The Cider House Rules

De: John Irving

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

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.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Great Book

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

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.