The concept of writing a novel and not knowing where it's going - I don't know how to do that. Novels are… — John Irving Books Copy Share Image
Don’t you understand?” he would say, “You imagine the story better than I remember it. — John Irving Imagine Copy Share Image
But I often think that so-called glamorous people are just very busy people. — John Irving Busy Copy Share Image
“In Wally’s bedroom Homer marveled at how the world was simultaneously being invented and destroyed. Nothing marvelous about that, Dr. Larch would… — John Irving Copy Share Image
No one but me ever put a hand on me to feel that baby. No one wanted to put his ear against… — John Irving Baby Copy Share Image
“When, if only for a moment, the novelist steps out of the creator's role, what roles are there for the novelist to… — John Irving Time Copy Share Image
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO BE AN ENGLISH MAJOR, YOU DON’T NEED ANY SPECIAL TALENT, YOU JUST HAVE TO PAY… — John Irving English major Copy Share Image
I have a friend who says that reviewers are the tickbirds of the literary rhinoceros-but he is being kind. Tickbirds perform a… — John Irving Be kind Copy Share Image
I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. Not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest… — John Irving Believe Copy Share Image
“The night she died, Dan found her propped up in her hospital bed; she appeared to have fallen asleep with the TV… — John Irving Owen Meany Copy Share Image
The powerful wind swept his hair away from his face; he leaned his chest into the wind, as if he stood on… — John Irving Deck Copy Share Image
It´s natural to want someone you love to do what you want, or what you think would be good for them, but… — John Irving Be good Copy Share Image
“I walked all the way through the Heldenplatz – the Plaza of Heroes – and stood where thousands of cheering fascists had… — John Irving Copy Share Image
“When he and Wally stopped laughing, Homer said, ‘I’ve never seen the ocean, you know.’ ‘Candy, did you hear that?’ Wally asked,… — John Irving Humor Copy Share Image
“He felt the pregnant woman squeeze his hand so hard that it hurt. The word ‘Mother!’ was strangely on his lips when… — John Irving Parenting Copy Share Image
“Many things the gods achieve beyond our judgement,'" said the sorrowful girl. "'What we thought is not confirmed and what we thought… — John Irving Faith Copy Share Image
“Here was the world-famous novelist with her penchant for detail; yet, in her observations of a prostitute with a customer, she had… — John Irving Irony Copy Share Image
I'm not at all contemporary, not even modern, and the fact that I would be so quaintly attracted to that wrestling rule… — John Irving Behavior Copy Share Image
“After twenty years in Canada, there are certain American lunatics who still fascinate me.” — John Irving Copy Share Image
I was brought up in a community, in a family that valued such things as good manners, and I still do. — John Irving Community Copy Share Image
What was even more germane was my study of the history of religion. It was one of the few things in school… — John Irving Education Copy Share Image
“For Homer Wells, it was different. He did not imagine leaving St. Cloud's. The Princes of Maine that Homer saw, the Kings… — John Irving Copy Share Image
“When we held Owen Meany above our heads, when we passed him back and forth - so effortlessly - we believed that… — John Irving Owen Meany Copy Share Image
My dear boy, please don’t put a label on me—don’t make me a category before you get to know me! — John Irving Boys Copy Share Image
