John Irving: Until I Find You

[novella]

. . . is getting creamed in the media. What a shame.

I heard hiim interviewed about the book and the way he came to write it and what it means to him are a fascinating story. Too bad the book isn't living up to the reality.

 

[Kookamoor]

It's getting canned by the media? Why? I hadn't heard about his new book, but I'll probably read it anyway - I love his writing.

 

[novella]

So far I've read three really negative reviews, in the NY Times, The New Yorker, and the NY Observer, and all the reviewers basically said the same thing, that they loved his previous books and this one just isn't good at all.

Apparently it's really really long, has a lot of rambling digressions, and the main character is very passive and uninteresting.

The cool part of the real story is that Irving never knew his real father, and when he started out writing the book (years ago), he made up an imaginary father. Then, when he went to finish the book, he did some research to find his real father and the imaginary one had loads of stuff in common. There are other strange coincidences as well. If you find an interview with him, it's worth reading. It's a very cool story.

I think he probably had too much personally invested in this book to edit himself well, and then his publisher didn't edit it either. Oh well.

 

[Kookamoor]

I think he probably had too much personally invested in this book to edit himself well, and then his publisher didn't edit it either. Oh well.

That's a shame... but it's interesting to see him writing about something so personal. There is so much of his experiences in his writing, that for a time there it was a bit repetitive (constant involvement at boys boarding schools in Maine/New Hampshire, Vienna, writing about writers). But he himself was still removed from the story.

It must get more difficult to edit the books of a well known and successful writer as he gains in fame. Things slip through that an editor would never pass from an author of less reknown.

I will definately seek out an interview transcript.

 

[Shade]

I'll probably read it anyway, but the reviews novella mentions don't really surprise me: having loved all the 'mature' Irving (Garp, Hotel New Hampshire, Cider House Rules, Owen Meany, Son of the Circus), I absolutely hated A Widow for One Year, so much so that I didn't even bother with The Fourth Hand. Could it be that he's just gone off the boil? We can't always expect our writers to be great forever.

 

[Kookamoor]

I absolutely hated A Widow for One Year, so much so that I didn't even bother with The Fourth Hand.

I quite liked these books because they were a bit of a departure from his earlier work. I thought 'A Widow for One Year' was quite good, and was very disappointed with the movie that came out - it only featured the first third of the book! I kept waiting for the Amsterdam scenes, and realised towards the end that it wasn't going to happen.

 

[little_t]

slightly off subject...

...I'm an Irving fan, and though I haven't read his latest, I probably will do. It's such a shame when books get panned in the media - especially when it puts people off buying them. I've only recently changed my tune with regards to reviews - when in the States, I bought the new Jonathan Safran Foer novel - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I was completely absorbed - I found it flawed but loved it all the same - it made me laugh and cry. However, the reveiws have been luke-warm at best. It occurs to me that had I read the reviews first, I might not have bought the book, despite loving his first novel. Sorry - just had to get that off my chest!

 

[novella]

...I'm an Irving fan, and though I haven't read his latest, I probably will do. It's such a shame when books get panned in the media - especially when it puts people off buying them. I've only recently changed my tune with regards to reviews - when in the States, I bought the new Jonathan Safran Foer novel - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I was completely absorbed - I found it flawed but loved it all the same - it made me laugh and cry. However, the reveiws have been luke-warm at best. It occurs to me that had I read the reviews first, I might not have bought the book, despite loving his first novel. Sorry - just had to get that off my chest!

You're right. Anyway, Irving himself predicted what the reviewers would say, which lets you know he probably heard it all before but decided that's how he wanted his book to be. That alone indicates it might be better than the reviewers are allowing.

 

[sirmyk]

I never trust a critic. It's a motto of mine. I can't wait to pick this one up, even if it's mediocre when compared to his others.

 

[KBomb_reads]

One of my favourite authors is John Irving, and I was so sad to read all those horrible reviews.. I bought the book anyway but haven't started it. In some review (I've forgotten which, which doesn't make me very credible) it said it was profound and thought provoking, and the story about him and his father is really interesting and I definitely will read it!

 

[lenny nero]

It's definitely not as good as his old stuff, but it's still a good read. It was way too long, too. His recent dealings with Hollywood seems to have heavily influenced this book.

 

[Doug Johnson]

I think he probably had too much personally invested in this book to edit himself well

A common problem for writers. You write, because you have something to say. You quickly find out, however, that no one is interested in what you have to say, readers just want to be entertained.