Saw the movie….:(((, which I liked, but after reading A prayer for Owen Meany, i want to give it a try. The frownie face is because I really rather read the book…..
I read it and it wasn’t my fave. However, I just finished Cutting For Stone and I noticed lots of parallels with Cider House Rules only I preferred Cutting For Stone, so maybe give that one a try next. (Fun fact, the author of Cutting For Stone actually thanks John Irving in the acknowledgments).
I loved “A Widow for One Year”; there was a movie called, “The Door in the Floor” that described one small section of the book, but it really didn’t encompass it at all. One of my favorites…
For the past few months, I started a habit of reading for one hour every morning with coffee. All was well until I started reading Cider House Rules. I absolutely dread morning reading now. This book single handedly screwed my reading habit. I haven’t read for close to 3 weeks. I have to finish it though, because I’m that type of person….but seriously, I hate it. I don’t understand why so many people love this book.
Let’s explore all those John Irvings: warrants own thread not ‘merely’ this [responding to list of 100? I need to go back to basics/framework].
I replied to one thread saying most disliked bk — PRAYER/OWEN MEANEY: John Irving very intriguing — from onset GARP/HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE … to most recent(?) inspired by son yet not far removed from a GARP skein … .
Forgot he wrote that one too! I saw the movie but have not read the book. Reading A Prayer for Owen Meany by Irving now — GREAT book. Maybe I’ll tackle Cider House soon….. I have such a pile to get through though — nice problem to have!!!
That’s a really good one. Prayer for Owen Meany. I like John Irving. He is a great storyteller. He says he is greatly influenced by Dickens and I think he is a writer in the same vein. Very creative storylines.
@Laura yes, I remember 1st reading GARP , then had to look for other books by him, found 2 I think, then waited so impatiently for every book thereafter…also do that with Erdrich, Kingsolver, Frazier, and Tartt, more but these esp come to mind. I’ve got all of their latest on my tbrl right now, reading an Alice Sebold book , her 3rd I believe then onto the Hannah book and the Grann non-fiction, I’m usually reading one of each at the same time unless I get so engrossed I can’t stop either the fiction or the nf. Do y’all read more than one book at a time? It’s always one of each for me if I read 2, like I said I might get so into one or the other and cannot put it down
I wish I didnt start more than one at a time. I do that sometimes because I make use of the library and several that I had on reserve come at once. This often gets me in a quagmire of what I want to be concentrating on. I much prefer one to savor at a time. Right now I am reading The Vain Conversation by Anthony Grooms.
I tried reading Where Are the Children and never finished it. I did not enjoy Lovely Bones for that reason, though I did finish it because I was in a book club but if I wasn’t I do not think I would have finished it.
While the subject matter may be difficult to handle, Irving’s writing is so heartfelt and beautiful that I never once felt the book exploited the subject.
Don’t hate me but I used to work with his sister. I tried to get the skinny on what he was working on in advanced. I was able to squeak a little into out of her once on one of his books. Very interesting family. His dad used to teach as Phillips Exeter Academy and that is where Irving when to High school. Meany actually is based out of PEA and is placed out of Exeter and Hampton NH. He changes the names of the locations. Those of us from the area know the areas he is disguising under other names.
Wow! I’m sure he takes a lot of inspiration from his own experiences and his family. I love that you can laugh out loud one minute and want to cry the next. It’s like real life – on steroids!
Me!
It’s my second favorite Irving after GARP.
Not amongmyfavorites
I loved it, and the movie. I always use that as an example of how to make a good movie out of a book- you sometimes have to leave some things out.
My favorite Irving book
Irving is one of my favorite authors. I love them all.
I like all of Irving’s books including Cider House.
Read it: LOVED it!!
Me too!
I loved it! I was so disappointed in the movie though as it didn’t really stay true to the book.
Far and away my favorite John Irving!!
I was just telling someone how much I loved this book!
Yes!!! One of my favorites!
Yes – a favorite of mine
seen the movie a few times, have not read the book ( have also seen simon birch, have yet to read owen meany
Saw the movie….:(((, which I liked, but after reading A prayer for Owen Meany, i want to give it a try. The frownie face is because I really rather read the book…..
One of his best!
Me too! Have read almost all of his works. He’s unique!
That was one of those rare times where I actually enjoyed the movie over the book.
