THE MAN WITH TWO HATS
Have you read anything by John Irving? When someone ordered A Prayer for Owen Meany (DB 29012) last week, I flashed back. I was surprised that I had forgotten about him.
I read many of Irving’s books over ten years ago and considered him a favorite author in my late teens. I remember his characters as complicated, compelling, and full of layers. I never knew what to expect or where the plot would go. Irving’s books took me to metropolis India, to a logging town in New Hampshire, and into the internal conflicts of a number of troubled writers and grappling adolescents. It was all compelling fiction. I was disappointed only once, near the end of Last Night in Twisted River, when the story turned too fantastic for my taste.
Recently, I learned that when he wasn’t busy maneuvering through plot lines in his books, Irving was out maneuvering men on the mat. According to his website, John Irving was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992. The Hall of Fame has a category for Outstanding Americans, people who came from a foundation of discipline in wrestling and went on to excel in another discipline, such as writing. Two of his books feature wrestling coaches or enthusiasts, and one of those is The World According to Garp.
The World According to Garp
DB 11764
The fictional life and times of T.S. Garp, famous writer and son of Jenny, an early feminist leader. Named after a father he never sees, Garp grows up to be a fiercely independent, determined individual and his mother’s equal. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.
DB 11764
The fictional life and times of T.S. Garp, famous writer and son of Jenny, an early feminist leader. Named after a father he never sees, Garp grows up to be a fiercely independent, determined individual and his mother’s equal. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.
The Cider House Rules
DB 21531
Set in rural Maine at the turn of the century, this is the story of Dr. Wilbur Larch, saint, obstetrician, orphanage director, ether addict, and abortionist. His medical practices are hindered and abetted by his favorite orphan, Homer Wells. The novel is based on documents left by the author’s physician grandfather. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1985.
DB 21531
Set in rural Maine at the turn of the century, this is the story of Dr. Wilbur Larch, saint, obstetrician, orphanage director, ether addict, and abortionist. His medical practices are hindered and abetted by his favorite orphan, Homer Wells. The novel is based on documents left by the author’s physician grandfather. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1985.
Last Night in Twisted River
DB 70798
Dominic Baciagalupo and his twelve-year-old son Danny live in a New Hampshire logging camp where Dominic cooks for the crew. When Danny accidentally kills someone, the two begin a nomadic life. Danny eventually attends college and becomes a writer, using their experiences as plots. Strong language. 2009.
DB 70798
Dominic Baciagalupo and his twelve-year-old son Danny live in a New Hampshire logging camp where Dominic cooks for the crew. When Danny accidentally kills someone, the two begin a nomadic life. Danny eventually attends college and becomes a writer, using their experiences as plots. Strong language. 2009.
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