John Irving Summary

Irving, John (1942—) The novels of John Irving have been regular bestsellers ever since The World According to Garp won international acclaim in 1978. Irving's first novel, Setting Free ... Read more

One of a few modern best-selling writers who also has literary stature, John Irving (born 1942) rose to prominence in 1979 with his fourth novel, The World According to Garp. His novels have combined ... Read more

John Irving enjoys a rare and prominent place among contemporary American writers not only for having published a string of best-sellers but also for having received accolades from critics in the popu... Read more

Critical Essay by Jan Carew Irving's first novel, "Setting Free the Bears" received the kind of critical praise that makes one approach his second, "The Water-Method Man&#... Read more

In the following review, Rosenheim offers a generally favorable assessment of The Imaginary Girlfriend. Evelyn Waugh's Mr Pinfold maintained that "most men have the germs of one or tw... Read more

Critical Essay by Anne Tyler There's no hiding that I'm a Garp-hater. I was put off by the [casual cruelty of The World According to Garp], by its calculated, unwieldy plot and its stag... Read more

Is it absurd to foster the idea that we are all pawns of a master plan - God's plan? In A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving asserts that our lives have a prearranged role to fill - one that fits into... Read more