Cider House Rules. I just could not get into Son of the Circus and wound up not finishing it. I found Until I Find You disturbing. Maybe, because I have a young son and had trouble with some of the situations the young boy story was placed in.

[Chelle D]

It sounds like I am like the rest of you. I LOVE many of the same books loved here.....Cider House Rules (my fav), A Widow for One Year, Garp.... but I could not get in to Son of a Circus either and did not know he had another book out. I will have to check into it. I do think he is VERY descriptive and sometimes skim if I am tired and just want to see what happens, but I enjoy books that are very real and just tell a story of a person's life without any sci-fi/action type stuff. That's John Irving.

[colleency]

If you want to enjoy Irving, maybe a new approach would be to see some of the movies that his books were made into. Don't start with Hotel New Hampshire. That one is pretty darn odd. I would recommend the World According to Garp. That's what I saw that started me reading his books.

[VictoriaL]

Does anyone like A Son of the Circus? It took me absolute discipline to get into it, but I was ill and trapped at our lake house with no other book to read and a long day of recuperating in front of me... anyway, I did finish it and I loved it. Actually, I've read it three times since then, always getting more out of each subsequent reading. I also love re-reading Cider House Rules. Now, his new one is just too dark and darkly-detailed, according to reviews, so I haven't tried it.

[NewMrsG]

I've read several of his books and found them hit or miss for me. I liked Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Widow for a Year, and Cider House Rules. I just could not get into Son of the Circus and wound up not finishing it. I found Until I Find You disturbing. Maybe, because I have a young son and had trouble with some of the situations the young boy story was placed in.

The newest book is DEFINITELY disturbing - and I'm not sure I could have read it if I had a son. I keep thinking that it's truly a testament to his writing that I could enjoy the book even despite the disturbing content.

[jrichards]

To second Colleen's movie suggestion, I highly recomment "The Door in the Floor." It's a portion of the book A Widow for One Year.

I haven't read all his books, but have enjoyed those I did read. Definitely has interesting charaters, and twists/turns that I don't expect.

Jennifer

[MrsReber]

Sun of the Circus was hard to get into. However, once I was into it, it was great.

I have heard John Irving compared to Dickens. I can see that as their characters are so vivid. Irving's characters are so very unique, too.

I always say that his books are sometimes slow to start, but at the end, I am always glad I read them. I have been a fan since I was a teen. I probably started with Garp. Owen Meany was a favorite, but my absolute favorite is probably A Widow for One Year.

I read The Fourth Hand recently, too. That seemed much "lighter" as far as his books go.