Let’s talk about John Irving. Of course he is the literary giant who authored The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, The Hotel New Hampshire, and my favorite novel of all time, A Prayer for Owen Meany. 

These are not thrillers, like the works of most of my other favorite authors, but worlds filled with funny, flawed, complex characters—some of whom are extreme oddballs—but all possessing a deep humanity. I think this is what makes Irving so special to me. He is able to create weird people without making them caricatures. 

Irving’s stories are meticulously told, with details that put you in the scene, and situations that lead you through pain, sorrow, betrayal, and redemption. You could say his stories are like real life, only more interesting. 

I’ve not read all of his books. My list includes only Garp, Meany, Hotel New Hampshire, A Widow for One Year, and The Fourth Hand. 

I suggest the newbie start with The World According to Garp, and proceed to A Prayer for Owen Meany. The latter is at the pinnacle of American Literature, in my opinion. 

These are not quick, chewing-gum-for-the-brain reads, but not difficult either. So get after it!