• The Cider House Rules

  • By: John Irving
  • Narrated by: Grover Gardner
  • Length: 24 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,406 ratings)

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The Cider House Rules  By  cover art

The Cider House Rules

By: John Irving
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's summary

From one of America's most beloved and respected writers comes the classic story of Homer Wells, an orphan, and Wilbur Larch, a doctor without children of his own, who develop an extraordinary bond with one another.
©1985 John Irving (P)1999 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Witty, tenderhearted, fervent, and scarifying." ( New York Times Book Review)
"Gardner understands and conveys the book's sly humor and comprehension of human foibles." ( Los Angeles Times)
"John Irving's best novel....He is among the very best storytellers." ( Philadelphia Inquirer)

What listeners say about The Cider House Rules

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Irving is a great storyteller

John Irving is a great storyteller. This story takes place in Maine. I love the mention of the small coastal towns I visited in 2 vacations there. His descriptions bring back fun memories. No matter your political, ethical or moral views, he is able to point to the mundane things that happen in life and make you really consider and defend your views.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful story.

If you're a book lover you'll love this book. An absolute must to listen too during a commute or a road trip.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best i have listened to..

I have a large library of audio and hardcover books. Few have been as well written and thought out as well. If you are sensitive to abortion this may not be the book for you but that is not the focus of the story. I was very impressed by the last few minuites of this story. It is rare to have a story come together so well in the end. Done so well i cried without control.
I will listen many times im sure.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A true classic

What a simple and wonderful book.
I love the way it comes full circle at the end.
Applause for the princess of Maine, The Kings of New England! 👏

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Entertaining

It was a good read. And well researched.
Although it felt like the story was supposed to end somewhere in the middle and then the author got a bit into advocating for abortions and changed where the story was going.
Still good though.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and entertaining.

This book is much deeper than I remembered from reading it years ago and also seeing the movie. Irving creates 3-dimensional characters and places them in a compelling story to examine the question of whether it's better to be unwanted or unborn. Really well done, including the narration.

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful

Any additional comments?

My second favorite Irving book. (Owen Meany, #1.) Anyone who thinks abortion is a black and white issue should read this book. It is as relevant to today as it would be to the time about which it was written.

A beautiful, emotional novel.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Deep, moving, compelling

What made the experience of listening to The Cider House Rules the most enjoyable?

I found myself predicting what would happen, and then getting it wrong most of the time. The constant surprise kept me listening. Irving does a great job of showing his characters' motivations, and showing their flaws as well as their strengths.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dr. Wilbur Larch is the best character in this book. I constantly found myself trying to evaluate his character. He is at various times pigheaded and incredibly stubborn, while at the same time kind, loving, and devoted to his cause. He is also an incredibly skilled doctor, who always believes in doing the right thing.

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

Warning: This book is, at times, not for the squeamish. I have a fairly high tolerance for graphic descriptions, and I found myself wincing and saying "eeewwww" at a couple of different parts that describe Dr. Larch's adventures as an obstetrician in the early 20th century.

I also love this book because it tackles the delicate subject of abortion, and does it admirably. Irving clearly feels strongly about the subject (I won't tell you what position he takes, because I want you to read this book), and he presents a great case for his point of view.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best of the Best

I read this book every ten years or so, and I always want to read it again right away. The Compelling, sympathetic, eccentric characters live in my heart between reads.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Book

Lots of truth in it. Great performance. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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1 person found this helpful