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Author John Irving has written twelve novels. His most recent book, "Last Night in Twisted River" tells the story of Danny Baciagalupo, who grows up to become a writer with the pen-name Danny Angel. Irving infused his character's life with details from his own, giving the reader the sense of reading an alternate version of what Irving's own life could have been like. In this wide-ranging interview conducted at Irving's home in East Dorset, Vermont with Vermont Public Radio's Jane Lindholm, Irving talks about his writing process and his life.
The short version of this interview, at 9:15, can fit into a standard segment of a clock. The longer version, at 46:40, could be aired as a special.
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Piece Description
Author John Irving has written twelve novels. His most recent book, "Last Night in Twisted River" tells the story of Danny Baciagalupo, who grows up to become a writer with the pen-name Danny Angel. Irving infused his character's life with details from his own, giving the reader the sense of reading an alternate version of what Irving's own life could have been like. In this wide-ranging interview conducted at Irving's home in East Dorset, Vermont with Vermont Public Radio's Jane Lindholm, Irving talks about his writing process and his life.
The short version of this interview, at 9:15, can fit into a standard segment of a clock. The longer version, at 46:40, could be aired as a special.
Broadcast History
Aired as a two-part interview on Vermont Public Radio 04/12/10 and 04/13/10 on newsmagazine program "Vermont Edition."
Timing and Cues
Piece Audio Version
Incue: "I've read many of your books..."
Outcue: "...punctuation mark changing in 12 novels, has changed."
John Irving Long Version Version
Incue: "I've read many of your books..."
Outcue: "...see yourself as others see you."
Intro and Outro
INTRO:Author John Irving is well known for books like "The World According to Garp," "The Cider House Rules," and "A Prayer for Owen Meany." Last fall he published his twelfth novel, "Last Night in Twisted River."
Nearly all of his books have ties to New England. Irving himself grew up in New Hampshire, and now splits his time between East Dorset, Vermont and Toronto. His novels often include biographic elements, and "Last Night in Twisted River" is no different. It’s about a writer named Danny Baciagalupo, who goes by the pen name Danny Angel. The story starts in a river town in northern New Hampshire when Danny is a boy. Danny's father Dominic is the cook at a logging camp. After a violent accident, the two are forced to flee. Over the next several decades they make their lives in Boston, Iowa, Vermont, and Toronto. Along the way, Danny becomes a successful writer, much like Irving himself.
Vermont Public Radio's Jane Lindholm with John Irving in East Dorset to talk about his writing, his life, and his politics.
OUTRO:John Irving's latest novel is called "Last Night in Twisted River." He was interviewed by Vermont Public Radio's Jane Lindholm.
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James Reiss
Posted on April 17, 2010 at 09:57 AM | Permalink
The World According to Irving
I won’t give away the end of John Irving’s twelfth novel, “Last Night in Twisted River,” by quoting its last sentence. Irving began his new book with its final sentence, as he always does when he’s writing novels, and then worked forwards from the beginning.
From the get-go, “Twisted River” held me. It vividly revives the vanished culture of New England river-based loggers, rough and mumbling guys who are anything but what we mean by the derogatory political term “logrollers.” From its initial description of Dominic Baciagalupo (or “Cookie”) the cook in a New Hampshire logging camp, to its eventual focus on Dominic’s son Danny the best-selling author, Irving’s book is a twenty-first century Dickensian thriller bringing together working-class characters at one another’s throats.
But then I’ve been a John Irving fan for decades. Ever since I heard Irving read the opening chapter from “The World According to Garp” at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference in August 1975, I’ve glommed onto his books. No novel captured the spirit of my quirky, fearful generation as effectively as “Garp.” It was an enormous success, a blockbuster that ended up, for the first time ever, coming out in paperbacks whose covers had different colors. In the late 1970s Irving’s novel flooded airports and bookstores for more than a year. Plus, for the first time there was paraphernalia for sale: Garp shirts, caps and God knows what else.
By now Irving has become an American icon.
Just listen to the short version of Jane Lindholm’s interview, when Irving chats with his usual charm and savoir faire about omniscient narrators.
He’s good to the last word.