Edition I had seems to be shorter than usual: it had only one of the memoirs (Piggy Sneed) and one of the literary essays (King of Novel). Also, author’s notes at the end of the stories were missing.

That said, I enjoyed the short stories. They had interesting settings and plots and kept me entertained through their run.

I love John Irving's writing. There is a quality of imagination that is mising from all the books I am currently reading. I mean, they are OK - but this is great. It makes me think in a different way. It has a ring of truth. It is effortlessly allegorical and metaphoric and funny and appropos of everything all at the same time. And this is just short stories! It's time to read his novels again ...

Learning to write rewievs on Goodreads, in my second language. This time I cannot but address it very subjectively. I usually absolutely love John Irving's style of characterbuilding, his wit, way of describing and dialogue. Because these are short stories, there just is less time for all of this (but he does it anyway

3.5 stars to a mixed short story/memoir bag from one the truly great master of (long) novels

The memoirs is kind of funny albeit somewhat aged at this point

The short stories are interesting and sometimes funny, but mostly as sketches to later novels and the authors very honest after-notes

The homage to Dickens, especially Great expectations and A Christmas Carol was interesting and touching, especially for another great fan of Dickens like myself.

I usually love John Irving and this is definitely just as well written as all his other works generally are. I just couldn't get really into this. It was missing so much of what I find poignant and interesting in his work. I think the fact that this isn't really fiction is what's getting to me here. Maybe the fact that it's an audiobook? Not sure, but I had a hard time getting through this one.

In the past I've associated Irving with big sprawling 600 page novels, but as you'd expect he's a splendid writer of short fiction also. Trying To Save Piggy Sneed is a slim collection of six short stories and two essays.

Interior Space is markedly better than the other short stories, in both complexity and pleasure. This really felt like it could've been expanded or incorporated into a full length novel, and, ah, how I wish it were so. Teenage gonorrhea, a boisterous German, new age interior design and a great whopping walnut tree. What a joy.

Another one of my favourites was Brennbar's Rant, in which the cognac swilling, cigar smoking, pockmarked Ernst Brennbar disrupts a snobby dinner party conversation on the validity of different minorities groups by ranting on the injustices experienced by the most discriminated against minority group of them all: pimpled people. Zitism, the unmentioned prejudice against those of us with temperamental skin. A hilarious, balanced, perfectly realised story.

It was also a delight to reread The Pension Grillparzer, though I hadn't forgotten much since reading The World According To Garp almost precisely one year ago. I wasn't quite as enamoured this time as I was the first time round, but it's still a charming, chucklesome tale.

The rest are all inventive and memorable little squibs, apart from one dud (Almost In Iowa). A satisfying collection if you're in need of a burst of Irving's antics, but can't be bothered committing to a longer work.

This is Irving's only collection of "short work." The memoir The Imaginary Girlfriend covers the same ground as most of his novels but is still must read for Irving fans. The title memoir is also fantastic, though I have my doubts about how factual it is. His memoir about having dinner with President Reagan is hilarious.

The short stories, made up of works that Irving completed while getting his MFA, are interesting but not his best work. It isn't hard to figure out why Irving gave up on short pieces.

Finally, the collection includes some essays on Dickens and Grass, two writers that influenced Irving as much as any others.

I was almost finished with this book of short stories and essays and then... decided not to finish. I liked elements of this collection of tales and disliked others. So ultimately ambivalent. Worth reading... not worth finishing. Haha!

There are two versions of this book - this version contains 8 pieces of work:

Memoirs:
"Trying to Save Piggy Sneed"

Fiction
"Interior Space"
"Almost in Iowa"
"Weary Kingdom"
"Brennbar's Rant"
"Other People's Dreams"
"The Pension Grillparzer"

Homage
"The King of the Novel"

The other volume, of the same name, is longer and contains 12 pieces of work, including The Imaginary Girlfriend, which is available under separate cover:

Memoirs
"Trying to Save Piggy Sneed"
"The Imaginary Girlfriend"
"My Dinner at the Whitehouse"

Fiction
"Interior Space"
"Brennbar's Rant"
"The Pension Grillparzer"
"Other People's Dreams"
"Weary Kingdom"
"Almost in Iowa"

Homage
"The King of the Novel"
"An Introduction to A Christmas Carol"
"Gunter Grass: King of the Toy Merchants"

I only note this because I was confused myself, and thought it would be nice to try to spare other people from the same confusion.