Yes
One of my favs!
Yes I read it and loved it as well
Wonderful book!!
Not yet but it’s on my list
Love it!!!!!!
Reading it right now! Thoroughly enjpyable!
I loved the movie, but I haven’t read the book.
I watched the movie after reading the book and I kept saying, this is wrong, this is not what happened
Yes, enjoyed it thoroughly
One of my faves….!!!
Really, really good book.
Great read!
Yes…I think I read it while in high school.
I read that for Midwifery school.
I just bought it at a book sale …plan on reading it soon
Great
Yes, you should read his other books, too.
I have loved everything I have read by John Irving.
I read it and it wasn’t my fave. However, I just finished Cutting For Stone and I noticed lots of parallels with Cider House Rules only I preferred Cutting For Stone, so maybe give that one a try next. (Fun fact, the author of Cutting For Stone actually thanks John Irving in the acknowledgments).
I loved “A Widow for One Year”; there was a movie called, “The Door in the Floor” that described one small section of the book, but it really didn’t encompass it at all. One of my favorites…
I really liked that one a lot too- one of the books I’ve held on to, have read more than once.
I also loved “An American Tragedy” by Theodore Dreiser and Katherine Mansfield’s short stories…my favorites!!
Great book. Read many years ago. Would be a good one to re-visit.
One of my all time favorites, along with A Prayer for Owen Meany.
Awesome book!
very good!
My favorite John Irving
Really loved it.
It’s my favorite of his…
Loved it. Loved the movie too. Irving wrote the screenplay & won an academy award?
Enjoyed it.
Loved it!!
Yes
I read it while pregnant- still loved it!
That’s the first John Irving book I ever read. Loved it!
OMG yes!
Yes. It’s great!
Very good
Yes, I have.
Huge fan of Irving’s early novels.
Excellent! Makes you think.
Me too. The movie was also wonderful. Just finished Last Night in Twisted River and still think about the characters.
I loved that book!
yes, my favorite John Irving book.
Yes. Great book.
Loved it
Great movie too
Great book!
I saw the movie on TV last week and enjoyed it a lot. It made me want to read the book.
Yup. Also The Hotel New Hampshire. ?
Yes! Reading Prayer for Owen Meany now.
Loved Owen!
One of the best!
Me too!
Thought it was a yawn, no offense to all that loved it
Loved it!
So good
Yes! Very good.I loved all his books but the most recent – can’t remember the title. Loved Last Night on Twisted River. And A Prayer for Owen Meany.
Great
Yes
his best work <3 and then "the world according to garp"
Cider House Rules is one of those unforgettable books.
I love everything he has written. Owen Meany is my favorite, no Cider House Rules is, no well they all are?
I enjoyed the movie!
Yes.
Yes, I’ve loved everything he has written. It was even a great movie!
Love John Irving.
I must say, I only saw the movie. But based on that, I’ll bet the book is great!
Big fan of the book and the wonderful movie- “A Prayer for Owen Meany “ was my fave Irving book
Love John Irving
I read it and also saw the movie later
Excellent book
Read book..saw movie
Loved it!
Irving is one of those authors I’ll buy without knowing anything about the book.
Good book.
Yes!
I loved it too!!!!
I loved it
It’s my favorite is his
For some reason it was hard gor me to read.
Yes
John Irving’s commentary on the human condition is always thought-provoking.
??
??
I have tried to read it twice, but lose interest.
Yes
Love John Irving.
I really loved this book.
Freaked me out, although I totally acknowledge the genius of the author
Loved it too!
Great book ?
I loved it too! The movie is also one of my favorites.
Reading it now! About halfway, can’t seem to put it down. My first John Irving.
Yes!
Loved the book and the movie.
He’s one of my favorite authors.
I read Accidental Tourist. Loved it.
Yes
Loved all his books
Loved that book
Loved it!
For the past few months, I started a habit of reading for one hour every morning with coffee. All was well until I started reading Cider House Rules. I absolutely dread morning reading now. This book single handedly screwed my reading habit. I haven’t read for close to 3 weeks. I have to finish it though, because I’m that type of person….but seriously, I hate it. I don’t understand why so many people love this book.
Definitely not one of my faves either. Power through and then good riddance!
You don’t need to finish a book you don’t like. Let it go and open another one
I found it disturbing.
