Introduction


John Irving
It is no wonder that so many of John Irving’s books feature Phillips Exeter Academy. Irving was the son and nephew of faculty members at the school, and it played an important part in his youth. Another big influence in Irving’s life at school was wrestling, which also finds its way into many of his stories, including the 1978 book that catapulted him to fame: The World According to Garp. All of his books published since have been best sellers. In 1999, Irving gained another accolade when his novel The Cider House Rules was made into a successful film that won an Academy Award for best screenplay.

Essential Facts

  1. Irving’s popular book A Prayer for Owen Meany was adapted into a film, but Irving disapproved and insisted that all character names be changed from the novel.
  2. Irving once publicly criticized author Tom Wolfe in an interview. He said that Wolfe “can’t write.”
  3. Many of Irving’s books have autobiographical elements, including his 2005 novel Until I Find You. It deals in part with his sexual abuse by an older woman.
  4. Irving says of his love of writing, “The building of the architecture of a novel—the craft of it—is something I never tire of.”
  5. In addition to writing, Irving also teaches occasionally and coaches high school wrestling.