The Cider House Rules

By: John Irving

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 24 hrs and 5 mins

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)

one of my favorite books ever

love John Irvin one of his best books. One you will re read for sure !

Very possibly the best book I’ve ever read/listened to

Oh. My. I cannot day enough about this book. Irving made me laugh, think, gasp out loud, laugh again, cry, wonder, and feel. The characters are unbelievably real, every event is so fabulously researched... I can’t believe it’s fiction. I kept thinking “How can he be this detailed and believable? Is he basing everything on real people he knew and actual things he experienced?” This is the first book by John Irving that I have read/listened to and he may be my new favorite author. If you want a book with lovable characters, heart-wrenching story lines, beautiful and diverse settings, incredible attention to detail, and subject matter that deals with important issues like adoption, abortion, ethics... Please do yourself the kindness of getting this book.

I went to another time & place & it was pleasure.

What did you love best about The Cider House Rules?

John Irving fully developed real characters that I enjoyed spending time with. Dr. Larch is one of my all time favorite characters. Both sides of the abortion argument were presented in a thoughtful way. The book was published 30 years ago and has withstood the test of time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Cider House Rules?

I loved the cleverness of Dr. Larch as he developed Dr. Fuzzy Stone.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved when Wally gave sweets to the orphans. I felt the joy he felt was captured, as well as his inner kindness.

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

I liked listening in 45 minute snippets so I could savor the moments. It's too good to hurry through. It's important to think about what happened so you really get to know the people.

Disturbingly Relevant Again

Just finished going through The Cider House Rules again. It's disturbingly re-relevant. I highly suggest giving it a go if you never got around to it, and revisiting it if you have. This time i did the audio version. The narrator, Grover Gardner, nails the Maine accent, the feel of the characters, and especially, the brilliant and almost lunatic Dr. Wilbur Larch. He treats Homer's moral dilemma with the honesty it so richly deserves. He ensures the romantic aspect is plain, yet complicated, without being sappy. One of the best pairings of literature and narrator i've found. Definitely top three. But mostly, most importantly, it's a grim reminder of the dark returning days of anti-abortion laws and the consequences women faced and are facing once again. This book is entertaining, horrifying, hilarious, heart-wrenching, and informative.

This book has gone from a wicked good read to an important message.

Good book for too long

I think if this book was shorter I would've given it five stars. I enjoyed the book but it was getting tiresome towards the end. I like the reader and I like the story. But it could've been probably half is long And been a better book. It's still a very good read.

Not as good as other Irving books

Still loved it. Watched the movie after finishing , what a disappointment! Completely changed the beautiful story. Not much you can do with a 20+ hour book-in 2 hours. It should be redone a a series like on Netflix at least 10 episodes. Same with A Prayer for Owen Meanie. I am surprised John Irving would allow such hacks to his work.
I am really disturbed by people’s other negative reviews about the subject matter. You read to learn and understand or at least try to understand others point of views. It tells you what it is about in the description. This is real life and history of what women had to do about unwanted pregnancies. If people don’t want to understand about real life go read fairytales.

Wonderful book

At first I had some trouble getting into this book. By the time it was done, I didn't want it to be.

The Cider House Rules

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

First off, I really love audible.com. I work 2 jobs and don't have a lot of time for reading which I love to do. With audible I can listen even while I'm at work which helps me get through those long lonely night shifts. It seems to make my job more tolerable, even enjoyable, and I never thought I'd say that.
Novels such as The Cider House Rules are what make John Irving one of my favorite authors, a master storyteller who approaches his themes from various angles. Like so many of his novels, you wish it would never end. You become so attached to the characters and the settings that you wish you could just keep going back at least for a little while every day, and when its over you almost feel the same as if you'd lost an old friend. The narration by Grover Gardner is solid. The characters, especially Dr. Larch came to life magnificently.

What other book might you compare The Cider House Rules to and why?

There are not really too many books I've read that I can fairly compare it to, although Irving's writing and storytelling prowess often remind me of a more modern Dickens. And as as always, he is fearless, unabashed, and uncompromising in his subject matter.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I thought overall he did an excellent job, especially with the character of Dr. Larch. There is a very little to find fault with.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Everytime Dr Larch wrote a passage in "A Brief History Of S.T. Clouds that began with "Here at S.T. Clouds... Also enjoyed the part where Melanie was asked to read from Jane Eyre to her bunkmates in the cider house and she kept getting interrupted with questions about what the big words meant. Reminded me of when I used to read aloud to my kids, back when they still let me.

A different story from the movie.

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

I saw the movie, and liked it so much I decided to try the book. I was stunned. Other than most of the same characters you'll barely recognize the story. Excellent reader and performance. Get this to actually hear the book. It's hard to believe that Irving agreed to revamp the story to make a movie.

What other book might you compare The Cider House Rules to and why?

None.

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

Excellent reading that helps you visualize the characters.

If you could rename The Cider House Rules, what would you call it?

The Loss of Innocence.

Any additional comments?

No.

Marvelous Story About Rules, How We Break Them

What did you love best about The Cider House Rules?

I loved the quirky characters. Every word written was perfect for the situation. How abortion and the pros and cons can be presented without judgment just made it better. Homer is conflicted but Dr. Larch finds a way to make him of use.

What other book might you compare The Cider House Rules to and why?

I'm not a book reviewer but this book has everything, humor, sadness, death but even turning that into good. His characters have a strength not found easily. It reminds me of Ken Follett Century Trilogy and Wuthering Heights. Irving is a gifted writer.

Have you listened to any of Grover Gardner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first book by Grover Gardner and I liked him. Wish he was narrating all of Irving's books.

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

Yes, it had me laughing out loud at times like when Wally socks Homer for his continued use of saying "right" to everything. This book has it all, love of a parent, a child, the nurses care of the orphans, the responsibility of different sets of rules being applied at different times. It is very complicated but so are the issues discussed. You hope all along that Homer does what is right for all,and ultimately he does.

Any additional comments?

This is a book that should be required reading by every high school student. A way to,make us think about huge issues but in a rational way. Someone must be available to help women.