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Last Night in Twisted River
by
John Irving (Goodreads Author)
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from John Irving's In One Person.
In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable’s girlfriend for a bear. Both the twelve-year-old and his father become fugitives, forced to run from Coos County—to Boston, to southern Vermont, to Toro...more
In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable’s girlfriend for a bear. Both the twelve-year-old and his father become fugitives, forced to run from Coos County—to Boston, to southern Vermont, to Toro...more
ebook, 492 pages
Published
October 27th 2009
by Random House
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Nov 24, 2009
Ben
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Patient appreciators of intense, funny, heartfelt literature; Irving fans.
This is the new John Irving novel and it's something special. I've read a number of the man's novels and I can honestly say that Last Night in Twisted River is like nothing -- not from him, nor from anyone else -- I've read before. If you think Irving may have lost his touch; think again. His heart, his imagination, his ability to tell a creative story with realistic and colorful characters; it's all right here. John Irving has not lost his touch. This is a beautiful, violent, funny, heartbreaki...more
November 2009
"In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable's girlfriend for a bear." And how! John Irving, a writer who doesn't shy away from sudden, violent, and often unusual deaths (and really, how else could a mistaken-for-bear incident end?), certainly lives up to his reputation: on the very first page--first sentence, really--a young Canadian logger hesitates too long; the constable's gi...more
"In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable's girlfriend for a bear." And how! John Irving, a writer who doesn't shy away from sudden, violent, and often unusual deaths (and really, how else could a mistaken-for-bear incident end?), certainly lives up to his reputation: on the very first page--first sentence, really--a young Canadian logger hesitates too long; the constable's gi...more
Jan 13, 2013
Florence MacIntosh
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of blue-collar workers / wacko realistic-fiction & romance sans ‘the beautiful people”
The story revolves around 3 male characters. Daniel the main protagonist, his father Dominic a widower and their friend Ketchum, an old-time logger who’d blow the ball’s off anyone who threatens them. Most of all it’s about the consequences of accidents, and dancing…A young boy and his father spend their lives as fugitives (view spoiler) A ludicrous melodrama as twisted as the title crafted into the believable by a maste...more
John Irving at his finest since Garp. I reread chapter one 3 times, entranced in the details of the boy's body drifting along the river, then getting wedged in the logs, hanging there as if a part of the tree. Then, as the story unfolds, the references to the twisting river was so amazing, relating the river as a passage of time, mannerism of writing, the taunts life brings, and how the swelling of the river can surface even the ugliest in human soul. When the little boy smashed the Indian woman...more
Irving did not disappoint. All the familiar touchstones are here - bears, wrestling, New Hampshire prep school, Iowa writer's College, breasts, dead young men, overly-protective fathers - yet it's all new. Irving references himself and his critics throughout the book. The story is a lovely story of 3 men covering 50 years of their lives. The melancholy, for me, came not only from the story, but from the sense I got throughout that Irving was saying goodbye. I hope not - he's possibly my favorite...more
Since I saw the film "The World According to Garp" at age eleven I have wondered to myself what exactly did John Irving survive in his past? I have waited patiently for nearly thirty years to find out. I haven't ever read a single thing about John Irving's personal life; because figuring out just what happened to him to make him the type of writer he is has been a huge puzzle for me. Being a survivor of a horrific childhood myself, I knew Mr. Irving must have suffered even more than I had, as hi...more
I am a lifelong fan of John Irving and as such was thrilled to see this book on the shelves. He's not exactly prolific so I look at a new Irving book as a special treat. As B.B. King said, "the thrill is gone." I was quite disappointed in this book. While it was an enjoyable read for the most part, the plot meanders and not a lot actually happens. Ostensibly the story is about people running from their past but only rarely does it come close to catching up to them until the end which you see com...more
I cried just a bit when this finished. I think John Irving has a magic, albeit a weird magic sometimes, that can make one a sentimental, sympathetic sap when you plunge into his books. This book was a wonder, full of imagery about the Northern New Hampshire woods, Canada and New England and characters that were rough and tumble and suffering but at the same time very much ones with very clearly likable, fallible, loving and earnest personalities. The book revolves around a father, son, grandson...more
It's difficult for me to review John Irving objectively, because he is without a doubt the most beautiful author I have ever come across. Last Night does not disappoint, and reminds me why I am such a fan of his work to begin with. It did take me some time to get through - but it was definitely worth it in the end.
