A Prayer for Owen Meany

By: John Irving

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 27 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

Of all of John Irving's books, this is the one that lends itself best to audio. In print, Owen Meany's dialogue is set in capital letters; for this production, Irving himself selected Joe Barrett to deliver Meany's difficult voice as intended.

In the summer of 1953, two 11-year-old boys – best friends – are playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills the other boy's mother. The boy who hits the ball doesn't believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after that 1953 foul ball is extraordinary and terrifying.

As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of John Irving's book, you'll also get an exclusive Jim Atlas interview that begins when the audiobook ends.

Why we think it's a great listen: For 20 years, John Irving believed that his ambitious novel could never be adequately executed in audio – and then he met narrator Joe Barrett.... In the summer of 1953, two 11-year-old boys - best friends - are playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills the other boy's mother. The boy who hits the ball doesn't believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument.

This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.

©1989 Garp Enterprises Ltd (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This moving book comes across like a concerto in this audio version, with a soloist—Owen's voice—rising from the background of an orchestral narration. This book, one of the finest of its time, gets the narration that it deserves." ( AudioFile)

“John Irving, who writes novels in the unglamorous but effective way Babe Ruth used to hit home runs, deserves a medal not only for writing this book but for the way he has written it. . . . A Prayer for Owen Meany is a rare creation in the somehow exhausted world of late twentieth-century fiction—it is an amazingly brave piece of work . . . so extraordinary, so original, and so enriching. . . . Readers will come to the end feeling sorry to leave [this] richly textured and carefully wrought world.” (Stephen King)

"Roomy, intelligent, exhilarating, and darkly comic...Dickensian in scope....Quite stunning and very ambitious." ( Los Angeles Times Book Review)

Best Character Development In a First Person Narrative

The time John Irving takes to develop his characters shows that he is well read in history, politics, literature, psychology, and religion. It's a lengthy story, but the small details throughout the book culminate meaningfully at the end. By the time I finished the book, I felt the loss of dear Owen Meany praying with Johnny that God would bring him back.

A complicated, beautiful story.

What did you love best about A Prayer for Owen Meany?

John Irving weaves a series of complex issues into a captivating book. As the story unravels all of the elements come together to a final climax. There are so many leading events that keep you fully engaged in the story until the very end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

John Wheelwright, Owen Meany's best friend, is my favorite character. This character does a wonderful job of explaining Owen's beliefs and behaviors and relating them to how they are perceived by the other characters in the book. I also love the way John questions his own beliefs in light of Owen Meany's truths.

Which character – as performed by Joe Barrett – was your favorite?

I enjoyed John Wheelwright the most. While Owen Meany's character is captivating, I found his voice to be irritating at times, especially in the beginning. In hindsight, when you learn the truth behind his strange voice, you can better appreciate its purpose.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I could never listen to this book in one sitting because it is quite long and it benefits from taking a break every now and again to reflect on the story as it unfolds. However, as soon as I had finished it, I started re-listening from the beginning to revisit all of the subtle nuances within the story that build toward the wonderfully satisfying ending.

Any additional comments?

Having read so many books it is often difficult to find one that is not formulaic. John Irving has done a wonderful job of writing a remarkable story that also delivers many non-traditional observations on some very sensitive issues. I loved this book and can hardly wait to read another of John Irving's literary works.

Fantastic

Would you listen to A Prayer for Owen Meany again? Why?

In general I really enjoy John Irving and the story, character development, the writing and the performance of Joe Barrett are a perfect mix. I listen in the car and never wanted to leave the bubble. I miss Owen Meany.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried often while listening to this book; not necessarily from it being sad but from the beautiful descriptions of the characters and their psychology. Irving has a great way of making you feel what his characters feel without having to label them.

Come back to us, Owen!

A great first-person narrative story, brilliantly performed by Joe Barrett, who has become my favorite narrator.

Excellent

I understand now why John Irving wouldn't allow them to use the name a prayer for Owen Meany in the movie.

A very well crafted story expertly delivered.

Would you consider the audio edition of A Prayer for Owen Meany to be better than the print version?

I've only heard the audio version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hester the Molestor, why, because she is one of the most completely believable and for me one of the saddest characters in the whole book. She is portrayed as both desirable and vulnerable and dangerous, a lost soul looking for love and fulfilment and struggling to hold onto it when she does find it. She is damaged by her childhood and it carries through the rest of her life, she struggles with anger, she's as ready to hit out as she is to make love. We are given glimpses of why she is the way she is which helps us to understand her more but we never know for sure wheter we have the full picture. Hester is just a great character.

What does Joe Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Excellent pace, timing, intonation, emphasis. His is a calm voice that allows this strange story to unfold gently without letting his performance get in the way - this gentleness of delivery makes the story even dreamier and magical and makes his manifestations of "The VOICE" even more contrasting or jarring, but he never over cooks it. Well done Joe Barrett.

Any additional comments?

Good story with a fairytale feel.
Excellent listen, thought provoking, funny, poignant, moving and uplifting.
Covers a lot of ground, throws up some serious questions.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

Any additional comments?

A Prayer for Owen Meany has been around since 1989 and is written in the style of many authors of the 60s … i.e., wordy and wandering. This story is light on environmental detail and heavy on characters. There is little description, but lots of character thought and behavior. Charles Dickens comes to mind in a story that covers the coming of age of two boys through the fifties/sixties and the Vietnam era. It is also a platform for Irving to weave his political beliefs through the voice of the point of view character, John Wheelwright. This is common behavior for successful authors, Stephen King comes to mind. At any rate, in my opinion, a fictional story is the wrong place. I don’t care about the author’s politics unless I’ve purchased a non-fiction about politics. But, that’s just me…..

At just under thirty hours of listening, the narration is nicely done by Joe Barrett. If you’ve read the book, you’ll remember that Owen’s dialogue is all caps, an effort by Irving to convey a distinctive voice. The narrator interpretation is a high-pitched and boyish.

There are a ton of reviews on this story, ergo not much for me to add other than a minor opinion. Modern writing is reflective of an immediate gratification mindset, the quick made-for-tv two-hour movie. A Prayer for Owen Meany is of a different era, old fashioned and verbose. If you like this type of elongated prose, it’s among the best. If you don’t, you’ll be bored silly and likely fast-forward or jump some chapters…a lot.

My book club had a wonderful, lengthy discussion about this story.

The story was up lifting as well as a little sad. The movie was good, too, but a lot of the plot was left out, prob due to length. This was not a book I would normally choose, however I’m glad I listened to it. Audio is the best way to get through a 4” book!

Excellent

This is my favourite of all John Irving's books. I read it when it was first released and was totally immersed in the story with its political bent and sense of humour. I finally listened to the current and only audio version and enjoyed it thoroughly. The narration by Joe Barrett is superb and I can see why the author chose him to do it. He makes Owen's voice unique, believable and fun to listen to. Excellent!

happy revisit

I tried this book on the advice of my daughter 6 years ago and couldn't get started. I am amazed how much smarter she has become! I loved everything about this book. I tremendously appreciated the performance.
and the historic value. The philosophy agree 100% with my own and "Hester the Molester" I think was my college room mate.