The World According To Garp

Just finished this 688 page novel this afternoon. My instructor Jed from Phoenix College spoke highly of the book. Of course I listen to just about anyone these days when it comes to literature, even college professors. I'm so lucky to be the new kid on the block, and like a kid in the candy isle. There's so much good stuff most of ya'll already know about, and I'm the luckiest late comer I know. I will not take English 101 or 102 ever again. I also will not chew gum in class.

I've been asking Cathy to hold off on watching the movie (again). It's been a while since I've seen it, which means it will be new to me again. There's no way that movie has this book covered unless it is 8 hours long. Tonite, popcorn and a movie. I can't wait to see Helen and Ellen. I remember Roberta, and just a little of Garp, and a bit more of Jenny.

John is so full of stories he has Garp writing them for him. Maybe one of the reasons the book is so big! I'd like to get even one story out in the open, this guy can get 4 or more told in one spin cycle. It's a long book, and I was happy to finish the last "other" story and come to the end of the Garp story. Only because it had to end, not because I wanted it to. I still feel each of those characters in my mind and heart this evening. John nailed um for me. Can I write like that someday? Hope so.

There's a bunch of sex here. Not raw, and for me, only barely explicit. I'd like to write about sex, beats talking about it. After all these years of reading Zen Buddhism it's a nice treat to remember we're human and like to get it on now and again, and again in this story! If we were all to tell what we did in our 20s, 30s, hmmm, or is that yummmm. We'd have to change the names though huh.

I will not compare John to anything else I've read. I will say that for easily most of the time he had me. His style and stories are so good that even the tangents are wonderful. I'm not in a hurry, and enjoy any story told well. My goodness, my friend Ken says there's better John Irving waiting for me.

I'm again blessed by another storyteller. Convinced that I will join the circle of goofballs that live to write! Or is that wingnuts?