InfoAnda - John Irving still spinning fiction from real life

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Sarajevo Film Festival awards jailed Iranian director | | 23 July 2011
Indonesia resumes flights as volcano slows | 20 November 2010
U.S. files fresh fraud suit against Kuwait's Agility | | 8 January 2011

US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary | 24 August 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : John Irving still spinning fiction from real life | Entertainment |

My Profile Top News Reuters top ten news stories delivered to your inbox each day. Subscribe You are here: Home > News > Entertainment > Article Home Business & Finance News U.S. Politics International Technology Entertainment Film Music People Television Arts Industry Sports Lifestyle Oddly Enough Health Science Special Coverage Video Pictures Your View The Great Debate Blogs Weather Reader Feedback Do More With Reuters RSS Widgets Mobile Podcasts Newsletters Your View Make Reuters My Homepage Partner Services CareerBuilder Affiliate Network Professional Products Support (Customer Zone) Reuters Media Financial Products About Thomson Reuters John Irving still spinning fiction from real life Wed Nov 4, 2009 1:05pm EST Email | Print | Share | Reprints | Single Page [-] Text [+] By Edward McAllister NEW YORK (Reuters) - Backstage, renowned novelist John Irving tells a story about the 300-pound (165-kg) man he found in the sauna at his New York hotel that morning. The portly man was lying perfectly still when Irving found him. Upon cautious approach, fearing the worst, he was shocked and relieved to hear the man break suddenly into a loud snore. "I thought he was dead!" Irving said, laughing. It was a snippet of pure Irving storytelling -- absurd, funny, preoccupied with death -- and typical of a writer whose trick over a 40-year career has been to mold real life into classic fiction. His 12th novel, "Last Night in Twisted River," follows a father and son running from the law across America. The lead character, Danny, accidentally kills his dad's lover with a frying pan, thinking she's a bear. The pair set off on a 50-year journey that takes them from New Hampshire to Iowa, Vermont, and eventually Ontario in 2005. "This novel has been in the back of my mind longer than any other novel of mine; 20 years, maybe more," Irving said in an interview ahead of a book talk in New York. As in many of his novels, he takes autobiography and warps it to fit the page. Danny grows up to be a novelist whose writing process is remarkably like Irving's. Danny, as Irving has done for each of his 12 novels, begins his books with the last sentence and maps his way back to the beginning. "What I describe as Danny's process is very faithful to what I have done," Irving said. "Twelve novels, 12 last sentences that came first. Not even the punctuation of one of those sentences has ever changed." REAL-LIFE FICTION Short and stocky, Irving looks more like a wrestler than a writer. Though he once lived in New York, he now resides in Vermont. Using real life as a source for fiction has been a little like therapy for Irving. As a boy not yet in his teens, Irving was sexually initiated by a woman friend in her 20s. In his 2005 novel "Until I Find You" Irving tells the tale of Jack Burns, a young boy who is molested by a series of older women. Similarly, the absence of his biological father when he grew up recurs as a theme in his novels, most famously in "The World According to Garp," the book that brought Irving to the world's attention. "I don't think you can manipulate those things that hurt you until you are standing far enough apart from them to be able to say, 'That doesn't hurt me as much as it used to, that barely hurts at all.'" As in his books, Irving swings with impressive ease from funny to serious. On the subject of writing, he is chatty, open, but his face darkens and his sentences shorten when steered toward politics or the state of the United States. He describes the 2004 re-election of George Bush as a "staggering indictment of the stupidity of this county." Continued... View article on single page Share: Del.icio.us Digg Mixx Yahoo! Facebook LinkedIn also on reuters Witness: Remembering the day the Berlin Wall went down Full Coverage: The Route to Recovery Blog: A brief history of Goldman Sachs heads More Entertainment News