Retire in New Hampshire

The Hotel New Hampshire (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

Description

"The first of my father's illusions was that bears could survive the life lived by human beings, and the second was that human beings could survive a life led in hotels."

So says John Berry, son of a hapless dreamer, brother to a cadre of eccentric siblings, and chronicler of the lives lived, the loves experienced, the deaths met, and the myriad strange and wonderful times encountered by the family Berry. Hoteliers, pet-bear owners, friends of Freud (the animal trainer and vaudevillian, that is), and playthings of mad fate, they "dream on" in a funny, sad, outrageous, and moving novel by the remarkable author of A Widow for One Year and The Cider House Rules.

Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2009-11-12
Summary: "Touching and Funny"

In my opinion, this is some of Irving's best work. Bears, Vienna, a real sense of New England, and some hookers. I love the way that Irving's books, this one in particular, manage to make me laugh out loud and also to feel very deeply for all the characters. There are unexpected twists and surprises, heartbreaking acts, and humorous events. The Berry family feels real to me - the kind of wacky family I didn't grow up in and (sort of) wish I had.

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Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2009-09-13
Summary: "An Atypical New England Family"

The story of an interesting, dysfunctional family filled with eccentric characters. I enjoyed it very much.

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Rating: 1 / 5
Date: 2009-08-22
Summary: "Not funny"

I have read a few Irving books and enjoyed them, especially Garp and Ciderhouse Rules. This however, was horrible. I did not find it amusing in the least. Instead, it was extremely uncomfortable and redundant. I admire Irving for trying but in reality there in no way to make gang rape and incest funny.

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Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2009-08-14
Summary: "wonderful writer"

i love his style of writing. liked this book 'almost' as much as The World According to Garp.

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Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2009-07-22
Summary: "unforgettable characters."

I read the book twice and I loved it. Its a bit disorienting for the first couple of chapters, but then it turns into a fun read--you get to know the characters and care about them. John Irving uses whimsy as a sedative but then he slaps you awake by doing something terrible to his character(s). That's not a complaint, I'm just making an observation. I've heard other reviewers say that this isn't John Irving's best book, but it seems to be the one that everybody remembers whenever his books are brought up in conversation.