John Irving 

Thank you.

Only 4 comments? It deserves a lot more. As with a lot of these clips one comes across them by coincidence. But what a way this man has with words. Listening to him is exactly what I need to counterbalance all that useless drivel one is exposed to.

Much of the literary discussion is always swirling about either Philip Roth or John Updike-but John Irving is right there up with them. #truth

Harry Sims, my grandfather wanted to live to 100 as long as I knew him. If you asked Harry he alway said, “ I’m doing 100”. Most world think 100%. On his hundredth birthday, still doing, looking, and thinking decades younger, Harry quipped, I should have said 103, I could have lived in three centuries. Not realizing going out in Danville, Illinois to celebrate his 100 birthday, would kill him. That lineup of guests, and all their hidden colds, shaking his hand, would kill him. Sick three days later. The shot, killed the sickness. But, Harry’s throat had collapsed. He could drink, ( sip) but couldn’t swallow food. He pulled out the feeding tube, and lived one month, and four days longer. I’m glad I was named after both of my wonderful grandfather’s. William my first, had a wonderful story, too.

It shouldn't surprise me that an interview of the best American literary novelist living today, at the 92nd street Y in New York City, has gotten so little attention, yet it does. Or maybe it just makes me very sad. If John Irving sees this (Mr. Irving?) I really liked Avenue Of Mysteries, but I loved A Widow For One Year; a novel that bumped The World According to Garp down a notch, in my opinion. Not because it was better or more relevant, but because I fell in love with Ruth Cole and how you allowed her to be so happy and content in the end. I felt like you went against your instincts and put Ruthie's tragedies so far in her past that she wasn't directly influenced by them. I have a transgender kid who turned 29 recently and I bought her/him a copy of Garp because I want her/him to get to know my favorite unintentional feminist, Jenny Fields. I feel like the assassination of Jenny Fields was an addendum to the upheaval of the 60s (and yes, the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK Jr.) and that it is still relevant in 2020.

Thanks for this...inspiring....unfortunately the days of White/Male/Middle Class Writers and Stories are OVER.