Is john irving still alive

Biography of John Irving

John Wallace Blunt, better known as John Winslow Irving, was born on March 2, 1942. He is an American novelist and screenwriter, as well as an Oscar-winning writer. Irving's career began at the age of twenty-six when his first book, "Setting Free the Bears," was published. Although the book received fairly good reviews, it did not gain much popularity.

In the late 1960s, Irving studied with Kurt Vonnegut in the Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa. It was after the international success of his novel "The World According to Garp" in 1978 that Irving gained recognition from critics and fans. Some of Irving's works, such as "The Cider House Rules" and "A Prayer for Owen Meany," became bestsellers and were adapted into screenplays.

Many of Irving's works, including "The World According to Garp," "A Prayer for Owen Meany," and "A Widow for One Year," were inspired by his experiences at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. Irving grew up in Exeter, the son of Colin Irving and the nephew of Hamilton Bissell, both members of the academy. Wrestling, which played a significant role in his writings, was also a part of Irving's life as he participated in Exeter's wrestling program both as a wrestler and an assistant coach.

In 1999, Irving won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on the film "The Cider House Rules." Irving's career began at the age of twenty-six when his first book, "Setting Free the Bears," was published. Although the book received fairly good reviews, it did not gain much popularity.

Irving's second and third novels, "The Water-Method Man" and "The 158-Pound Marriage," were well-received. By 1975, Irving was already working as an assistant professor of English at Mount Holyoke College. Disappointed with the poor promotion of his books by his first publisher, Random House, Irving decided to switch to Dutton for his fourth book, "The World According to Garp," which promised him better marketing. The book quickly became an international bestseller and was a finalist for the American Book Award (now known as the National Book Award) in the hardcover fiction category. It also won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 1980. The novel was adapted into a film directed by George Roy Hill, starring Robin Williams and Glenn Close, and received several Academy Award nominations. Irving made a cameo appearance in the film as an official at one of Garp's wrestling tournaments.

Thanks to the success of "The World According to Garp," Irving transformed from a relatively unknown academic writer to a popular fiction author, and all his subsequent books became bestsellers. His success continued with "The Hotel New Hampshire," which, despite mixed reviews from critics, maintained strong sales. This book was also quickly adapted into a film, directed by Tony Richardson and starring Jodie Foster, Rob Lowe, and Beau Bridges.

In 1985, Irving published "The Cider House Rules," an epic novel dedicated to the lives of an orphanage in Maine, with one of the main themes being abortion. Many drew parallels between this book and Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist." This was followed by "A Prayer for Owen Meany," another epic family saga that delved into religious themes. The book was clearly influenced by the works of Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter."