The World According to GarpJohn Irving
Don't think I haven't forgotten my reading resolution; I've just given myself some slack with it. Instead of reading ONLY resolution titles, I'm allowing myself the occasional splurge, but I'm still plugging on.
My latest resolution title is one that gave me some trouble at first. I started reading The World According to Garp at the beginning of May, but it took me awhile to really get into the story. The beginning of the novel, which seemed like so much unnecessary backstory (more about this in a sec), weighed me down and prevented me from reading faster. However, once Garp got out of high school, the story picked up and I couldn't put it down.
Although I found the beginning of the book slow, I wouldn't delete a single word now that I look back on it. We begin well before Garp's birth by meeting his mother, Jenny. Garp himself doesn't make an appearance right away, but, while this information bored me at first, I soon found that it allowed me to truly come to know Garp and his family as though they were flesh and blood.
I feel as though I'm the only person left who hasn't yet read this book (or seen the movie starring Robin Williams. Really? Robin Williams as Garp? I wouldn't have thunk it), so a summary probably isn't necessary, but here goes: Garp's born, he's a bit quirky, his mother's even quirkier, Garp becomes a writer, shit happens to him and a lot of others and life goes on. That's pretty much the entire book, and yet it's somehow so much more. In fact, I felt as though I lived a lifetime while reading about Garp.
In a nutshell: Has anyone read anything else by John Irving? Because Garp was so good, I'm going back for seconds. Irving also has a new novel out in October, entitled Last Night in Twisted River
... so be on the lookout, Irving fans!
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars
My latest resolution title is one that gave me some trouble at first. I started reading The World According to Garp at the beginning of May, but it took me awhile to really get into the story. The beginning of the novel, which seemed like so much unnecessary backstory (more about this in a sec), weighed me down and prevented me from reading faster. However, once Garp got out of high school, the story picked up and I couldn't put it down.
Although I found the beginning of the book slow, I wouldn't delete a single word now that I look back on it. We begin well before Garp's birth by meeting his mother, Jenny. Garp himself doesn't make an appearance right away, but, while this information bored me at first, I soon found that it allowed me to truly come to know Garp and his family as though they were flesh and blood.
I feel as though I'm the only person left who hasn't yet read this book (or seen the movie starring Robin Williams. Really? Robin Williams as Garp? I wouldn't have thunk it), so a summary probably isn't necessary, but here goes: Garp's born, he's a bit quirky, his mother's even quirkier, Garp becomes a writer, shit happens to him and a lot of others and life goes on. That's pretty much the entire book, and yet it's somehow so much more. In fact, I felt as though I lived a lifetime while reading about Garp.In a nutshell: Has anyone read anything else by John Irving? Because Garp was so good, I'm going back for seconds. Irving also has a new novel out in October, entitled Last Night in Twisted River
... so be on the lookout, Irving fans!Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars
14 comments:
I read a Prayer for Owen Meany about ten years ago, and I think I really liked it but it's been awhile. Maybe you've seen the film adaptation called Simon Birch?
John Irving is one of my top five favorite authors. He has this magical way of telling stories that are often quite absurd, with characters that are more than a little weird, and making it all seem perfectly natural. And man, does he know how to put a story within a story. Awesome.
A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my favorites---don't waste your time on Simon Burch, which falls incredibly short of the book and, thank god, doesn't bear the same name---and A Widow for One Year is also wonderful. The Fourth Hand has a great weird factor, if that's what you're into.
I haven't read this one, but have enjoyed several of his other books.
I went on an Irving kick for awhile during my college years - I think I've read Garp two or three times. I liked A Widow For One Year, but I've always been partial to The Hotel New Hampshire for some reason.
A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Cider House Rules seem to be his most popular books besides Garp, but I haven't read either one (sacrilege, I know!).
I've had The Cider House Rules sitting on my shelf for YEARS all 'Read me. READ ME! Doooooooooooo it, you know you want to.'
It gets unsettling, really.
Also, I mean to caption a photo soon and see if I can do this thing. Also, I feel like I'm talking into a vacuum because you're on vacation. Also, have fun.
I read Until I Find You recently, and it was as enjoyable as Garp, but it also seemed too similar. I hope my next Irving book will be very different.
i've been reading (and putting down) garp for over a year now. i haven't gotten too far, though! i read a prayer for owen meany a while back--it was a great novel. i also had the chance to see john irving at radio city music hall (with stephen king and j.k. rowling) a few summers ago. he was GREAT. he did a reading from owen meaning and we loved him. you've inspired me to finally! finish this book--and i've never seen the movie either.
My first response was also A Prayer for Owen Meany, but I also agree with everyone recommending The Hotel New Hampshire, A Widow for a Year and The Cider House Rules. I haven't enjoyed his newer novels, like The Fourth Hand and Until I Find You very much - in ways it seems like he's trying too hard for quirk in them, as well as just rewriting his older novels.
Ooooh a new novel coming up soon? How exciting!!
My favorite is A Prayer for Owen Meany -- in fact it's in my top 10 favorite novels of all times!! The Fourth Hand was too weird for me.
Read "A Prayer for Owen Meany," then "Cider House Rules." You will see that he uses some of the same symbols, like snails. I am a bit of an Irving addict.
Do *not* see the movie. But, really, you already knew that.
Irving is one of those writers who keeps writing the same book over and over again.. He's one of my absolute favourites, but I never intend to read another one of his books...
On those grounds, I really would say read Hotel New Hampshire and particularly Owen Meany before you read too many of his other ones... Because once you've "got" Irving, it's very hard to make yourself read 1000 page tomes doing the same thing...
Also, I really love The Imaginary Girlfriend, his Autobiography about wrestling.
At least with Vonnegut that book is always short, even if it is the same.
I love The Hotel New Hampshire and The Cider House Rules. I wish everyone in the world had read Garp, because then they'd get my jokes (like the finger jokes, I just can't resist) about pulling silently up the driveway and doing something because it's already "pre-disastered."
I feel a lot the same way you seem to toward Irving, but I enjoyed A Widow for One Year mightily. I join the others who recommend it.
-Connie @ Constance-Reader
I loved A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Cider House Rules, A Widow for One Year, Until I Find You, and Son of the Circus.
Truly, I just really love John Irving (not so much the Hotel New Hampshire or the Fourth Hand).
Post a Comment