Martin, Baldwin to "ratchet up the funny" at Oscars | Video Beatles remasters heading to USB Meryl Streep's daughter gets first Hollywood break Bob Seger raids vaults for "Early Seger" set Gerard Butler off to war in "Coriolanus" More Entertainment News... Editor's Choice Slideshow A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours. Slideshow Most Popular on Reuters Articles Video Proposed law would require pay for sick workers UPDATE 1-Pentagon eyes crash analysis on 1,300 satellites Clinton wishes he had left White House "in a coffin" Obama's brother emerges in China with novel Maine voters latest to turn down gay marriage Ten corpses found at Cleveland home | Video Democrats get warning shot for 2010 elections | Video Pet cat in U.S. catches swine flu UPDATE 4-GM's U-turn on Opel sale angers Germany, Russia UPDATE 2-Stec shares crash on EMC inventory warning Most Popular Articles RSS Feed Video Space hotel on schedule to open 10 bodies dug up at rapist's home Detroit sees green future Mousavi supporters march in Tehran GM reverses on Opel Forklift driver's alcohol pile-up Clashes at Iran demos Russians flock to see 'miracle' baby Iran demonstrators' "Obama" chant UK mobile tracking device launches Most Popular Videos RSS Feed Reuters.com: Help and Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Mobile | Newsletters | RSS | Labs | Journalism Handbook | Archive | Site Index | Video Index Thomson Reuters Corporate: Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Professional Products | Professional Products Support | About Thomson Reuters | Careers International Editions: Africa | Arabic | Argentina | Brazil | Canada | China | France | Germany | India | Italy | Japan | Latin America | Mexico | Russia | Spain | United Kingdom | United States Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Thursday, 5 November 2009
Clinton says Israel settlement activity illegitimate
Freed British mercenary returns from E. Guinea
New York attorney general files antitrust suit against Intel
GM re-sets strategy, scraps Opel sale
X-ray named top achievement by British museum
Reborn Chrysler says it will be leaner, more competitive
Mousavi supporters clash with police in Tehran
India registers 500 mln phone customers: official figures
US voices alarm at level of Afghan corruption
Abdullah says Karzai re-election 'illegal'
Mobile phone inventor wants devices to go back to basics
Mercenary Mann returns to UK, relieved plot failed | International |
Palestinians threaten Israel with 1-state solution
France's Chirac says prepared to stand trial | International |
Time Warner net profit down but raises outlook
US-TECH Summary
Palestinian state may have to be abandoned
Palestinian state may have to be abandoned: Erekat | International |
China bureaucratic war over online Warcraft heats up
Israeli navy intercepts arms ship
Israel seizes 'hundreds of tonnes' of arms
Romanian PM nominee torpedoed, aid seen at risk | International |
Iraq vote may be delayed, election head warns
Colombia spars with Venezuela in growing crisis | International |
Streetcar advocates win, critics lose elections
Italy convicts 23 US agents in CIA kidnapping trial
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes layoff plan | Technology |
Detectives set to tear down walls of rapist's home
Pa. robbery victim IDs suspect from old yearbook
Karzai opponent: Re-election was illegitimate
Beatles remasters heading to USB | Technology |
Taiwan says China starts building first aircraft carrier
Neighbors of alleged US serial killer 'smelt bodies'
Intel hit by NY antitrust suit, kickbacks alleged | Technology |
Philippine rebels deny abducting Irish priest
JPMorgan settlement with SEC worth over $700M
Court worries about stifling prosecutors
Top US officials meet Myanmar junta, Suu Kyi
U.S. urges Karzai to make corruption arrests
Microsoft, Taiwan to set up cloud computing centre
Cambodia makes Thailand's Thaksin adviser: government
Sri Lanka: Top general wasn't questioned by US
Sri Lankans protest police beating death
8 children drown in Indian boat accident
Officials: Pakistan army enters Taliban stronghold
US asks WTO to rule on China raw materials restrictions
Geithner to stop in Japan ahead of APEC
Panasonic to launch delayed Sanyo bid this week
Tata Steel says will restore Corus output to 100%
China says yes to Disney park in Shanghai
