About this book
Adapted into an Academy Award-winning film and one of John Irving's most beloved novels, The Cider House Rules is the story of a kind but complex doctor and the conflicted young orphan he takes under his wing. “A novel as good as one could hope to find from any author, anywhere, anytime. Engrossing, moving, thoroughly satisfying.” —Joseph Heller, author of Catch-22 In the quiet, rural landscape of Maine, the St. Cloud's orphanage stands as a refuge for the unwanted. It is run by the eccentric and compassionate Dr. Wilbur Larch, a man who is both a saint and a sinner in the eyes of the world. He serves as an obstetrician, delivering babies for women in need, while also providing illegal abortions, a service he believes is his moral duty. Among the orphans is Homer Wells, Dr. Larch’s devoted protégé. Trained in medicine by Larch, Homer is destined to take over the orphanage. However, Homer is fundamentally opposed to performing abortions, creating a deep conflict between his beliefs and his loyalty to his mentor. Seeking to forge his own path, Homer leaves St. Cloud's to work an apple orchard for the wealthy Worthington family. There, he builds a new life and falls in love, but he cannot escape the pull of his past or the complex questions of right and wrong that Dr. Larch instilled in him. This epic tale explores the intricate nature of found family, the unpredictability of love, and the profound choices that define who we are meant to be.
About John Irving
John Irving was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1942. His first novel, Setting Free the Bears, was published in 1968, when he was twenty-six. He competed as a wrestler for twenty years, and coached wrestling until he was forty-seven.
Mr. Irving has been nominated for a National Book Award three times—winning once, in 1980, for his novel The World According to Garp. He received an O. Henry Award in 1981 for his short story “Interior Space.” In 2000, Mr. Irving won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Cider House Rules. In 2013, he won a Lambda Literary Award for his novel In One Person.
An international writer—his novels have been translated into more than thirty-five languages—John Irving lives in Toronto. His all-time best-selling novel, in every language, is A Prayer for Owen Meany.
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[1]: http://john-irving.com/john-irving-bio/
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