If you enjoy reading books by John Irving then you might also like the following authors:
Richard Russo writes heartfelt stories that focus on small-town life, family struggles, and flawed characters. His novel “Empire Falls” takes readers to a fading mill town in Maine.
At its center is Miles Roby, a man running the Empire Grill while grappling with his past, his unraveling marriage, and the shadow of his dying town. The story touches on class divides, complicated relationships, and the way the past can shape a person’s future.
It’s filled with richly drawn characters, each with their own battles and secrets. Fans of John Irving’s character-driven stories and layered storytelling might enjoy Russo’s way of capturing the messiness of ordinary lives.
Anne Tyler writes about everyday lives and relationships with a sharp eye for detail and an understanding of human nature. Her novel “The Accidental Tourist” tells the story of Macon Leary, a man who writes travel guides for those who hate to travel.
After his marriage falls apart, his life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Muriel, an eccentric dog trainer with a completely different outlook on life. The book explores how Macon navigates grief, change, and the possibility of new beginnings.
It’s filled with moments that feel both ordinary and profound.
Tom Wolfe had a sharp eye for the world around him and a knack for capturing the quirks of American society. His book, “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” dives into the lives of New Yorkers caught up in greed, ambition, and scandal.
At the center of the story is Sherman McCoy, a Wall Street bond trader whose perfect life starts to unravel after a wrong turn in the Bronx leads to a life-altering accident.
The novel follows his fall from grace as he becomes entangled in a media circus, courtroom drama, and public outrage. Wolfe reveals the messy truths about wealth, status, and power in a way that feels both larger than life and eerily real.
Philip Roth was a writer who explored complex relationships, identity, and the struggles of being human. His novel “The Human Stain” follows Coleman Silk, a college professor who is accused of racism after an innocent remark gets blown out of proportion.
This controversy unravels his past, including a secret about his identity that he has kept for decades. The story also dives into his relationship with a much younger woman and how their bond challenges both of their worlds.
The book handles themes of betrayal and self-reinvention in a way that feels deeply personal.
Salman Rushdie writes novels that mix everyday life with elements that feel larger than life. One of his most well-known books, “Midnight’s Children,” follows Saleem Sinai, a man born at the very moment India becomes independent.
The story ties his personal life to the history of the country, with bizarre and magical connections between the two. Saleem can hear the thoughts of others who share his birthday, and this power reflects the tangled and chaotic changes happening in India at the time.
The book explores family, identity, and how personal stories are linked to bigger events in unpredictable ways.
Pat Conroy writes stories about family, love, and personal struggles, creating deeply emotional worlds. His book “The Prince of Tides” follows Tom Wingo, a man from South Carolina, who returns to his childhood home after his sister attempts suicide.
As Tom starts digging into their past with the help of his sister’s therapist, painful family secrets rise to the surface. The novel weaves the beauty of the Lowcountry with a powerful look at how trauma shapes lives.
Conroy’s writing offers rich characters and vivid settings that stick with you.
Mordecai Richler was a Canadian author known for his sharp wit and vivid storytelling. One of his most popular novels, “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” follows Duddy, a young man growing up in Montreal.
He is ambitious and hustles his way through life, determined to buy a piece of land to prove his worth. The book dives into his chaotic schemes, complicated family relationships, and the moral dilemmas he faces.
It’s a story that blends humor with humanity, showing the lengths someone will go to chase their dreams.
John Updike was a writer known for exploring the quiet struggles and beauty in everyday life, often focusing on love, faith, and identity.
His novel “Rabbit, Run” follows Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom, a former high school basketball star, as he wrestles with the dissatisfaction of his adult life. Harry impulsively leaves his pregnant wife, hoping to find something better out there.
The story captures his restless spirit and the messy relationships that shape his world. Fans of John Irving’s richly detailed characters might enjoy how Updike brings Harry’s inner conflicts to life.
Alice Hoffman is known for weaving stories where ordinary lives are touched by the extraordinary. In her novel “The Museum of Extraordinary Things,” she tells the story of Coralie, a girl born with webbed fingers who performs as a “mermaid” in her father’s Coney Island museum.
Set in early 20th-century New York, it follows her as she crosses paths with Eddie, a photographer haunted by his past. The book captures the grit of the city, the push for change, and moments where fate seems impossible to escape.
Hoffman blends history, love, and a touch of the surreal into a story that feels deeply human.
Michael Chabon writes stories that blend heart, humor, and vivid characters. His novel “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” is about two cousins in the 1930s who leap into the exciting world of comic books in New York City.
Joe Kavalier, escaping Nazi-occupied Prague, teams up with his cousin Sammy Clay to create stories of superheroes. The book explores their friendship, ambitions, and struggles, all set against the backdrop of a changing world.
It’s packed with creativity, historical detail, and moments that stick with you.
Margaret Atwood is an author known for creating stories that mix sharp social commentary with vivid characters. One of her most well-known books, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, is set in a future where a strict regime has taken control, stripping women of their rights.
The story follows Offred, a woman forced to live as a “handmaid,” whose role is to bear children for the elite. The novel pulls you into a world where every action and every word carries risk.
It’s full of tension and moments that make you question what freedom and power really mean.
Julian Barnes is a British author whose writing often explores relationships, memory, and the passage of time. One of his standout novels, “The Sense of an Ending,” follows Tony Webster, a middle-aged man reflecting on his youth and the choices he’s made.
The story starts with Tony recalling his friendships, a complex romance, and a betrayal that still bothers him decades later.
When he unexpectedly inherits a diary connected to someone from his past, he’s forced to face truths that challenge what he thought he knew about himself and others. It’s a book that keeps you thinking long after you’ve read the last page.
Jonathan Franzen writes stories about families and their messy, complicated lives. One of his best-known books, “The Corrections,” follows the Lambert family as they face personal struggles and long-buried tensions.
The parents, Enid and Alfred, are growing older, and Enid is determined to bring her three adult children together for one last holiday celebration. Meanwhile, the children are dealing with their own problems—financial, emotional, or otherwise.
Franzen has a way of capturing everyday moments that feel both real and full of meaning. Enid’s stubborn hope and Alfred’s decline create a powerful backdrop for the family’s attempts to reconnect.
Barbara Kingsolver is a writer known for crafting stories rooted in family, community, and the connections between people and the natural world. Her book “The Poisonwood Bible” tells the story of a missionary family from Georgia who moves to the Congo in the late 1950s.
The narrative focuses on the four daughters and their mother as they adapt to a new, often unforgiving environment while their father’s obsession with his mission begins to strain the family.
Told from the perspectives of the women, the book explores their personal transformations, shaped by the beauty and hardships of an unfamiliar land.
Iris Murdoch combines philosophical depth with character-driven stories that will engage fans of John Irving. “The Sea, The Sea” explores themes of obsession and self-examination in a uniquely compelling way.