Sterne

At the beginning, this book and I really struggled a lot. After about 70 pages, I was seriously tempted to give it up - because until then I mainly found it tedious and tiring, and had the feeling that it was going nowhere.

Did I mention that it was my first Irving? And in the back of my mind, I had all the praise for this author, including from friends and the highly esteemed Benedict Wells by me, who was inspired by this very book to become a writer one day. When I carefully formulated the thought of giving up the book or posed it as a question in a Facebook reading group, a chorus of Irving enthusiasts immediately replied: Oh no, definitely keep going! That - fortunately! - motivated me enough.

Keeping going was worth it. Maybe I won't become a hardcore Irving fan, but I was still able to gain a lot from his idiosyncratic and unforgettable characters and their quirky life adventures. Many passages were really great. Overall, the story had a few longueurs according to my taste - unfortunately mainly at the beginning and then again during the time in Vienna. The end, which was as bittersweet, slant-eyed and unconventional as the whole book, I really liked a lot.

I'm glad I didn't give up on the book. It turned out to be a unique reading experience that had its ups and downs but ultimately left a lasting impression on me. I look forward to exploring more of Irving's works in the future.

A COVID-ERA MEDITATION: BEGUN IN FEB 2020...

It has been forty years since I delved into this book. Back then, it set me on a path that led me through almost the entire Irving opus that existed at that time. This was during the rather depressing era known as the eighties.

Irving's offbeat book was a great help to this offbeat guy like me. Through its glorification of Murphy's Law, it brought a kind of murky hilarity that truly mirrored my life in my thirties. (Yes, in the evenings, I watched the classic TV series Thirtysomething, so you can imagine how down I was at that sad time.)

It was a time of reflection and angst, especially after the passing of my dear Mom.

Dare I revisit the old hotel now?

Stay tuned in the warmer time of year, after I've reread this book. It showed me back then that I had only escaped the seismic shock of the seventies to be faced with a muddled midlife crisis!

***

Now, after several months of unanticipated virus-mandated isolation, I have obtained an 80's edition of this book in mint condition.

That copy I will probably give to a young friend who has long struggled with the same contrariness of happenstance throughout his life, just as I did. Because I believe I now see the key to dismantling that contrariness in my life - or in yours - which key I'll now bequeath for the common good.

Though my friend will relish its topsy-turvy world, it would now be harmful to my own well-being.

Why do I say that?

Simply because the world as it is is much simpler and more workable than Irving's. All it takes is the clarity gained from a lifetime of fortitude under the adverse yoke that us seekers endure in a world ruled by Murphy's Law.

Quantum physics might suggest that the Murphy's Law life is a parallel and antecedent world to a world that simply - and quite peacefully, amid the noise of eternal conflict - IS.

In such a way Parmenides saw the world: it just IS, immutably. And its trajectory is eternally circular.

You see, the phony world is trying to habituate us to endless defeat in a Murphy's World, as Irving is in the following suggestion to himself: Give it up! As the gatekeeper tells Franz Kafka.

Get this - the phony world, no matter what age or aeon you live in, wants to sell you its version of itself. Got it? Not the straight and narrow world of pure unprejudiced ISNESS. Only its mere fabrication.

So it wants us to admit defeat and accept its version of life.

I don't buy that. I KNOW life is simple, pure, uncluttered Being, because I have LIVED that experience. And I intend to continue doing so.

And that's why I can no longer read this book.

Life is at the same time much simpler and much more difficult than that. Because you have to fight it every step of the way if you want to reach the summit (and "the Road goes on Forever").

So I continue to fight - just trying to:
redeem the Dream...
The unseen token of the Higher Dream.

Our Dream takes dedication, but it's real. So is the battle!

This is my Quest, to follow that Star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how FAR...

And the end of all our searching
Will be to arrive at the place where we started
And KNOW the place for the First Time.

But, you know, it's a book my young friend Matthew - and YOU - might LOVE, if you're in those Sturm und Drang younger years when happenstance is NEVER on your side!

***

All is now well, as the chill winds of imminent fall weather blow...

And I, in the late September of my years, have made penultimate Peace with a world that always went against my expectations, simply by not refusing to bear my Lifelong Cross peaceably, as I ALWAYS should have done!

And another happy ending... Irving's long and hilarious conundrum is now in the permanent possession of my fruitlessly questioning young friend!

May Irving's ideas fall deep into his fertile spiritual soil.

What a wild ride! And what a wonderful book!!

This statement seems to express a sense of excitement and enthusiasm. It could be about a thrilling adventure or an engaging story that took the reader on a wild journey.

The exclamation marks emphasize the intensity of the emotions felt.

Perhaps the author is sharing their experience of reading a particular book that had a profound impact on them.

It might have been filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping them on the edge of their seats.

The use of the word "wunderbares" (wonderful) indicates that the book was not only exciting but also of high quality.

Overall, this short phrase gives the impression of a memorable and enjoyable experience that the author wants to share with others.

