“Let the grave mound grow a little grass, I always say; then it’s safe to look.” — John Irving Copy Share Image
Writing is hard. I learned how to work hard from wrestling, not English courses. — John Irving Courses Copy Share Image
Nearly everything seems a letdown after a writer has finished writing something. — John Irving Letdowns Copy Share Image
There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep. — John Irving Children Copy Share Image
You only grow by coming to the end of something and by beginning something else. — John Irving Ends Copy Share Image
“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.” — John Irving Faith Copy Share Image
I'm old-fashioned, a storyteller. I'm not an analyst and I'm not an intellectual. — John Irving Analysts Copy Share Image
The excitement of anticipation was *almost* equal to the thrill of lovemaking ... — John Irving Adventure Copy Share Image
In this world,” Franny once observed, “just as you’re trying to think of yourself as memorable, there is always someone who forgets… — John Irving Forget Copy Share Image
You don't have to be in the habit of going to church to listen to such a literary minister; you don't have… — John Irving Believer Copy Share Image
“Well, you finally got me," Helen had whispered to him, tearfully, but Garp had sprawled there, on his back on the wrestling… — John Irving Humor Copy Share Image
I always know more about the ending, even the aftermath to the ending, than I know about the beginning. And so there's… — John Irving Aftermath Copy Share Image
There's a lot of ignorance about how long it takes to write a novel. There's a lot of ignorance about how long… — John Irving About Copy Share Image
“And what were the rules at St. Cloud's? What were Larch's rules? Which rules did Dr. Larch observe, which ones did he… — John Irving Civilization Copy Share Image
If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then… — John Irving Feels Copy Share Image
I write very quickly; I rewrite very slowly. It takes me nearly as long to rewrite a book as it does to… — John Irving Book Copy Share Image
“Some producer actually told Franny that profanity revealed a poor vocabulary and a lack of imagination. And Frank and Lilly and Father… — John Irving Copy Share Image
The history of a city was like the history of a family—there is closeness and even affection, but death eventually separates everyone… — John Irving Affection Copy Share Image
I think that was when the headmaster realized he had lost; he realized then that he was finished. Because, what could he… — John Irving Awkward Copy Share Image
“As for the river, it just kept moving,as river do--as rivers do. Under the logs, the body of the young Canadian moved… — John Irving Moment In Time Copy Share Image
“On his bedside table, between the reading lamp and the telephone, was his battered copy of David Copperfield. Homer didn't have to… — John Irving Books Copy Share Image
“LAST NITE I HAD A DREAM. NOW I KNOW FOUR THINGS. I KNOW THAT MY VOICE DOESN’T CHANGE – BUT I STILL… — John Irving Dreams Copy Share Image
He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society that approved… — John Irving Abortion Copy Share Image
“A man named Hero washed the press cloths; Meany Hyde told Homer that the man had been a kind of hero, once.… — John Irving Copy Share Image
