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In One Person
In One Person: A Novel | John Irving
"His most daringly political, sexually transgressive, and moving novel in well over a decade" (Vanity Fair). Winner of a 2013 Lambda Literary AwardA New York Times bestselling novel of desire, secrecy, and sexual identity, In One Person is a story of unfulfilled lovetormented, funny, and affectingand an impassioned embrace of our sexual differences. Billy, the bisexual narrator and main character of In One Person, tells the tragicomic story (lasting more than half a century) of his life as a "sexual suspect," a phrase first used by John Irving in 1978 in his landmark novel of "terminal cases," The World According to Garp. In One Person is a poignant tribute to Billys friends and loversa theatrical cast of characters who defy category and convention. Not least, In One Person is an intimate and unforgettable portrait of the solitariness of a bisexual man who is dedicated to making himself "worthwhile."
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review
Sophronisba
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Panpan

I recently reread Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany and enjoyed them quite a bit; but this book was unfortunately a bit of a mess. Coming so soon on the heels of Owen Meany it felt like Irving wanted to take another swing at the narrator of that novel, while replacing Owen Meany himself with a lightly sketched librarian named Miss Frost. It doesn't really work, and the revelations at the end of the novel feel, shall we say, unearned.

Sophronisba For all that, though, I'm still looking forward to The Last Chairlift, being billed as Irving's final big novel, out on October 18. 2y
13 likes1 comment
blurb
Sophronisba
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Have gone on a surprise John Irving run -- reading Cider House Rules, Owen Meany, & now In One Person in quick succession -- and it never ceases to amaze me how specific his repeated conceits are: Dickens, bears, wrestling, New England prep schools for boys, prostitutes with faint mustaches, stepfathers who teach Shakespeare, the list goes on. You have to wonder if he wrote Son of the Circus specifically to wean himself off his favorite tropes.

Ruthiella Ah, but even in Son of the Circus, the doctor is educated in Austria… 2y
Sophronisba @Ruthiella I had forgotten all about the Vienna obsession until I got to the chapter of In One Person in which the main character takes a trip to you-know-where. 2y
8 likes2 comments
review
LibraryCin
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Mehso-so

I thought this was ok. There was a lot of sex. Of all kinds. I got a bit tired of that after a while. But I thought it got a bit more interesting (and sad) in the 80s when AIDS hit. To see him watch so many people he knew die of AIDS… Initially I was a bit confused with the storyline, as it was a bit back and forth in time and trying to keep track of who was whom and when they were in his life, but after a while, I think I got used to that. Cont..

LibraryCin I was a bit surprised at how many people in this small town were lgbtq+, though. Maybe there weren‘t as many as I thought, as it was spread out over time, but it seemed like a lot 2y
9 likes1 comment
quote
DebinHawaii
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#QuotsyJan20 #backwards

A quote on writing “backwards” that isn‘t from the tagged book, but from a review in The Economist when it was published.

Thank you @TK-421 for a great month of quote prompts. I am happy I kept up this time! 🤗

Hooked_on_books That‘s a really interesting writing process 4y
TK-421 Yay! Well done! 👏👏👏 4y
62 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Mafiacisco
Pickpick

I just love John Irving - this book is tormented; it's funny and comedic, but has a deep sense of restlessness.

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Kazzie
Pickpick

Novel spanning entire life of bi man, including AIDS crisis in the 80s.

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TheBogwitch
Pickpick

I‘m not sure what it is—smugness or petulance of tone?—about John Irving‘s style that gets under my skin, but that was the only nit I have about this book. And, in this case, the tone I get from his style worked perfectly. The story is a timely one, even if most of it takes place in the later part of the 20th century. A truly worthy read.