Looking back on those years, I remember reading a particular book. Even though it was vastly different from the ones I usually read, I couldn't put it down. The writing was simply outstanding. It had a certain charm and elegance that drew me in from the very first page. I found myself completely immersed in the story, eager to see what would happen next.

After finishing that book, I knew I wanted to read another one of his. His writing style had made such an impression on me. I was curious to see if he could maintain the same level of quality in his other works. The read date is just a guess, but the memory of that book still lingers in my mind.

I'm excited to explore more of his books and discover the unique worlds he creates through his words. I have a feeling that each one will be a new adventure, filled with interesting characters and captivating plots. I can't wait to embark on this literary journey and see where it takes me.

Update 2017: I'm truly terrible with names. I simply can't recall the names of the people I meet, whether they are colleagues or politicians. However, nearly two years have elapsed since I read this book, and yet I still remember all of them: Frank, Franny, John, Lilly, and Egg! At present, I'm reading The Cider House Rules, and that has just reminded me of how much I adored The Hotel New Hampshire. :-)

Review 2016
This was one of the most deeply emotional and, consequently, beautiful books I've read thus far. The characters were all so exquisitely developed. Their actions, emotions, and dialogues seemed astonishingly real. As I was reading, I somehow experienced everything they felt: I dreamed along with Win, I had the unwavering will of Lily, I was as confused as Frank, I shed tears for Egg, I loathed Ernst, and I loved Franny to an excessive degree...
Despite the occurrence of numerous bad things, it was a very positive story. I adored how the author concentrated on the strengths of the characters and perceived the good in every protagonist. Nobody was condemned for their dreams, wishes, thoughts, and mistakes as long as they didn't cause harm to others.
Moreover, the writing style was also beautiful. Nothing was sugarcoated, and everything was described in a refreshingly explicit manner.

This made the reading experience all the more engaging and immersive. I found myself completely absorbed in the world that the author had created, and I didn't want it to end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a touching and thought-provoking read.

“Of course it’s all downhill. And anyone knows downhill is faster than uphill. It’s up until fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, then it’s down. Down like water, down like sand.”

Generally speaking, the books I read tend to be rather dark. They are brooding, introspective, and often tragic. I find great enjoyment in these books and the valuable lessons I can glean from them. However, they do have their moments when they take a toll on me (I'm looking at you, Thomas Hardy), and I then turn towards something a little more life-affirming. While John Irving's “The Hotel New Hampshire” doesn't shy away from tragedy that is random, at times shocking, and deeply painful, it also contains something truly beautiful about a family that is deeply flawed. At times, it seems on the verge of breaking apart with each new setback it endures, yet it never does. Instead, it only appears to strengthen them and draw them closer together as they refuse to wallow in their misfortunes, even when it would be understandable.

The members of the Berry family are quirky, to say the least, and they are definitely the stars of this story. But it is the large cast of supporting characters that truly brings this novel to life and sets it apart from being just another family drama. From Viennese prostitutes, women who dress as bears, real bears (!), anarchists, jocks, pseudo-intellectuals, and so many more, John Irving has crafted a world that is messy and complicated, much like the one we observe around us. With wonderful humor and a remarkable ability to roll with the absurd, even in the face of tragedy, “The Hotel New Hampshire” stands as one of the best examples of what family truly means. I'm only sorry to have to close the book on the Berry family after watching them grow up and overcome so much. But as young John Berry says:

“Trotsky was killed with a pickax” the bearded fellow said, morosely, trying to remain unimpressed. “But he’s not dead is he?” I asked insanely, smiling. “Nothing’s really dead”, I said. “Nothing he said is dead”. I said.
“The paintings that we can still see, they’re not dead”. I said. “The characters in books, they don’t die when we stop reading about them”.

I have come to the conclusion that I will never read John Irving again.

In fact, if there were a possible way, I would rate this experience even lower than one star.

The reason for this is that his writing failed to engage me on any level.

The storylines seemed convoluted and lacking in coherence, making it difficult for me to follow and become invested.

The characters also felt flat and uninteresting, lacking the depth and complexity that would have made them come alive on the page.

Overall, my encounter with John Irving's work has been a thoroughly disappointing one, and I have no desire to subject myself to it again.

I will be looking for other authors who can provide the kind of engaging and thought-provoking reading experience that I crave.

It is extremely challenging to assign a rating to this book. There are aspects that I truly adored, while others left me with a queasy feeling in my stomach. Merely using "like" as a rating doesn't quite do justice to the complex emotions this book evokes.

I have a deep affection for the eccentric characters and the delightfully quirky, laugh-out-loud dialogue. As I observed when reading "A Widow for One Year," Mr. Irving is an exceptionally fine writer, far superior to many. However, as I also noted previously, he gives the impression of being sexually obsessed and warped. Certainly, our "family values" differ, especially when it comes to matters of intimacy. This doesn't fully convey how repulsive some of his scenes are. In some respects, I felt he shared certain traits with his terrorist/anarchist/pornographer character. Some of his scenes seem like a violation, a rape of the reader, and a deliberate attempt to degrade, at least in my opinion.