India 'angered' by EU generic drug seizure
Philippines eyes rice imports from SKorea,Vietnam
Nissan returns to quarterly profit on China sales
Chinese giant to buy US oil assets: company
New reality cooking show for chef Gordon Ramsay
Al Gore follow-up to 'An Inconvenient Truth' published
Royal Enfield motorbikes make comeback in India
In Ethiopia disabled people get jobs, not hand-outs
Beatles remasters heading to USB | Entertainment |
Bob Seger raids vaults for Early Seger set | Entertainment |
Italy unites to condemn crucifix ruling
Gerard Butler off to war in Coriolanus | Entertainment |
Fox TV executive defends news coverage
Springsteen to perform more albums in entirety | Entertainment |
Maine voters reject same-sex marriage
Bollywood star to sing on Mumbai attacks tribute: report
Germany and Egypt plan talks over Nefertiti statue
John Irving still spinning fiction from real life | Entertainment |
'The Hoff' back in Berlin for Wall anniversary
Gerard Butler off to war in "Coriolanus"
Britain's Tories under fire over EU plans
Afghan future depends on Karzai anti-graft fight
U.N. evacuates hundreds of foreign staff from Afghanistan | International |
Plan to charge for online content delayed: Murdoch
New York attorney general files antitrust suit against Intel
EU seeks Cuban gesture on human rights: EU official
Google wants businesses to ride Wave
Fed seen keeping near-zero rates to spur recovery
Technology not causing social isolation: Pew study
Wall Street Journal launching San Francisco edition
Kabul's British Cemetery honours war dead
Iraq surge could be model for Afghan war: US admiral
Microsoft overhauls MSN home page
Iran wants to be seen as regional power
Israel says it seized Iranian arms shipment for Hezbollah
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes reduction plan early
Suspected U.S. missile strike kills two in Pakistan | International |
Apple's booming App Store tops 100,000 programs
U.N. assembly set to call for probes of Gaza war
Intel hit by NY antitrust suit, kickbacks alleged
Iraq vote may be delayed, election head warns
Iran security forces arrest AFP journalist: agency | International |
Regional summit seeks to end Zimbabwe crisis | International |
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes layoff plan
Clinton and Palestinians turn spotlight on Jerusalem
Disneyland Paris site searched over racism claims | International |
Israel: commandos seize Hezbollah-bound arms ship
Technology not causing social isolation: Pew study
Tropical storm Ida could trigger Nicaragua mudslides | International |
US strike kills five militants in Pakistan: officials
Rockers No Doubt sue Activision over Band Hero | Technology |
Australia launches inquiry into major oil spill
NKorea seeks private food aid: report
Thai king health rumour charges 'baseless': watchdog
Calif. man gets 26 years for crash that killed 11
On election anniversary, Obama dismisses polls snub
California watchdog blasts officials in kidnap case
Vietnam storm death toll rises to 99
Exec to plead guilty in tomato price-fixing case
Report: Kidnap suspect improperly supervised
Four killed in US strike in Pakistan: officials
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region
AP sources: Dem Health bill to get AARP backing
Top Indonesia law enforcers to resign over scandal
Man's cheesehead hat signed by Obama at speech
Malaysian charged with killing wife in acid attack
Fallen pastor Ted Haggard to again lead worship
Pacquiao eyes history against Cotto
Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged
Ohio Voters OK Casinos In Major Cities
Microsoft In Cloud Computing Deal With Taiwan Gov't, Firm
Iranians Mark 30th Anniversary Of U.S. Embassy Siege, Anti-Government Protesters Dispersed
Cuomo Charges Intel With Anti-Trust Violations
NASA's Chandra X-Ray Unlocks Secret Of Carbon Atmosphere On Neutron Star
Meryl Streep's daughter gets first Hollywood break
Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina Launches Senate Bid
Hollywood eyes world domination with 'RISK'
Bodies Of Missing North Dakota Students Found Submerged In Lake
Republicans Release Alternative Healthcare Bill As Senate Democrats Scrap Deadline
Italian Court Convicts 23 CIA Agents In First Case Testing Extraordinary Rendition
Typhoon damage pushes Philippine inflation higher
WRAPUP 2-NZ jobless at 9-year high; c.bank warns recovery slow
