It took a little planning ahead — fast dinner, pumping milk, shoving baby Dash into his Daddy’s arms for the evening — but I made it to the John Irving talk yesterday at Willamette University.
And was I ever glad I made the effort. He was everything you could want in an author appearance: witty, charming, fabulously low-key, often brilliant, sometimes surprising, and always full of insight into his own work and the craft of novel writing.
He began by telling the story of his latest novel, one that he says has been in his mind for at least 20 years, Last Night in Twisted River. It’s his twelfth novel — a fugitive story about a son and his father, and like many of his books, things won’t end pretty here.
Some interesting tidbits from the evening:
- A famed fan of 19th century novelists, Irving detests Ernest Hemingway’s style and wasn’t afraid to say how much he also hates the contemporary writers who try to emulate the pared-down author.
- The inspiration for Irving’s books always begin at the end — with the very last sentence.
- He spends about a year plotting his novels. Then, when he knows the story through and through, he writes like a demon. Then he rewrites.
- Irving has little tolerance for writers who don’t love the re-write.
- Irving writes by hand. He is often shocked at how awful his kids’ handwriting is.
- He often inserts autobiographical elements into his books, but he would never want the past, nor the lives, that his characters have.
- He gives long, beautifully crafted answers to the questions his interviewers pose. because of that, he can probably only answer three questions in an hour. But man, does he pack in the content!
Time to revisit Owen Meany. Thanks, Willamette, for the talented Mr. Irving to town!
On top of eloquence and wit, he was charmingly naughty to the moderator trying to reel him in. A thoroughly enjoyable evening with one of my favorite authors. Had I not happened to go to breakfast two Sundays ago at Goudy Commons with friends, I would have never known about the event. I wish there was better communication about the great things happening at Willamette University.
Here’s a good profile of him from the NYTIMES — the piece came out to coincide with his last book, “Until I Find You” and addresses some of the questions of weaving autobiography into novels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/books/28irvi.html?_r=1
That question wasn’t directly posed by the interviewer. She asked it more obliquely, questioning the portrayal of women in Last Night.
Wow, what a guest speaker. I would have loved to have been there. I have been staring longingly at “Until I Find You” on our bookcase for quite some time, wondering when I’ll have a few spare moments to relish it. I think this week…
By the way, congratulations, Emily, on your son! Boys are real teddy bears clamoring all over ya, no matter how big or small they are, at all times, just to be close to their mama.
Thanks again for a great blog!
I’m going to restart the whole Irving collection, I think. I think I never picked up the Cider House Rules because of the very serious movie adaptation, but I heard that night that it’s a very funny book.