Despite the author's remarkable talent for writing, I still found some of the scenes to be rather stupid. The "bear in heat" scene, in particular, struck me as a writing failure. It was neither a satisfying revenge nor a humorous absurdity. Additionally, I didn't care for the way the book ends for Lilly. It seemed like a cheap and almost cheating ending by the author. I believe Mr. Irving could have treated her better, but perhaps he was making a point by "posing" her in imitations of another famous writer.

What I liked most about the book was the engaging dialogue and the well-developed characterization. Mr. Irving's imagination is truly remarkable. I also appreciated the relationship between John and his father and grandfather, and how John assists his father in fulfilling his dream after their return from Europe. He writes with an extraordinary sense of the absurd, which is what compelled me to keep reading.

The book started really well and then declined as the story progressed.

I appreciated the use of the jaunty tone even when dealing with more serious and definitely heavier themes, but then this cheerfulness also gradually diminished.

I really liked the characters of Lilly and Frank and some of the secondary characters.

I didn't appreciate some of the author's choices, especially regarding the ending.

The book is still well-written and the reading flows quickly, but I wouldn't be able to give it a more precise judgment and I can't determine how much I liked it in terms of a vote/stars.

Perhaps with a second reading, I might be able to form a more definite opinion.

Overall, it had its strengths and weaknesses, and it left me with a somewhat mixed feeling.

However, it did manage to keep my attention throughout, which is a positive aspect.

I'll have to think about it more before I can come to a final conclusion about this book.

On September 1, 2015, I reflected on the fact that John Irving published this novel in 1980 and I owned a hardback copy. At that time, I would have been just fourteen years old.

It's safe to say that I couldn't have begun to understand how much loss and misdirected lust were driving the storyline. I really didn't remember much, if anything at all, about the actual plot, especially the anarchists and prostitutes in Vienna.

Yet, I always had a deep and abiding love for this book, just like all the other Irving novels such as Garp, Owen Meany, and Cider House Rules. There was something in the novel's words that spoke to me as a teenager, and now, as an empty-nest mother and middle-aged wife, they speak to me in a different way.

The world we live in now is so much worse than the world depicted in this novel, which was already quite terrible, especially in the aftermath of the Holocaust and with its easy acceptance of rape and the shaming of women and gay people. It is a novel that was a perfect fit for the 1980s, but it might seem too simplistic for the complex times we're living in now.

On August 18, 2015, I decided to read this book again. It had popped up on my TiVo suggested movies the other day, and I knew that I would rather read the book than watch the bad movie adaptation. I know that I've read it at least three times since 1981, but I couldn't tell you exactly when, after that first reading in the hardback edition. I'm excited to see how well it holds up or if it still has the same impact on me.

L'estate in cui mio padre comprò l'orso, nessuno di noi era ancora nato. This sentence sets a mysterious and somewhat enchanting tone right from the start.

After reading “The World According to Garp” and being completely captivated by it, I thought - not without a touch of sadness - that when reading Irving's subsequent novel, I would no longer experience the same intense emotions. However, “The Hotel” (or rather, the hotels) literally engaged me. All the characters that make up the numerous and strange Berry family, and those who revolve around them, each in their own role, have left an indelible mark. Just like the bear State o'Maine, the semi-human bear Susie, and the smelly dog Sorrow. They are all my friends now. They are the family that I would have liked to have, and I carry them all with me.

The link http://youtu.be/HcQOcLL-r2Y might lead to something related to the story or the author, adding an extra layer of curiosity.

I recently came across a review of John Irving's work.

The review asserted that only three of his novels are worthy of reading: A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Cider House Rules, and The World According to Garp.

The reviewer also claimed that The Hotel New Hampshire is rather good, but too "odd" to be regarded as great.

However, it is precisely this oddity that makes The Hotel New Hampshire eminently worth reading (again and again).

I have read The Hotel New Hampshire at least five times, and I have discovered that it gets better with each reading.

Admittedly, the characters and the events in the novel are strange and improbable.

But the depth and the poignant accuracy with which Irving描绘 his characters' emotions as they experience a series of tragically bizarre events make every moment feel one-hundred-percent real.

Irving's talent lies in describing the odd and the everyday with such clarity that the odd seems true and the everyday appears extraordinary.

This is nowhere more evident than in The Hotel New Hampshire.

Even after multiple readings, I finish this novel in a daze, convinced that the Berrys are people I actually knew at some point in time.

This book cannot be dismissed as too "odd" to read, because the Berrys feel genuine.

The Hotel New Hampshire must be read - if for no other reason than to encounter the single greatest family motto ever: "Keep passing the open windows."

Who would have thought you could put a positive twist on "Don't Jump!"?