To each their own… it is a bit dark. There are certain books/authors I have to be in the mood for.
Great book!
Wonderful character study! Compelling!
Started it several yrs ago and couldn’t finish. Recently picked it up again and loved it. Go figure. Different place in life I guess.
Yes…it’s been years, but I remember I really liked it
one book where you can say the book and movie were both great
Oh yes.
Yes it’s a good one
i loved it too
Yes, I read it a long time ago but I remember loving it!
One of my favorite John Irvings.
My favorite John Irving book. ?
Loved it!!
Yes, very good!
Amazing
Yes
I found most of John Irving’s novels to be quirky and great reads!
Couldn’t do it!!!
Loved it..love all his
I read it. It was pretty grim. It made me sad.
Long time ago but I enjoyed it
Excellent!
Haven’t read it but LOVED the movie
Yes…loved it and Owen Meany
My favorite book.of all time
So were The World According to Garp and A Prayer for Owen Meany and Hotel New Hampshire.
Yes
One of my favorites!
Yes, wonderful
Yes,love all his work!
Good book.
exceptional
Yes, I loved it too!
Yes and ditto for loving it.
I did read it. It was a good book.
Loved it!
Read it long ago and still remember how much I liked it.
Yes!
Yes
Loved it
Loved
Yes, it’s excellent!
Beautiful story. He’s my favorite author.
Let’s explore all those John Irvings: warrants own thread not ‘merely’ this [responding to list of 100? I need to go back to basics/framework].
I replied to one thread saying most disliked bk — PRAYER/OWEN MEANEY: John Irving very intriguing — from onset GARP/HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE … to most recent(?) inspired by son yet not far removed from a GARP skein … .
Yes, lived it.
Good book!
Loved the book. Hated the movie.
Me, me!
LOVED.
Forgot he wrote that one too! I saw the movie but have not read the book. Reading A Prayer for Owen Meany by Irving now — GREAT book. Maybe I’ll tackle Cider House soon….. I have such a pile to get through though — nice problem to have!!!
It is a nice problem!
That’s a really good one. Prayer for Owen Meany. I like John Irving. He is a great storyteller. He says he is greatly influenced by Dickens and I think he is a writer in the same vein. Very creative storylines.
@Laura yes, I remember 1st reading GARP , then had to look for other books by him, found 2 I think, then waited so impatiently for every book thereafter…also do that with Erdrich, Kingsolver, Frazier, and Tartt, more but these esp come to mind. I’ve got all of their latest on my tbrl right now, reading an Alice Sebold book , her 3rd I believe then onto the Hannah book and the Grann non-fiction, I’m usually reading one of each at the same time unless I get so engrossed I can’t stop either the fiction or the nf. Do y’all read more than one book at a time? It’s always one of each for me if I read 2, like I said I might get so into one or the other and cannot put it down
I wish I didnt start more than one at a time. I do that sometimes because I make use of the library and several that I had on reserve come at once. This often gets me in a quagmire of what I want to be concentrating on. I much prefer one to savor at a time. Right now I am reading The Vain Conversation by Anthony Grooms.
@Shelley Uh, yes, I’m reading at least 4 books right now….. Need to cut down! HAHA!
@Laura what’s it about? Never heard of it.
@Colleen 2 is usually my limit, one fiction, one NF…
@Colleen I can’t concentrate on more than 2
@Shelley well, I have to admit, neither can I…. HAHA!
I read it…..couldn’t say I enjoyed it.
Yes. Like “Owen Meany,” I found “Cider House Rules” to be haunting — it still crops up in my thoughts from time to time, and I read it years ago.
Loved it. Love John Irving.
I read that for a college English course and I loved it too!
I’m a huge John Irving fan! Loved this one.
Good book ?
I loved it.
I enjoyed it too!
Loved it.
I loved the movie too
Loved it .. Love him
Loved it … Love him
I loved that book ?
Loved! A story that has stayed with me.
Ready for OWEN MEANY. CIDER HOUSE will have to wait on third base.
I have to get busy, so many books to enjoy.
Classic Irving
Gosh I believe I did it’s been a long time ago though
Yes, loved it. a true classic
I love John Irving.
Owen Meany is one of my favorite books.
Yes, I love this one, too. The chapter about the church Christmas pageant is alone worth the price of the book.
