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Recommendations from anyone who reads Anne Tyler and/or John Irving please

37 replies

Posey · 18/07/2009 18:58

Last year on holiday I read A Prayer for Owen Meany and loved it. Which of John Irving's other books would you recommend?

Also have read a few of Anne Tyler's and liked them all (except not overly keen on Digging to America). Which was your favourite or recommended Anne Tyler please?

Thank you

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pagwatch · 18/07/2009 19:00

If you liked Owen Meany you will like The World According to Garp. I loved them both.

brimfull · 18/07/2009 19:03

you would like mary lawson's crow lake

Hassled · 18/07/2009 19:06

The Hotel New Hampshire is very good. I've loved every Ann Tyler I've read, with the exception of The Patchwork Planet. Can't remember what my problem was with that one.

paisleyleaf · 18/07/2009 19:08

Hotel New Hampshire for John Irving
Ladder Of Years for Anne Tyler

blueshoes · 18/07/2009 19:23

John Irving: another one for Garp and Hotel New Hampshire.

steaknife · 18/07/2009 19:33

Until I Find You
A Widow for One Year

both John Irving

Posey · 18/07/2009 19:38

Thank you for those recommendations! Dh is doing an Amazon order later so I thought I might bung some holiday reading into his basket!
Any more Anne Tyler thoughts?

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DuchessOfAvon · 18/07/2009 19:38

Saint Maybe, The Amateur Wedding & Accidental Tourist are my fav Anne Tylers.
Digging to America was my least favourite.

Owen Meany is awesome. I enjoyed Cider House Rules & Widow for One Year too.

BikeRunSki · 18/07/2009 19:45

Anne Tyler - The Accidental Tourist
John Irving - All of them, but especially The Cider House Rules. I hated The Hotel New Hampshire and Setting Free the Bears.

brimfull · 18/07/2009 19:45

Alice Hoffman is similar to anne tyler

popsycal · 18/07/2009 19:47

I am a huge JOhn Irving fan.

Hotel new hampshire is my favourite alonfg with owen meany

ArcticRoll · 18/07/2009 19:51

The Accidental Tourist, Saint Maybe and Ladder of Years

Posey · 18/07/2009 19:53

Brilliant, thanks very much. Holiday choices are so important don't you think?! I have read some dreadful stuff recently and really don't want to be disappointed on holiday.

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JammyQueenOfTheSewers · 18/07/2009 19:57

Don't know Anne Tyler books, but I love (most) John Irving books. I really loved Owen Meany, and my equal favourite with that is Widow for One Year.

londonartemis · 19/07/2009 17:31

I enjoy Anne Tyler's books. Have also recently read Frankie and Stankie by Barbara Trapido which I really do recommend. It's (fiction)about a girl growing up in South Africa during apartheid. Great anecdotes about her school, best friends etc against hideous background of politics. Again like Anne Tyler's books, it's about ordinary people getting to grips with what life is throwing up at them.

lilolilmanchester · 19/07/2009 17:38

how odd, have just mentioned Anne Tyler on another thread!Have you read anything by Anita Shreve?

Posey · 19/07/2009 20:25

Have heard of both Anita Shreve and Barbara Trapido but not read any of their books. Its always good to have pointerswhen you go to the bookshop or library otherwise it really is a case of where to begin.
Thanks for the recommendations.

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mellifluouscauliflower · 19/07/2009 20:29

I have read most of Anne Tyler's. I liked Ladders of the Years.

I too loved Meaney. Also enjoyed "The 3rd Hand" which was one of his later books and a bit shorter.

stainesmassif · 19/07/2009 20:34

i haven't read an anne tyler i didn't like, though i think she can be a bit 'samey' - though i find a lot of authors can be like that. not necessarily a bad thing.

i find that i like each new john irving more than the last, though i haven't finished 'until i find you' - but i think mostly cause my wrists are too weak for hard backs...

stleger · 19/07/2009 20:36

Try American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld if you like American stuff.

brimfull · 19/07/2009 21:20

When I said Aloce Hoffman I really meant Alice Munroe

MamaKaty · 30/07/2009 10:48

If you like Anne Tyler you might also like Carol Shields

MamaKaty · 30/07/2009 10:49

Sorry - I sent the post before I'd finished posting! I was going to recommend Carol Shields or Elizabeth Berg - they all write very character focused fiction

suiledonn · 30/07/2009 10:56

Another vote for Anne Tyler Ladder of Years.
I've liked all of her's that I have read so far. I love Anita Shreve but she does seem to be a love her or hate her writer. My favourites of hers are Strange Fits of Passion and Eden Close.
I love John Irving too. Owen Meany and A Widow for One Year are my favourites too.
We seem to have similar tastes so I would say give Anita Shreve a try.
Jane Smiley A Thousand Acres is excellent although haven't read any more of hers.
I love anything by David Guterson and Kent Haruf also.

suiledonn · 30/07/2009 10:58

Also meant to mention Kate Atkinson. I love Emotionally Weird and the Jackson Brodie ones Case Histories, One Good Turn and When Will There be Good News.