When this podcast was in its infancy, John Irving joined us to talk about his work and what he described as “his last big novel,” that was, at the time, still being written. It is now “in better bookstores everywhere” as they say. And “big” is something of an understatement. “The Last Chairlift” is close to 900 pages! Is it worth that much an investment of time? If you’re a John Irving admirer—how can you say no? And we are among John’s many admirers. The novel has all of John’s familiar themes: the search for an unknown father, sexual politics, a highly unusual family, ghosts as well as skiing, wrestling and Exeter Academy. John even includes a couple of screenplays as part of the story. Reading “The Last Chairlift” is a significant investment of time, but it is both moving and entertaining. This is our second conversation with John Irving, and he never fails to fascinate us.

Books in this podcast:

1. The Last Chairlift by John Irving
2. Setting Free the Bears by John Irving
3. The Water-Method Man by John Irving
4. The 158-Pound Marriage by John Irving
5. The World According to Garp by John Irving
6. The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving
7. The Cider House Rules by John Irving
8. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
9. Trying to Save Piggy Sneed by John Irving
10. A Son of the Circus by John Irving
11. The Imaginary Girlfriend by John Irving
12. A Widow for One Year by John Irving
13. My Movie Business: A Memoir by John Irving
14. The Fourth Hand by John Irving
15. Until I Find You by John Irving
16. Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving
17. In One Person by John Irving
18. Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving
19. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
20. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
21. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
22. A Saint from Texas by Edmund White
23. A Previous Life by Edmund White
24. Original Prin by Randy Boyagoda
25. Dante's Indiana by Randy Boyagoda
26. The Absolutist by John Boyne
27. The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
28. A History of Loneliness by John Boyne
29. The Way Home by Kardea Brown
30. South of Broad by Pat Conroy
31. Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch
32. Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera

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