@Cathryn that scene is so descriptive that I can truly see it
long after reading it.
Yes but some of Irving’s books IMO are not great- sorry, Mr Irving.
I couldn’t get into Piggy Sneed. Others start out sketchy but never disappoint (me).
Had a bit of trouble with Piggy Sneed, too. But John Irving is among my favorite writers.
the movie version was very good, I would like to read the book, as well..
Yes. Also loved it.
Loved it!
One of my favorite Irving books and I think ive read them all cuz he’s my favorite author.
Yes. I loved it!
Awesome to see so many Irving fans! I once heard him speak at a college.
Lucky you, I’ve seen him on panels talking but on tv, maybe C-Span…great and so funny
Yes. I loved it!
Upsetting but I loved it.
Love John Irving in general.
Yes yes yes
Yes, loved it after reading Garp.
Long, long ago.
??
Wonderful and its film was good too
Great!
Loved that story.
I read it. It was good.
Good movie, haven’t read the book.
Loved it
John Irving is one of my guilty pleasures! I couldn’t put Cider House Rules down and I was on college spring break!
I LOVED that book!
Loved it!
Loved both the book AND the movie. Though disparate they made the same point.
Yes. Loved it.
Loved it and the movie was really good too!!
John Irving, John Irving, John Irving <3
I read it in college. It was my first Irving book and I really liked it.
Brilliant!!!
One of my top 10 beloved books. Also loved A Prayer for Owen Meany and the World According to Garp.
Fuzzy. . . .
Hated it. Killing babies has never been one of my favorite things in any format.
I tried reading Where Are the Children and never finished it. I did not enjoy Lovely Bones for that reason, though I did finish it because I was in a book club but if I wasn’t I do not think I would have finished it.
While the subject matter may be difficult to handle, Irving’s writing is so heartfelt and beautiful that I never once felt the book exploited the subject.
Love anything by John Irving
Then you haven’t read Widow for a Year. I loved everything until this one. Really boring. Surprising.
@Eliza no I haven’t read that one, guess I’ll stay away!
Love , love , love
He’s one of my favorite authors.
Definitely one of my top 5 favorites!
I went through a phase in college when I read almost every book he’s written. I LOVED Until I Find you.
Got to get that one.
I deeply love “A Prayer for Owen Meany.” It’s my favorite Irving.
I did and enjoyed movie too
Loved the compassion of Dr. Larch for the Princes of New England (or somewhere).
“Good night, young princes of Maine!”
(I think?)
@Lisa Yes, thank you! I was too lazy to look it up.
@Caryl I am guessing from memory so don’t take my word for it! LOL
“Princes of Maine, Kings of New England..” (I had to check again in the book.)
@Priscilla Thank you! ?
Its a great and important book.
It was the first book I read when I joined my first book group.
I’ve started The Hotel New Hampshire…it’s as hilarious and heartbreaking as his other works.
I’ve loved all his books, but haven’t read the last two, got to get to them, on my tbrl
Great writer. Love all his books.
The World According to Garp is another all-time favorite.
One of my favorite John Irving books. Right up there with Owen Meany and Garp.
Don’t hate me but I used to work with his sister. I tried to get the skinny on what he was working on in advanced. I was able to squeak a little into out of her once on one of his books. Very interesting family. His dad used to teach as Phillips Exeter Academy and that is where Irving when to High school. Meany actually is based out of PEA and is placed out of Exeter and Hampton NH. He changes the names of the locations. Those of us from the area know the areas he is disguising under other names.
Wow! I’m sure he takes a lot of inspiration from his own experiences and his family. I love that you can laugh out loud one minute and want to cry the next. It’s like real life – on steroids!
Loved it! But I love everything written by John Irving, ?.
Love all of his! Definitely one of my top authors. Can not pick a favorite.
I adore every book he has written! Try The Last Night in Twisted River:
Ive not read that one I’ll add it to my list.
Read it last year. Very good.
LOVED that book.
That title alone would make me pick it up. I’ll find it.
Added it to my list as well ? Love John Irving
A prayer for Owen meany! I can hear his voice in my head ??
Funny me to
Loved it!
Just started reading Sharp Objects. Movie will be on tv tomorrow.
I read it and liked it but not as much as you.
Tied with A Prayer for Owen Meany for me from Irving. Garp was my favorite.