That said, I won't be rushing out to buy the other, more comprehensive collection. I still have another memoir to look forward to (My Movie Business: A Memoir) and I feel that I'm exhibiting quite enough fanboyishness for now; after all, I am in the throes of reading this author's entire body of work (so far) in consecutive order, and, well, c'mon... that's enough for now - right?!

So, what do I think of John Irving as a short story writer? Hmm. Well, put it this way - I much prefer his long books. It seems to me that some of the tales here are kinda more like character sketches than full blown, self-contained works. I can just imagine these characters appearing in any one of his novels, but yet their impact being as passing as a pond thrown stone.

It's not that they're not entertaining - they are, it's not even that they're not well written - they most certainly are, it's just that they are... erm... short. They are like the flash of a firefly on a gloriously sunny day, when I've become more accustomed to the stately progress of a beautiful full moon through a darkened sky.

In other words - I've been spoilt by reading John Irving's novels.

There.

Having said that - I enjoyed reading 'The Pension Grillparzer' outside of the context of The World According to Garp much more than I thought I would. It's funny how perception and context affect enjoyment. When I first read it, I only knew it as a whimsical tale written by T.S. Garp in the context of a much bigger and more 'serious' novel by John Irving (this was before I really understood his early work as having comedic elements). Reading it again, gave it a weight and impact that surprised me. It was if the text had been edited and improved upon within this collection to tighten it up and make it less throwaway. Maybe it was - I don't know - but that's how it felt.

Of the other stories: 'Almost in Iowa' reminded me unpleasantly of the author's dislike of a story from the point of view of a fork because it kinda anthropomorphisises a Volvo. I found 'Weary Kingdom' to be rather sad, 'Brennbar's Rant' kinda funny, 'Other People's Dreams' intriguing and I can't remember what 'Interior Space' was about - oh, wait - it was about a walnut tree. Hmm.

It strikes me now, that I may have missed the depth and beauty of these stories by rushing through them, and I know that if I read them through and through, properly and attentitively, I would be able to glean the shining messages and morals of these tales.

Thing is though - I don't want to - I want to be entertained. I want these books to shine like rays of sunshine on a cloudy day. I want my inner world to be lit - instantly and dazzlingly. I want reward without effort. I want to eat a succulent and delicious cake without having made any effort to collect the ingredients, lovingly assemble them, diligently bake it and present it on the plate like a king on a throne, there to savour and enjoy every single morsel.

In this consumer led, madly driven world, I do John Irving's work a massive injustice by passing it off in such a brutal and cold hearted manner, and I'm sorry. I apologise from the bottom of my greedy, self satisfying heart.

I'm truly sorry.

Next!

I am always really intrigued by John Irving's writing style. Not exactly sure why I like it but it usually keeps me pretty interested. This book was not one of my favorites, however. I didn't realize that it was a collection of autobiographical, short stories, and book review/introductions. The short stories were very interesting but the autobiographical part was rather boring. He talks WAY too much about wrestling. Also, there were introductions to Great Expectations and The Christmas Story that he wrote for different publications of the books. While I enjoy Charles Dickens, those parts were pretty dull to read as well. I will say that the short stories were interesting because you could see that they inspired different books that he ended up writing/publishing later on which was cool.

A thoughtful and engaging semi-autobiography. It contains Irving’s reflections on authors he admires, several of his own short stories, his meandering political thoughts and memories and some little autobiographical snippets. Listened on Audible. Same narrator as A Prayer For Owen Meany, which made me really hear Owen Meany in John Irving’s reflections and made me wonder about how much if himself he poured into that character. I really enjoyed this difficult to classify book.

OK, povídkové knihy nejsou zrovna můj šálek kávy. Přesto jsem dal knize šanci, protože jsem potřeboval nějakou malou knihu, která by se mi vešla do bagáže na hory. A taky je to Irving...

Ze šesti povídek se mi líbily dvě, hned první - Vnitřní prostor (dal bych 4*) a pak Penzion Grillparzer (5*). Ta má tak úžasnou atmosféru, že jsem si povídku s chutí přečetl vlastně už podruhé - poprvé jsem ji četl předloni ve Světe podle Garpa, kde se povídka objevila poprvé. Povídku pak Irving rozvinul ve své další knize, Hotel New Hampshire.

Ostatní povídky mě nudily nebo se mi nelíbily, což se mi u Irvinga nestává. Hodně zajímavé naopak bylo hned úvodní povídání o Čuňákovi, což v podstatě byla také autobiografická povídka (byla smyšlená, nebo ne?). Na konci knihy je pak kapitola věnovaná rozboru díla Charlese Dickense, což moc nechápu. Proč to tam je? Vůbec nic mi to nedalo.