In One Person

My favorite book is The World According To Garp. I read it when I was 14 and it had a profound effect on my development as well as a physical and mental effect on me while I was reading it. It spoke to me in a most singular way. In a way no other book has spoken to me sense. The only one that has come close is 'Zeroville' by Steve Erickson. I've given Garp to around 50 people. I want to share it with as many people as possible.

After reading Garp I was a John Irving fan for life. I've read everything he has written, eagerly anticipate each new release, and frequently reread his books. I love all of them but some more than others: Window For One Year and Until I Find You especially. Irving recently released a new novel In One Person which I read this past week. It effected me greatly.

The book is written in the first person and is a memoir of sorts by William Abbot the main character. He's a bisexual writer who grew up in the 60's. The books main themes are gender and sexuality: how many facets of it there are as well as the discrimination involved. While I was reading this I didn't want to do anything else but read it. I didn't want to work and I didn't want to do shows, I just wanted to read. And I don't know if the experience was pleasurable. The book is almost too raw, too direct, too biting, too honest, too difficult to digest. The reason being it makes the reader look at themselves and their life and their sexual perspective directly. Which can be problematic.

The book was moving and interesting and emotional and lonely. These people that the book is about, people on the sexual or gender fringes are lonesome people. It almost makes me feel guilty to be a heterosexual male. The book is engrossing and fascinating. For me it brings up all kinds of energy in which to discuss my favorite topics: gender and sexuality.

The plot is slightly flawed. The falling action of the last fourth of the book is unsatisfying. Important people from William's young life die without ever being seen again, we hear their obituaries when William is old. There's no closure. But the book is important and meaningful and makes the reader think about the message as well as enjoying the story.

I would recommend it to anyone.