Sinopec, Exxon reach deal for Papua New Guinea gas
Toyota to build big research China centre: report
Surf's up in China as shunned sport catches a wave
Philippine inflation hits 1.6 pct due to storms
Johnny Depp traveling to "Tourist"
Panasonic begins tender offer for Sanyo takeover
Classical music has its day at the White House
Seoul shares fall led by Hyundai; trade shrinks
Sundance takes a hike with screenings around US
S.Korea bonds edge up after Fed, but mood cautious
Martin, Baldwin to ratchet up the funny at Oscars | Entertainment |
Seoul shares edge down as won starts higher
Man arrested in LA celeb burglaries case
TEXT-NZ recovery more vulnerable than Australia-RBNZ
Robert De Niro movie a Fine mess | Entertainment |
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Rockers No Doubt sue Activision over "Band Hero"
Rockers No Doubt sue Activision over Band Hero | Entertainment |
Robert De Niro movie a "Fine" mess
Sundance expands outside Utah for one night | Entertainment |
Meryl Streep's daughter gets first Hollywood break | Entertainment |
Chris Brown is unsure about his image
ABC's Roberts lands Janet Jackson interview
Comic-Con founder Shel Dorf dies at age 76 | Entertainment |
BNP Paribas reports 44.8-pct quarterly profit leap
Second Life creates virtual world for businesses
Zurich Financial reports 'solid' earnings after crisis
UN to evacuate 600 foreign staff from Afghanistan
Abbas says will not seek reelection: officials | International |
Exxon-Shell consortium wins West Qurna 1 deal
China bans tough treatment of young Web addicts
Saudi air force hits Yemen rebels after border raid | International |
Hezbollah denies link to arms ship seized by Israel | International |
Karzai 'corrupt' but 'our guy', French FM tells NYT
Karzai 'corrupt' but 'our guy', says French FM in NYT
Iran detains journalist for French news agency
Hezbollah denies links to seized arms ship
Afghans protest against U.S. after missile strike | International |
Hezbollah denies link to arms seized by Israel
Pakistani forces secure fort; U.S. drone kills four | International |
Obsessed Thatcher warned French of rampant Kohl | International |
Russia spy chief warns of new Georgia war: report | International |
ICC prosecutor to request Kenya investigation | International |
Obama meets with Native American leaders
AP source: Ex-NYC top cop Kerik plans guilty plea
Microsoft CEO eyes Yahoo partnership outside U.S. | Technology |
Maoists launch nationwide protests in Nepal
Uzbekistan to withdraw from regional power grid
Murdered nun like 'mom' to parishioner
Walmart.com offers top 10 pre-order DVD movie titles at $10 | Technology |
Senator: No fed money for US-China wind project
Analysis: Democrats have short memory on judges
Activist: Chinese guard at black jail admits rape
Congress set to clear aid to jobless, homebuyers
Taiwan premier defends trip with gangster
Pakistan arrests three suspects in Iranian bombing
Moderate earthquake hits Taiwan
Congress giving homebuyers a $6,500 tax break
Japan starts power generation with plutonium fuel
Vietnam flood toll rises to 98
SkyTeam shows strong interest in wooing JAL
Pakistani stocks end lower; rupee firmer
Philippines' San Miguel reports stronger income
Toyota surprises with profit, boosts forecast
Toyota posts surprise profit, upgrades outlook
Thai king rumour charges 'baseless': watchdog
Macquarie wins prelim banking license in S.Korea
China's Sinopec signs LNG deal with Exxon Mobil
Toyota returns to profit as stimulus boosts sales
Group urges CW stations not to air 'Gossip Girl'
Berlin holds MTV awards, 20 years after Wall fell
Calle 13 leads nominations for Latin Grammys
Lots of success for Iraqi stamp auction
Japan's NEC offers eyewear translator
Indian filmmaker unveils her own minuscule Parsi Minority
Malawi threatens arrests over Madonna school row | Entertainment |
Under a Saudi road, migrant workers live in limbo
A decade of Sharia law in north Nigeria breeds frustration
Berlin holds MTV awards, 20 years after Wall fell | Entertainment |
Record prices return to Sotheby's
East German nudists let it all hang out, 20 years on
EMI sues U.S. website over Beatles music online | Entertainment |
Indonesia's top detective quits over graft scandal
Indonesia's top detective resigns over graft scandal
Indonesian officials resign in corruption scandal
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01