Customer Reviews

The Water-Method Man

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This was the first Irving novel I read--almost 10 years ago, at the age of 16--and as much as I love Garp, Owen Meany, and other Irving novels I have since read, Water-Method Man continues to be my favorite. First, few books make me laugh out loud. This is one of them. It's also one of the three books I don't go anywhere without. More importantly, it's a book about growing up (whether you want to or not), about taking responsibility for your past mistakes, and about having the courage to get at the root of your problems so that you can stumble, however blindly, toward what the future might bring you. The writing is brilliant. It is true that the chapters go back and forth in time; however, this is done to underscore the fact that Bogus Trumper is about to repeat some of his most disastrous mistakes. And if the chapters detailing Merrill's attempt to teach Bogus to ski and Bogus's "duck-hunting" escapade can't make you laugh, nothing can. Definitely a book for the reader who wants to think--and laugh. Enjoy!

My sister so loved the hero of this novel, Bogus Trumper, that she named her cat after him. And while I'm not a fan of the cat, I do love this novel. No other book has made me laugh so hard. One scene in particular had me gasping for breath (I won't ruin it by describing it-- suffice it to say that it involves a prophylactic and attempted infidelity and that you will know it when you come to it).

The Water-Method Man is far from perfect; I don't suppose it will hold up as well as The World According to Garp. But some books you love despite all their flaws and limitations. God knows John Irving made me very happy for a while.

To emulate a memorable character from a novel written by one of John Irving's favorite authors..."Does one 'sniff' a hint of Robertson Davies's multilayering of plot? Perhaps a bit of Buechner's comedic wit? I believe so."

Now, with that said, I'll just come out and say what I feel--"The Water-Method Man" is an often grotesque, but consistently hilarious book. Rarely do I laugh audibly while reading a novel. I did so a lot while reading "The Water-Method Man."

In "The Water-Method Man" (his second novel) Irving made a gigantic leap in plot complexity from his first novel, "Setting Free the Bears" (also a favorite of mine). "Bears" had largely a tripartite soul as far as its plot went--nice and neat. "The Water-Method Man" is a masterpiece of nonlinear, multi-plotline story telling.

Again, more than anything, this book is FUNNY (yep...all caps funny). Even the chapter headings are humorous. A few examples: "Prelude to the Last Stand"; "One Long Mother of a Day"; Slouching Towards Overturf" "Another Dante, A Different Hell."

The characters of "The Water-Method Man" really do come to life. Biggie, Couth, Dante, Arnold Mulcahy and Tulpen will all stick in the reader's mind for a long time to come.

The Trumper--Thump-Thump--Fred--Bogus character is hard not to like even at his most despicable. This could almost be a parable about the kind of trouble we humans seem to get into without fail when we have no real help outside of ourselves.

The character of Merrill Overturf is sure to strike a cord with anyone who has ever been a little "off" in their formative years. I found him the most humorous of all the characters, almost a Platonic ideal of humor.

The subplots of Akthelt and Gunnel (an old low Norse epic poem Trumper is translating throughout most of the book) and the movie Packer makes of Thump-Thump's life (the title of which I will not mention here) are both ingenious literary devices. They also provide consistent comic relief (bottled insanity) from the more toned down comedy.

While I cannot endorse the vulgarity of some of this book, I am indeed glad I read it. It has helped me to see from a perspective (in some cases mind you--other stuff here is just plain bizarre--never been through it) that I once saw the world from. It is always useful to look back.

For whatever it is worth, I just thought I'd share my thoughts on the book with you. This is one of the funniest books you'll ever get for your money. But strange.

I love to read but I'm not an intellectual, so my review will be brief.

I read this book in college (1984) and have kept it over the years, re-reading it whenever the urge for a little "Bogus" appears. I laughed so hard in my dorm room that my friend (a non-fiction-reading geology major) asked to borrow the book when I was through. Twenty years later, we still reference parts of the book when we're together.

Though I'm not a huge movie buff, I've always wondered why this didn't get made into a motion picture. Of course, John Cusack is too old now to play Bogus, but I've always thought he had a kind of vacancy in his face that would be perfect for the role; he also has the charm, which Bogus obviously must have to attract the women he does.

John Irving writes about flawed men in a way that makes me think he was once a woman, or (surprise) he's a man who's very in touch with his own weaknesses. Being a woman, I appreciate the honesty (and the humor).

Reading The Water-Method Man is akin to watching a very early (pre-Annie Hall) woody Allen film. Funny, a bit outrageous for its time, and fascinating to compare to later (and better) works. The Water-Method Man is very much like Garp (30 year old man struggling with adulthood), and has a lot of similarity to Hotel New Hampshire (many quirky stories set in Vienna). It wouldn't take a rocket scientest to assume all of these novels have some basis in Irving's own experiences and psyche. The end product is a humorous yet superficial read. Folks expecting a rich, memorable story (as found in Owen Meany and Son of a Circus) should look elsewhere.

For those unfamiliar with John Irving novels, The Water-Method Man will appeal to men (it's a bit sexist but far from vulgar), and those who can remember the "free spirit" days of the late 60s/early 70s. John Irving fans, especially those with a soft spot for Garp, should definitely place this book on their must read list. I personally found it to be equal, if not better, than Garp in every way.

