“And maybe it was fair; if a book was any good, it was a slap in the face to someone.” — John Irving Book Copy Share Image
I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a story because I kind of go, like a magnet, to the worst… — John Irving Cases Copy Share Image
If we live long enough, we become caricatures of ourselves. — John Irving Caricatures Copy Share Image
“There is no Purgatory-that's a catholic invention. There's life on earth, There's heaven-and there's hell” — John Irving Life Copy Share Image
I don't begin a novel or a screenplay until I know the ending. And I don't mean only that I have to… — John Irving Atmosphere Copy Share Image
“You don't sound very well Owen." I pointed out to him. "IF JESUS HAD TO BE BORN ON A DAY LIKE THIS.… — John Irving Christianity Copy Share Image
“The kind of people claiming to be in communication with God today . . . they are enough to drive a real… — John Irving Christianity Copy Share Image
You can learn a lot from your lovers, but-for the most part-you get to keep your friends longer, and you learn more… — John Irving Friends Copy Share Image
I never wanted my kids to feel I was more interested in anything I was doing than I was in them. — John Irving Anything Copy Share Image
“the public entertainment of any period distinguishing the period as clearly as its so-called politics,” — John Irving Politics Copy Share Image
“a school-vacation skier is never the equal to a north-country native.” — John Irving 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
“Writing a novel is actually searching for victims. As I write I keep looking for casualties. The stories uncover the casualties." (Interview… — John Irving Books Copy Share Image
If you presume to love something, you must love the process of it much more than you love the finished product. — John Irving Finished Copy Share Image
“But first, he knew he had to apologize for hurting Dr. Larch’s feelings – it had all just slipped out of him,… — John Irving First time Copy Share Image
He was too young to know that, in any novel with a reasonable amount of forethought, there were no coincidences. — John Irving Books Copy Share Image
“Easter is the main even; if you don't believe in the resurrection, you're not a believer.” — John Irving Easter Copy Share Image
“Homer Wells, listening to Big Dot Taft, felt like her voice – dulled. Wally was away, Candy was away, and the anatomy… — John Irving Hard Workers Copy Share Image
There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep. — John Irving Children Copy Share Image
“She drew the line at television. It took no effort to watch – it was infinitely more beneficial to the soul, and… — John Irving Copy Share Image
People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers. — John Irving Answers Copy Share Image
More than a half, maybe as much as two-thirds of my life as a writer is rewriting. I wouldn't say I have… — John Irving Half Copy Share Image
“Oh, what a nation of moralists the Americans are! With what fervor do they relish bringing their sexual misconduct to light! A… — John Irving Copy Share Image