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gossamerchild
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Pickpick

Omg. This book. ALL THE FEELS. I cannot believe I waited so long (6 years it's been on my shelf) to read this! Highly recommended to anyone who loved "The Heart's Invisible Furies,"

#theunreadshelfproject2018

Lola I LOVED this one. 6y
Zelma This one has been wasting away on my nook. I really need to read it. So many books! 6y
gossamerchild @Lola it's so good! @Zelma I highly recommend bumping this up your list 😁 6y
emilyhaldi Good recommendation! #stacked 6y
52 likes7 stack adds5 comments
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MicheleinPhilly
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I got some major creeper stares while reading this on the subway and decided to remove the dust jacket. 🙄 #riotgrams #nakedhardcovers

readordierachel 😂😂 That's certainly eye-catching 6y
AshleyHoss820 Go all high school and make a cover out of a brown paper bag! 😊😂 6y
MicheleinPhilly @AshleyHoss820 HA! Do kids still do that? 🤔 6y
See All 14 Comments
AshleyHoss820 I have no idea! It‘s been a while since high school...I loved it since it meant I could design my own cover. 😄 6y
Captivatedbybooks Jajajjaja you were on the orange line?! 6y
Captivatedbybooks I only read books like that on my nook i always manage to be near a creep who has to make a comment 6y
MicheleinPhilly @Captivatedbybooks I have perfected the art of Resting Bitch Face. It serves me VERY well on the BSL. 6y
MicheleinPhilly @AshleyHoss820 Oh yes! I was a doodler. 6y
Kaye @michelleinphilly I like your idea of the Resting Bitch Face. I believe I‘ve got that permanently stamped on my face after lots of years of Bullcrap. I sorta have that as a permanent look, that way nobody messes with me. They just might be afraid of me. 🤔😐🤨 6y
Ddzmini I find the resting bitch face often works for more than just riding on busses or the subway while reading it also helps while reading at those pesky stops in between 😝 6y
ClairesReads I love John Irving- he is actually a genius! 6y
LauraBeth I‘d want to read that JUST to make people near me uncomfortable 😂 6y
Linsy 🤣 6y
Reviewsbylola I just bought a John Updike with a bare breast on the cover, although it‘s a very simplistic drawing. Kind of excited for the dirty looks. 😂 6y
71 likes5 stack adds14 comments
blurb
catsuit_mango
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Yes. Just in the last 15 days of the year I finished #litsyatoz big book and great story but somehow I was putting it off... Feeling accomplished ;)

julesG Congratulations! 6y
8 likes2 comments
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catsuit_mango
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Because the only way to save today it's reading in my hammock.

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catsuit_mango
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Drinking a nice cup of tea (sugar and milk for once) to warm up after a long walk outside in the rain.

quote
catsuit_mango
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Sorry for the repeated posts but I hadn't read an Irving book in forever and I'm rediscovering how much I like his writing. Also quote about librarians and loving books :)

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catsuit_mango
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Book, blanket, candle and tea... Just right and cozy to get reading.

11 likes1 stack add
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catsuit_mango
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#litsyatoz OK so this is the one letter I'm missing for 2017 a to z... Now it''s 600p too so let' s see if I can read it before the new year (and probably not carrying it back and forth to work on the bus too) it seems like a challenge!

3 likes1 stack add
blurb
GinEyre22
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#riotgrams Day 9: LGBTQ Pride
@bookriot

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Jas16
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I missed this prompt yesterday (with six photo challenges this month I am afraid that is going to happen a lot). John Irving famously begins writing every novel with the last line so here is where he started this book. #lastlines #splashintosummerreads

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Jas16
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Billy has to learn to that it is ok to #beyourself. #junetunz

Cinfhen Oooh😲 was not aware of this Irving novel! I'm intrigued 7y
Bookladylinda I've wanted to read this one for about a year! 7y
45 likes1 stack add2 comments
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GinEyre22
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#junebookbugs Day 2: LGBTQ Authors
@RealLifeReading

review
violabrain
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Pickpick

I've loved John Irving since I read The World According To Garp at the end of high school. I bailed on his last novel (Last Night In Twisted River), so I was apprehensive that I would be disappointed by this one as well. But I absolutely loved it. It reminded me a lot of Garp and the hilarious, touching, nostalgic style of John Irving's most popular books. Unforgettable characters, laugh-out-loud scenes, and a ton of heart.

7 likes1 stack add
quote
Expressed

We are formed by what we desire.

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mhowalt
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A wonderful book (and my wonderful cat).

2 likes1 stack add