It would seem that John Irving has always been a self-assured author. His first novel, Setting Free the Bears, is a very unlikely "first" work. It is a very complex work, with a narrative that interweaves the Austrian Anschluss, Balkan partisan politics, war, love, "Easy Rider" romanticism and the freeing of the animals from Vienna's Hietzinger Zoo. Hardly the stuff expected from a "new" writer. And although Irving was quite successful in handling the complexities of his narrative, the novel suffered because of weak character development. The characters of this first novel never came to life; in fact, it was all too easy to confuse the various characters because they resembled one another so much. In this novel, Irving took the narrative lessons learned from his first novel and set about to create a more complete work, one in which the readers would remember the characters as much as the masterful narrative techniques. With Fred "Bogus" Trumper, Irving succeeded in creating the first of the unforgettable characters who would populate all his later novels.

The novel involves the life of one Bogus Trumper as he sets about trying to make a life for himself amidst uncontrollable chaos, disappointment, and the pain and agony caused by an abnormally narrow urethra. While his narrow urethra can be attributed to genetics, the other hurdles that he confronts are more or less of his own making which gives Irving license to hone his ironic and satirical gifts. Generally inept in his dealings with his family, friends and life's other complexities, Bogus has a gift for languages and uses this gift to extend his studenthood into the labryrinth of graduate school. Never has the life of a graduate student been so accurately portrayed (compare this novel with Larry McMurtry's failed attempt in his Moving On) revealing the frustration, humor and general penury that is so common to that bewildered group. But Bogus, in spite of his faults, is lovable and has a loyal group of friends who try to help him along. His childhood friend, Couth; the Bohemian diabetic, Merrill Overturf; his first wife, Biggie; his second wife, Tulpen; and the independent film director, Ralph Packer, are all developed nicely and lend their own personalities to the novel.

In many ways, this book could be considered Irving's "happy" novel. Those readers who read this book after reading some of Irving's other works will notice the absence of the indiscriminate violence (the violence in this novel is limited to Bogus' PhD dissertation, the translation from the Old Low Norse of the saga of Akthelt and Gunnel) that confronts many of his characters in his other novels; those characters so lovingly developed then abruptly snatched away by the author. And while the ending to The Water-Method Man might be considered to be too nicely rapped up, a little too conveniently summed up, there is an element of that old Irving fatalism that creeps in and reminds the reader that universal forces, be it the Under Toad or the gods being gratulated by the Feast of Throgsgafen Day, are really in control.

Ah, what can I say about a book that has accompanied me all around the world? The wit, sarcasm and character development of J.D. Salinger set in a more modern era. While the whirlwind plot changes may take a while to adapt to, I suggest sticking it out for what I consider to be the epitome of Irving's early Vienna, wrestling, East Coast prep character focuses. Bogus Trumper, a man too smart for his own good, tosses his life in the air in search of a completion of his incomplete past and voila, it all comes together in the end. A major book in Irving's repetoire and a must own. I am fortunate enough to own an autographed copy that I will forever treasure.

It's interesting that I seem to be in the minority in considering this Irving's best work. By comparison, I feel that the more popular _Garp_ and _Owen Meany_ are overly contrived, needlessly wordy and take themselves too seriously--especially the latter. I would even describe _Owen Meany_ as self-important and pompous.

_The Water Method Man_, on the other hand, has all of John Irving's signature style--irony, wit, creativity, intriguing characters, eloquence, and bizarre events (the ones that are so highly improbable--yet you're forced to admit--while laughing til you cry--well, that COULD happen!)

Plus, it's endowed with a light touch, an easygoing feel, and a final realistic optimism--a sense of a profound potential for goodness in life despite all the pain and ridiculousness and humiliation that may come along. This isn't an uncommon theme for Irving but he achieves it here with the greatest clarity and simplicity.

I would recommend this over any of his other novels, particularly for a first-time reader of Irving. _Garp_ and others have many pleasures, but to me, _The Water Method Man_ is Irving's best.

The Water Method Man is a "Cathcher In The Rye" for the baby boomers. Fred "Bogus" Trumper, like many, seems stuck between his good upbringing and the desire to throw his life over the edge on a whim. While the skip around timeline may be confusing at first, it suddenly becomes old hat and the reader can focus on the great character development. This book brings to the forefront Irving's comedic wit and irony and seems to provide insight into the author's past. Like very few books, it seems easy to envision that this book was written aboout the reader's life and not the main character's life. Bravo Bravo Bravo. Books seem to grow as the author grows, but oh how I wish that Irving never matured from the time that he wrote The Water Method Man. This book is a constant companion and has followed me around the world. Someday, if I ever meet Irving, I plan to ask him whether he would choose the water method or the surgery. I would take the water method!

People who find this novel tedious, and the narrator idiotic and unlikable, are really missing the point. While I might agree that The Water-Method Man is not a "serious" work (whatever that should mean), Irving makes no effort to present it as such. The Water Method Man is arguably one of the funniest books ever written--the characters, from the hapless Trumper to the mythic Merrill, are unforgettable. It's not the same kind of novel as A Prayer for Owen Meany, but why should it be?