I will agree that at times Irving is wordy - and I learned more than I cared to about the logging industry and the technical side of cooking.
This novel, above any other from Irving, d...more
I will agree that at times Irving is wordy - and I learned more than I cared to about the logging industry and the technical side of cooking.
This novel, above any other from Irving, d...more
Stephen King recommended author and book.
Noted author in Chapter 9 of Berkley's 1983 paperback edition of Danse Macabre.
Stephen King said: "It starts with the accidental killing of a Native American woman (the youngster who brains her with a skillet mistakes her for a bear). Father and son take off, pursued by the relentless Constable Carl for nearly 50 years. There’s a lot of Canada here, a lot of cookin’, and a lot of gorgeous (and cynical) Americana. Irving’s best since Garp."
Aug-Sep 2001 gro...more
Noted author in Chapter 9 of Berkley's 1983 paperback edition of Danse Macabre.
Stephen King said: "It starts with the accidental killing of a Native American woman (the youngster who brains her with a skillet mistakes her for a bear). Father and son take off, pursued by the relentless Constable Carl for nearly 50 years. There’s a lot of Canada here, a lot of cookin’, and a lot of gorgeous (and cynical) Americana. Irving’s best since Garp."
Aug-Sep 2001 gro...more
Nov 07, 2010
Ana Lopes
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2010
I think most people would agree with the statement that Irving is the modern Dickens. His writing belongs to the ¨more is more¨ school of writing, as he himself has stated in interviews. Colorful characters (social outcasts, prostitutes with a heart of gold, ORPHANS), great coincidences, recurring themes, endless description... I´d say Dickens is a huge influence in Irvinga writing.
As with Dickens, he is a love him or hate him author. Not many people are ¨MEH¨ about John Irving.
¨Last Night a...more
As with Dickens, he is a love him or hate him author. Not many people are ¨MEH¨ about John Irving.
¨Last Night a...more
Jul 03, 2010
Julie M
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
not John Irving fans
Recommended to Julie by:
NY Review of Books
Does anyone else think that this is one of the worst books ever? I mean, not even among Irving's?? Where was the editor?? This had all the marks of a poor first novel, not the twelfth by (what I used to think) a first rate novelist. Cannot believe I slogged through the entire 550 pp; the story could've been told in 250, tops. So much repetition. Telling rather than showing. One dimensional characters. No apparent reasons for their actions at many points. Over-description. We know the bear smells...more
Mar 18, 2013
Holly McLean
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
independent-reading
John Irving's novel Last Night in Twisted River is a loving and dramatic story focusing around the relationship of a father and his son who have to flee their home town after 12 year old Daniel accidentally kills the local policeman's girlfriend, mistaking her for a bear. The story is told over 5 decades and is based mainly around how Daniel grows up to be a famous writer. I found this 585 page novel surprisingly interesting in how much was similar to his more famous book The World According to...more
Sep 07, 2010
Kate
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle,
couldn-t-finish-it
I love John Irving's work. This story is even more enjoyable in that it takes place where my husband is from in Northern NH. I keep asking him about the various rivers and ponds that Irving mentions. It also talks in depth about the logging industry, a job that my father-in-law is still a part of. Irving's books always spark a personal connection for me, mostly because of the area he writes about and his occasional connection to private school education. I'm anxious to read more but so far I'm e...more
He's done it again. I actually can't wait to read this again -- and I rarely reread books. I loved the characters, of course, and his humor, but mostly I liked the way Irving played with the book, the plot, everything. You can tell he just had a really good time creating this story; and I, for one, am glad he did.
Yet another masterful novel by the master. It's the tale of a father and son and friends, with their 50 years of adventures in northern New Hampshire, Boston, Iowa and Toronto. Irving once again creates some extremely memorable characters [esp the wonderful Ketchum] and the twists and turns in the plot which are his trademark. We learn about the worlds of logging communities and a variety of restaurants; we meet people from many backgrounds [First Peoples, Italian, Latin American and I became fo...more
A pleasantly engaging read for a relatively lazy week, Last Night in Twisted River encompasses the lives of a man and his son, on the run from their past, across the breadth of the United States for over five decades.
