Reading John Irving

In One Person
By John Irving

I have loved John Irving’s books since I was in college.  It started with Hotel New Hampshire and with one exception; I’ve read all the fiction he has written in the past 30 years.  It is a happy day in our house when I find out that Irving has written something new, given us another gift of a great novel to enjoy.  His books are always wonderful and weird and thought provoking, regardless of the subject matter.  Quite simply, in my opinion, John Irving is a master American storyteller. 

When you read Irving’s books, you can bet that there’s characters that live on the edge of mainstream, you know that there will be bears in some form, wrestling will play a part in the book, and that no matter what bizarre things happen, you will end up taking them in stride like they happen to people you know every day, and who knows, maybe they do.

I just finished Irving’s newest novel, In One Person.  Like all his others, I loved it and was sad to see it finish.  In One Person follows Billy, a young preteen who finds himself attracted to his stepfather and the town librarian at the same time.  As Bill grows up his “inappropriate crushes” help he and his family realize that he is bisexual.  We watch Bill graduate college, become a writer, have relationships with both women and men, and survive the AIDS epidemic.  Through it all, his stalwart friend Elaine provides him the support and friendship he needs to figure out how not to be lonely as he lives his life in between.

One of Irving’s gifts is his ability to get the reader to sympathize with characters that might otherwise not be sympathetic.  We end up loving Bill’s cross dressing grandfather and the transgender librarian that Bill falls for.  Irving has always tackled controversial subjects, from abortion in Cider House Rules, to God’s plan for people in A Prayer for Owen Meany (on my top 5 list of all time).  Irving says that he felt compelled to write this book because of the controversy around the legalization of gay marriage.  It is a novel about tolerance in the grandest sense of the word – tolerance of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.  And a beautiful one it is.  Billy’s story is one that explores tolerance across generations, cultures and even among groups in the LBGT community.  I find the subject matter very timely. 

Irving has a true gift in writing stories about families, even the most seemingly dysfunctional.  Bill’s family culture is based on secrets and closed doors while he spends most of his life trying to find out the answers and expose the lies.  Meanwhile there are some very endearing members to the family that truly love him and help him become the man he does. 

If you’ve never tried a John Irving novel, you really should.  His books are funny and wry, irreverent and beautifully written. Just know that his books may shock you and will stretch your comfort level, but in the end, will open your eyes and your heart to new kinds of people.  In today’s world, that’s a gift we should all receive.

An interview with John Irving as he discusses In One Person.