“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
“living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently.” I” — John Irving Life Copy Share Image
I find screenplays easy to write, my novels being very visual. You see what people look like. The physical action is described. — John Irving Action Copy Share Image
He was one of those people things came easily to, but he did little to demonstrate that he deserved to be gifted. — John Irving Copy Share Image
Kids are beautiful, man. And they know much more than grownups think they know. Kids are just perfect people until grownups get… — John Irving Beautiful Copy Share Image
'The Fourth Hand' was a novel that came from twenty years of screenwriting concurrently with whatever novel I'm writing. — John Irving Books Copy Share Image
I have pretty thick skin, and I think if you're going to be in this business, if you're going to be an… — John Irving Actor Copy Share Image
One of the humbling things about having written more than one novel is the sense that every time you begin, that new… — John Irving Copy Share Image
We don't always have a choice how we get to know one another. Sometimes, people fall into our lives cleanly--as if out… — John Irving Choice Copy Share Image
I will tell you what is my overriding perception of the last twenty years: that we are a civilization careening toward a… — John Irving Civilization Copy Share Image
Is it a democratic society that condemns people to the accident of conception? What are we-monkeys? If you expect people to be… — John Irving Accidents Copy Share Image
“For a terrible time of life a teen-ager deceives himself; he believes he can trick the world. He believes he is invulnerable.… — John Irving Adolescence Copy Share Image
Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides… — John Irving Copy Share Image
“You've witnessed what you c-c-c-call a miracle and now you believe-you believe everything," Pastor Merrill said. "But miracles don't c-c-c-cause belief-real miracles… — John Irving Faith Copy Share Image
“Wherever Melony went, she would not be without guidance, she would not be without love, without faith; she had a good book… — John Irving Books Copy Share Image
I don't read anything electronically. I don't write electronically, either - except e-mails to my family and friends. I write in longhand.… — John Irving Copy Share Image
“Again, Homer felt the nudge in his ribs, and Mr. Rose said, mildly, ‘You all so uneducated – Homer’s havin’ a little… — John Irving Man To Man Copy Share Image
“In Ruth's view, they looked 'like a couple' because they seemed to possess some terrible secret between them - they appeared stricken… — John Irving Humor Copy Share Image
“That was when Angel Wells became a fiction writer, whether he knew it or not. That's when he learned how to make… — John Irving Fiction writer Copy Share Image
“Wilbur Larch knew that freedom was an orphan’s most dangerous illusion, and when he finally heard from Homer, he scanned the oddly… — John Irving Freedom Copy Share Image
Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we… — John Irving Copy Share Image
“Doris Wales was a woman with straw-blond hair whose body appeared to have been dipped in corn oil; then she must have… — John Irving Love Bites Copy Share Image
Along the (writing) way accidents happen, detours get taken... But these are not "divine" accidents; I don't believe in those. I believe… — John Irving Accidents Copy Share Image
“As often as I feel certain that God exists, I feel as often at a loss to say what difference it makes—that… — John Irving Believe in god Copy Share Image
“Never trust a man with a lunatic wife in an attic," Richard told me. "And anyone named Heathcliff should make you suspicious.” — John Irving Marriage Copy Share Image
“That’s what I love about boys,” Marion told him. “No matter what, you just go about your business.” — John Irving Boys Copy Share Image
I grew up in a family where, through my teenage years, I was expected to go to church on Sunday. It wasn't… — John Irving Catholic Copy Share Image
...every study of the gods, of everyone's gods, is a revelation of vengeance towards the innocent. — John Irving Education Copy Share Image
All men are liars, said Roberta Muldoon, who knew this was true because she had once been a man. — John Irving Liars Copy Share Image
Safer than we are.” I told Franny. “Safer than love.” “let me tell ya kid,” Franny said to me, squeezing my hand.… — John Irving Copy Share Image
Your memory is a monster; it summons with will of its own. You think you have a memory, but it has you. — John Irving Memories Copy Share Image
“What bothered Ruth was that she needed to be with Rooie again -- just to see, as in a story, what would… — John Irving Copy Share Image
All I say is: Let us leave les folles alone; let's just leave them be. Don't judge them. You are not superior… — John Irving Copy Share Image
The building of the architecture of a novel - the craft of it - is something I never tire of. — John Irving Architecture Copy Share Image
If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it. — John Irving Courage Copy Share Image
I have learned that the consequences of our past actions are always interesting; I have learned to view the present with a… — John Irving Action 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
. . .There are moments when time does stop. We must be alert enough to notice such moments . . . — John Irving Copy Share Image
“It's rare when there's something we can do for ourselves which also pleases someone else.” — John Irving Copy Share Image
This was not of the nature of a Christlike lesson for Owen Meany to learn, as he lay in the manger, that… — John Irving Giving Copy Share Image