The town of Twisted River, resting on the banks of the river it was named for, is a sleepy settlement of loggers amidst saw- and- paper mills and home to the frenzied activities of the river-driving crews of Coos County in the 1950s. The lone cook, Dominic Baciagalupo, who keeps the...more
The town of Twisted River, resting on the banks of the river it was named for, is a sleepy settlement of loggers amidst saw- and- paper mills and home to the frenzied activities of the river-driving crews of Coos County in the 1950s. The lone cook, Dominic Baciagalupo, who keeps the...more
This was a long one (20 CDs), and it moved slowly, but was beautifully written. There were times when you could tell what was coming, because he gave you a little bit of plot and then he went back and gave you years of other plot, and eventually came back to the event you knew was coming and were dreading.
He really played with the whole anticipation thing. And played well.
This is a great story, occurring over many years. It begins with the young father and widower Dominic and his 12-year-old son...more
He really played with the whole anticipation thing. And played well.
This is a great story, occurring over many years. It begins with the young father and widower Dominic and his 12-year-old son...more
“Irving is arguably the American Balzac, or perhaps our Dickens - a rip-roaring storyteller whose intricate plot machinery is propelled by good old-fashioned greed, foolishness, and passion.” - The Nation
Irving’s 12th novel has more than its fair share of melancholy, in contrast with his more humorous (although hardly light-hearted) novels that I have had the pleasure to devour. I must say that, although this work is beautiful and haunting, I miss the more absurd (and thus perhaps seemingly chee...more
Irving’s 12th novel has more than its fair share of melancholy, in contrast with his more humorous (although hardly light-hearted) novels that I have had the pleasure to devour. I must say that, although this work is beautiful and haunting, I miss the more absurd (and thus perhaps seemingly chee...more
“Irving is arguably the American Balzac, or perhaps our Dickens - a rip-roaring storyteller whose intricate plot machinery is propelled by good old-fashioned greed, foolishness, and passion.” - The Nation
Irving’s 12th novel has more than its fair share of melancholy, in contrast with his more humorous (although hardly light-hearted) novels that I have had the pleasure to devour. I must say that, although this work is beautiful and haunting, I miss the more absurd (and thus perhaps seemingly chee...more
Irving’s 12th novel has more than its fair share of melancholy, in contrast with his more humorous (although hardly light-hearted) novels that I have had the pleasure to devour. I must say that, although this work is beautiful and haunting, I miss the more absurd (and thus perhaps seemingly chee...more
"Letzte Nacht in Twisted River" war der ersten Iriving, den ich nicht zu Ende gelesen habe. Bei der Hälfte war Schluss, und die Enttäuschung war bitter. Wie konnte es so weit kommen? Denn eigentlich ist alles wie immer, und viele Zutaten im Buch sind schlicht und einfach Irving und zu schreiben hat er auch nicht verlernt. Warum also?
Hier eine Annäherung: es ist halt zu viel altbekannter Irving. Ringen. Bären. Neu-England. Sex. Aber das wäre es wahrscheinlich auch nicht. Das kennt man von ihm, da...more
Hier eine Annäherung: es ist halt zu viel altbekannter Irving. Ringen. Bären. Neu-England. Sex. Aber das wäre es wahrscheinlich auch nicht. Das kennt man von ihm, da...more
First off: John Irving’s latest, Last Night in Twisted River. I won’t lie, I have read quite a few of Irving’s novels and have enjoyed every last one. There’s something really charming about his writing, but in this new one, it started to hit me that the same themes come up over and over again. It’s always a father and a son, the son always goes to Exeter and likes to run, and so on so forth. The funny thing is, the son character in Last Night in Twisted River becomes a writer and ends up receiv...more
In his afterword, John Irving describes himself as a sort of literary relic, one of the unfashionable few who still believe in plot. He mentions the novels that have influenced him, and from that alone, I should have known I'd love Last Night in Twisted River. It's massive (more than 650 pages long), and it's epic, and I love epic novels so much that I started taking the thickest books from the library shelves at random. In this case, knowing Irving's writing - although A Prayer for Owen Meany d...more
It was hard to really get into this book because a) the beginning is a very dull background on logging that is not told with Irving’s usual panache, and b) the story is repetitively Irvingesque. Danny is not nearly as sympathetic a character as Irving’s usual focus characters, and so the plot is dull and not engaging at all. The best part of the book is when Danny’s father—after Danny becomes a writer—is looking at a shelf of Danny’s books, and pondering how much of an author gets into his books...more
This novel was published a couple of years ago, but I didn’t get to it until recently, and wanted to give it a plug. I should mention that I’m quite prejudiced here, because I love just about anything John Irving writes, but this is certainly one of his best books.
