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)

As good as it gets

The story "The Cider House Rules" has the potential to go down in history as an all time classic. If my great grandchildren are reading this book along with the works of Charles Dickens and John Steinbeck, I wouldn't be surprised.
John Irving is admittedly one of my favorite writers. His ability to tell epic stories about rich, interesting characters is unrivaled in our time. I will never forget the time I spent with Homer, Melony, Dr. Larch, Fuzzy, Candy, and all the others.
Though other authors can write wonderfully engrossing books with thick plots and unexpected twists, nobody can match John Irving for introducing you to real people and making you a part of their lives.
I've read 5 of J.I.'s works, all of which moved me and made me a fuller person. "The Cider House Rules" was undoubtedly the best.
Grover Gardner does a woderful job with his distinctive voice. He walks a brilliant line between lending credibility to his characters, but not stealing the show. His understated way of narrating/acting was perfect for this book.
For the rest of my life, I'll be on the lookout for the next "The Cider House Rules." Since a work of art like this comes along so rarely, don't you miss it.

An Engrossing Listen

A compelling story of an orphan and an orphanage where the residing doctor(obstetrician)does the "Lord's work" and the "Devil's work", although it's all the "Lord's work" in the Doctor's and others minds. The story is permeated with a wry sense of humor and well defined, colorful and consistent characters, and interwoven with lots of interesting facts about obstetrics, apple growing and 1920s through 1950s Maine.

Full range of emotions

A thought provoking listen that covers joy, sorrow, laughter, heartbreak - a full range of emotions. You can't help but fall in love with Homer and all of his short comings. If you have seen the movie, you need to experience the book. Hope you enjoy both as much as I did!

24 Hours of Pleasure

I have enjoyed other Irving a lot, and Cider House Rules was the best. Yes, it is a long, drawn-out story, but I had trouble pausing. The character development is wonderful--unlike Garp, these are all possibly real characters (the Notes at the end lead one to believe they are strongly based in reality). The narrator also does a wonderful job, getting the black, Maine, Asian & British dialects quite believably right.

Best mesmerizing book I've listened to in a while

Don't get put off by the length of this beautiful work of writing/listening. I haven't been able to start listening another one for fear of this one leaving my psyche. I assumed it was "based on a true story" but even though that's not officially stated, of course it is. Enjoy as much as I did.

Does not disappoint

This is one of my favorite books, I have read the written book as well as listened to the audible.

I now know why it's a classic!

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

I enjoyed the format of following just a few characters throughout their lives.

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

When Homer discovered who had impregnated Angel's girlfriend and how it changed his entire viewpoint of abortions.

Which scene was your favorite?

Picturing the apple pickers on the roof of the Cider House watching the ferris wheel in the distance and their interpretation of what they were seeing.

Any additional comments?

One of my all time favorites!

Sad, funny, thought provoking, great story!

If you could sum up The Cider House Rules in three words, what would they be?

Interesting, thought provoking

Which character – as performed by Grover Gardner – was your favorite?

Wilbur Larch and Homer Wells too hard to choose just one.

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

I don't have enough time to listen to a book this long all in one sitting but it could have kept my attention for that long.

Any additional comments?

I really lived this book. Very well written and the performance was great!

Enjoyable story & characters.

I liked the story and enjoyed the characterizations by the narrator. However, I frequently had to adjust the volume because the narrator would raise and lower his voice as he jumped between characters. Perhaps it was a problem with editing.

Newest edition to my top 10 list.

I have read and enjoyed Irving before but this book is on another level. Irving is a true master, knowing what to include and what to omit. The story, rich and detailed, moves forward without the feeling of being on rails. Sex and sexuality is a prevalent theme in the book. It's presence is frank, honest and a great addition to the story.

I also enjoyed that the medical terminology and explanations, while only details to enrich the story, are accurate and we'll researched.