This was an interesting look at the formation of a respected writer. It felt very real and honest. There were parts that needed editing or removal. The end of one chapter goes on about his sons wrestling accomplishments - names, tournaments, awards, - that we didn't get anything from. It was a Dad bragging. Nice but I expected him to recognize that as a good writer and remove it.

I didn't think I wanted a run-down of the wrestling history of the high school/prep schools of New England in the late seventies, and I was right. I haven't read any John Irving in a long time, and this very flimsy memoir reminded me of all the stuff I enjoyed in his work. Unfortunately, it also reminded me of all the stuff I didn't enjoy.

Beautiful memoir

I am a huge fan of John Irving. I hadn't read this and enjoyed learning more about him and his life. Wrestling is in most of his novels, and I shouldn't be surprised what a huge part of his life it was.
I must share that I learned more about his writing by reading "Last night on twisted river", which I highly recommend.

If you are an avid consumer of Irving’s books (I am), this short memoir is a great book, as it allows you to read into his view of two of the recurring features of his novels: wrestling and writing. I enjoyed a lot the author’s notes at the end, but they only make sense if you read the whole book before...

I expected wise and witty notions on writing, and I got them. But 80% of the book consisted of to me rather pointless wrestling stories full of detail but I guess that's what I get for picking up a random autobiography by a famous author I've never read anything by.

I like John Irving's writing, and really like some of his books. This is described as a memoir, but it's 90% memoir of his love affair with wrestling, and 10% about his writing. Maybe 80/20. But it's good writing, and I like wrestling and particularly enjoyed his remembrances of his time at Iowa. Irving loved the sport and was blessed by an inspiring and effective prep school coach. Irving admits that he was not a natural athlete, but his coach showed him how he could compensate by being a dedicated student of the sport. "Talent is overrated. That you're not very talented needn't be the end of it." Inspiring, somehow.

I've known lots of wrestlers, and the discipline they exhibit is admirable. Irving says that discipline has helped him with his writing -- he claims not to be a natural writer, either, but a very good re-writer.

I enjoyed this little gem.

هذا أول عمل أقرأه للروائي الأمريكي جون إيرفينغ، ولا أظن أنه سيكون الأخير. أردت أن أجربه، أن أدخل عالمه ببطء، فسرني ما وجدت. اشتهر هذا الروائي الأمريكي بجمعه بين نوعية كتابته الأدبية العالية، والنجاح التجاري الضخم الذي رافق أعماله، مما مكنه من التفرغ التام لـ"مهنته" الأدبية في سن مبكرة، والعيش بمستوى معيشي مريح للغاية.

والحقيقة أن إيرفينغ يختلف عن الراوئيين الأمريكيين الذين اطلعت على أعمالهم حتى الآن، فهو لا يعتمد على جمل "هيمنغواي" البرقية القصيرة، ولا على مونولوغات "فوكنر" التي تحتل صفحات كاملة، أو إصرار جون أوبداييك على اللعب باللغة وتوسيع آفاقها في صفحات أعماله قدر الإمكان. لا، يذكرني إيرفينغ بكتاب الرواية الإنجليز في القرن 19.

أي أنه لا يخجل من اعتبار نفسه مؤرخاً لشخصية ونفسية الفرد في مجرى الحياة العامة، وبين دوائر المجتمع، مع الحفاظ على شروط الحرفة الروائية. الجميل في إيرفينغ أن بساطة نثره لا تلغي عنه في الوقت نفسه صفة الذكاء، يرسم إيرفينغ لوحة طويلة في كل فصل، هي قصة ما، يبدؤها ببطء ثم ينهيها بسلاسة وجمال، مع الضغط بكل رشاقة على زر التعجب لدى القارىء.
يتحدث جون إيرفينغ في هذا الكتاب (192 صفحة) عن مشواره كمصارع أثناء دراسته في المرحلة الثانوية، لكن المثير للانتباه حقاً هو: حديث إيرفينغ عن الكيفية التي أثرت بها المصارعة على مشواره الكتابي والروائي فيما بعد.

