That is excellent.
Also, it's fucked up yet unsurprising that the Irving books I loved the most in college (Garp, Hotel New Hampshire) were the ones that had all (or almost all) of the recurring themes.
Haven't you killed me enough for one day?
Mal ,'War Stories'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Steph L. - Oct 28, 2009 8:53:33 am PDT #10266 of 28377
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
DavidS - Oct 28, 2009 11:55:03 am PDT #10267 of 28377
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
were the ones that had all (or almost all) of the recurring themes.
Water Method Man and Setting Free the Bears both have the usual set of early Irving obsessions: Bears, Austria, Whores, Comic Mayhem, Ironic Death.
Seska (the Watcher-in-Training) - Oct 28, 2009 12:20:46 pm PDT #10268 of 28377
"We're all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?"
Favourite Irving: Owen Meaney. Possibly because I like slightly twisted takes on religion.
Polter-Cow - Oct 28, 2009 12:21:05 pm PDT #10269 of 28377
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
That's my only Irving.
Amy - Oct 28, 2009 12:31:07 pm PDT #10270 of 28377
Because books.
My only Irving is Hotel New Hampshire a long, long time ago.
beth b - Oct 28, 2009 12:38:17 pm PDT #10271 of 28377
oh joy! Oh Rapture ! I have a brain!
Prayer for Owen Meany is really the only Irving I love
DavidS - Oct 28, 2009 12:38:53 pm PDT #10272 of 28377
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I never read Owen Meaney because of the all caps sections.
Steph L. - Oct 28, 2009 12:43:25 pm PDT #10273 of 28377
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
I never read Owen Meaney because of the all caps sections.
The all-caps drove me insane.
Seska (the Watcher-in-Training) - Oct 28, 2009 12:48:01 pm PDT #10274 of 28377
"We're all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?"
The all-caps drove me insane.
Being a Terry Pratchett fan, I didn't mind much.
megan walker - Oct 28, 2009 12:54:44 pm PDT #10275 of 28377
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
Irvings I have known (in order of preference):
A Widow for One Year
The Cider House Rules
The World According to Garp
The Hotel New Hampshire
I have a special fondness for Garp, mostly because of the film, but I loved
A Widow for One Year.