Much like another of my Irving favorites, A Widow for One Year, Twisted River meanders for a while before the reader figures out that the story will focus primarily on the life of a writer; in this case, Danny Baciagalupo. But Irving c...more
Much like another of my Irving favorites, A Widow for One Year, Twisted River meanders for a while before the reader figures out that the story will focus primarily on the life of a writer; in this case, Danny Baciagalupo. But Irving c...more
Thought I was being really clever when, within a couple of pages of beginning this, I thought 'Here's John Irving wearing his love of Dickens on his sleeve'; and then, maybe a fifth of the way in, spotting that - as well as being a terrific story, full of detail, correspondences, memorable characters, sharp dialogue, witty anecdote, historical verisimilitude, and sheer damn craft - it was also a novelist's handbook, a kind of written masterclass on how to write a terrific story, full of detail,...more
I have read almost all of John Irving's works, in large part because he is the man who wrote A Prayer for Owen Meany. I have been a little behind because the last two I read were such disappointments: The Fourth Hand was a horrible mish-mash of everything he had previously written without hardly any new content, and Until I Find You was terrible through the first half where the characters wander aimlessly through Europe without much (any!) discernible plot, then BRILLIANT in the second half wher...more
The title drew me to John Irving’s latest more than anything else. That and the fact that a friend recently went to see him at an appearance I suppose was connected to the novel’s coming out tour. I’ve never been an Irving fan, thought Garp bloated and self-indulgent (My friend, by contrast, couldn’t put it down, she much more in tune with both general literary and popular assessment than I.), saw and liked (not loved) the film of Cider House Rules, but never read the book. But hell, it’s been...more
It was a bit of a slog to get through but still classical Irving with all the usual "twists." It almost seemed formulaic at times as if Irving was dusting off all his old themes perhaps as a memoir. I'm not sure I understand the ad hominem attack on Hemingway's dictum given the author's blind obedience to "write about what you know." His settings are places he "knows" well, his protagonist is a successful Iowa Writer's Workshop product, and he repeats several touchstones from his earlier novels....more
This is the second greatest love story from Irving; the first being The Cider House Rules and Wilbur Larch's uncompromising, selfless/self-sacrificing love for Homer Wells. Dominic's love for his son, Danny, is of the same ilk. By this time, however, Irving's tropes and touchstones are getting a little tiresome. The bears, the widowers, the single-parent (male) families, orphans, prostitutes, etc. Irving's stories almost always revolve around the men being the ones who stay and take care of thei...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | 194 | 56 | May 10, 2013 09:24am | |
| newest Irving book | 22 | 125 | Aug 20, 2012 05:51am | |
| Books Stephen Kin...: * Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving General Discussion | 86 | 83 | Oct 15, 2011 02:25am | |
| John Irving's, Last Night in Twisted River | 2 | 45 | Nov 01, 2009 02:03pm |
John Irving published his first novel, Setting Free the Bears, in 1968. The World According to Garp, which won the National Book Award in 1980, was John Irving’s fourth novel and his first international bestseller; it also became a George Roy Hill film. Tony Richardson wrote and directed the adaptation for the screen of The Hotel New Hampshire (1984). Irving’s novels are now translated into thirty...more
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“We don't always have a choice how we get to know one another. Sometimes, people fall into our lives cleanly--as if out of the sky, or as if there were a direct flight from Heaven to Earth--the same sudden way we lose people, who once seemed they would always be part of our lives”
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“Everyone has a right to be a little happy, asshole.”
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