الكتاب خفيف..وشيق..ومسلي لمن يريد أن يتعرف جيداً على تكوين ونشأة أحد أهم روائيي جيل السبعينات والثمانينات في أمريكا.

ملاحظة : شكل هذا الكتاب مصدر إلهام للروائي الياباني الشهير هاروكي موراكامي، وقد قرر موراكامي لدى قراءته لهذا الكتاب أن يكتب هو أيضاً، كتابا عن علاقة مشواره الكتابي مع الرياضة، وقد فعل ذلك. ثم طلب موراكامي من إيرفينغ أن يقابله وجهاً لوجه في نيويورك، ليركض معه في حديقة السنترال بارك الشهيرة. غنى عن الذكر أن موراكامي قام فيما بعد بترجمة عدد من روايات جون إيرفينغ للغة اليابانية.

Surprisingly disappointing given my regard for the writer. This was written by an ? There's very little about his development as a writer. Unless you're interested in the wrestling career of a not-very-successful wrestler, this brief memoir doesn't have much to offer.

The most interesting part of this to me was the description of Vienna. I had the privilege of asking John Irving a question at a talk he gave. I asked him about his apparent interest in Vienna since it appears in several of hisnovels. It seemed very random to me and, I wondered what his connection was. I thought at the time that his answer was deliberately humorous but, maybe not. He lived there twice. His second son was born there. In this book, he was very critical of the antisemitism he felt was quite prevalent in Viennese life.

There is quite about about wrestling in this memoir.

It was okay... if you like wresting or like reading about wrestling... a lot. In this case, you really can judge a book by its cover... a photo of three wrestlers. One is probably John Irving.

Too short a book for an autobiography and even shorter to qualify as a John Irving novel, "The Imaginary Girlfriend" is easily one of the most endearing books ever written by this marvelous author who has created a formidable niche for himself in the American literary landscape. Dedicated to two of his most beloved wrestling coaches and a close friend, this condensed memoir blends the bustling contact sport of wrestling with the more personal and imaginative art of Creative Writing.

A "half decent" wrestler (in his own words) on account of an inflexible athletic bent, and a more than good (as recognised by the world) author, John Irving started his academic career in a none too luminous manner. Afflicted by Dyslexia which made reading an enormous niggle, Irving overcame this hiccup to blossom into one of the most essential and celebrated authors of our time. His discomfort in academics was as prominent as his comfort on a wrestling mat. Under the able tutelage of his beloved coach Ted Seabrooke, Irving developed an incorrigible affection towards this sport. An affection that lasted for more than four decades as he served the sport in the capabilities of a competitor, referee and coach. Immersion in the gymnasium halls however did not detract from his literary aspirations as Irving went on to pen some of the most indelible works of fiction including the "The World According to Garp", and "A Prayer For Owen Meany".

What makes this condensed work worth reading is the boldness and candour employed by Irving. Not shying away from his own disabilities, he lays down with utter simplicity the trajectory which his life took crisscrossing between classrooms and competition venues. He also shares with the reader some invaluable lessons drilled into him by mentors of the likes of the inimitable Kurt Vonnegut. The book is an assortment of spontaneous wit and sedate wisdom. A perilous taxi ride costing $100 and involving a driver petrified of the dark (and who also turns out to be a suspected thief) is enough to have the reader in splits. Poignant and pertinent, this book by Irving is one which unlike the rest of his work will not leave the reader enervated, but instead will generate a feeling of insatiability for being over too soon!

"The Imaginary Girlfriend" - John Irving at his honest best!

Because Irving is one of my favorite authors, this memoir gave me insight to his personal life. Wrestling is not a sport I am familiar with so it was interesting to learn about training and strategies of these athletes. Probably not an enjoyable book if not a fan of Irving.