The Cider House Rules: A Screenplay

Book Description

Set in rural Maine in the first half of this century, this is the story of Homer Wells, an orphan who is raised and mentored by Wilbur Larch, the doctor at the orphanage. Larchs capacity for kindness is saintly, but he is also an ether addict. When he and Homer come into conflict, Homer leaves the only family he has ever known. Homers new life provides more excitement than he could have imagined, especially when he falls in love for the first time. But, when forced to make decisions that will change the course of his future, Homer finally realizes that he cant escape his past.

Customer Reviews:

Rules Of Life.......2003-05-20

"Entertaining and affecting" is how the San Diego Union- Tribune describes The Cider House Rules. "Irving is among the very best story tellers at work today"as described by the Philadelphia Inquirer and that is correct. A native of New Hampshire Irving depicts the scenery of Maine as if he has lived there forever. The story of a young boy falling in love over and over again will have you reading till the very end.
Homer Well, an orphan of St. Cloud's , has a irregular childhood. Since he is the child of St. Cloud's he is forced to be the "older brother". When he leaves he is forced to make a heart breaking decision between the woman he loves and his best friend. Along the way, he encounters people and place he has never see before.
Dr. Larch the "father" of Homer and physician of the orphanage, falls in love with Homer. He loves him like a son and encourages him to take over the orphanage after Larch has passed. Larch has to convince Homer and The Board to allow his to be the primary physician.
The Cider House Rules is a book for everyone. It has romance, action, and end of your seat excitement. It's a true masterpiece.

Don't be so hard on this screenplay.......2002-04-10

I have been reading some of the reviews of both the movie and this book, and the people who have read the novel all seem to feel that the heart is no longer in the movie. I read the novel, and it is one of my favourite books of all time, and I can safely say that what needed to be kept to keep the story beautiful was kept. True, many of the plotlines and characters are lost, notably Melony... I really missed her... but I think the biggest mistake that a person writing an adapted screenplay can make is to try to keep too much of the story in there. Books are meant to be read over long periods of time, so there are always many storylines happening at once, and many characters. But in a movie, there are two hours, three hours tops. The storyline has to be relatively simple, and the amount of characters has to be very few, or it becomes episodic and jumpy. What cutting out so much of the book allowed John Irving to do was spend more time on what he left in. He could go much more into depth with the storylines and characters that were kept. Imagine trying to jam everything that was in the novel into a two hour movie. You would end up with endless flat characters, and a bunch of even flatter storylines. Which would be a disgrace to the novel. This is not a disgrace. It takes the most important parts, the most important characters, and squeezes them into a much shorter period of time, and makes for a good movie. A great film and and a great novel do not consist of the same things.

Brief.......2000-06-27

I didn't read this book but I was enchanted by the movie. However I am going to buy the screenplay and devour this poverful story again. I would recommend it to everybody who is trying to relax and find another beautiful thing to do.

Basic storyline, but not much more..........2000-04-01

At the onset, it is important for me to disclose that I have not seen the movie or read the novel--perhaps this affects my impression of the screenplay. Clearly, Irving is a gifted author, and his talent as a screenwriter is also evident in this publication. The dialogue appears real, the descriptions are vivid, and the drama of the plot forms the mental pictures that authors strive to create. That said, many aspects of the story seem to fall flat, with characters remaining rather one-dimensional and a storyline that appears disjointed. I can imagine the rich subtext these plot excursions might create in the novel, but in screenplay form, the result is a choppy progression to a predictable resolution. It would be difficult enough to address such significant social issues in a full length novel, and this adaption falls rather short in delving into the issues the characters confront. Many times, I felt myself wondering about character motivation and direction; at other times, a character would emerge that I didn't remember, again, because most characterizations were shallow. While it is clear that Irving tells a fascinating story, the screenplay adaptation failed to meet my expectations. It was a quick read that offered an intriguing basic storyline, but not much more.

I'm so TORN!.......2000-03-28

Oh, how to review this screenplay? While I am thrilled that Irving has finally adapted his own work, and seems very pleased with the result himself, I simply CANNOT bear to let my beloved Cider House Rules go! Where is Melody? Angel? It's impossible for Irving's script to have either the impressive scope or the attention to detail of his novel, and so much has to fall by the wayside in order to suit movie audiences. Sadly, some of what had to go was what kept this story from being sappy and muddled-- we're left now with a somewhat ambiguous discussion on abortion (a subject painted in clear black and white in the novel) and a LOT of exposition omitted or given half their due (as in Homer's continued returns to the orphanage). The characters are forced to be one-dimensional (Candy especially) and consolidated (Homer and Angel, various orphans).

I really do applaud Irving's effort, but I hoped for more from a man who seems so particular about his work. Stupid Hollywood.

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His Best Work

in response

Not one of Irving's bests

How do I love thee

The Cider House Rules - Review by an author

The Cider House Rules
John Irving
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0747548463

Book Description

First published in 1985, The Cider House Rules is John Irving's sixth novel. Set in rural Maine in the first half of this century, it tells the story of Dr. Wilbur Larch--saint and obstetrician, founder and director of the orphanage in the town of St. Cloud's, ether addict and abortionist. It is also the story of Dr. Larch's favorite orphan, Homer Wells, who is never adopted.

Customer Reviews:

His Best Work.......2007-09-20

This is the best by Irving. It was my 1st read and still the best. The only book I read twice, 15 years apart.

Widow for one Year #2
World according to Garp # 3
Prayer for Owen Meaney # 4
If I Never find You #5
Hotel New Hampshire #6
then Son of the Circus
The Earlier works Water Method man, 50 LB Marriage etc... Not so much

Cider House Rules is a beautiful Thought provoking book. Read it.

in response.......2007-09-10

Anything I have to say about this novel has already been said below. It's wonderful, and I devoured it in two days.

The one thing I will say: The end, sure, was predictable, BUT, Irving allows the reader as much imagination as he/she can muster. There are countless possibilities because the characters are all so different and well developed. I closed the book at least 3 times thinking "Oh my... If this ends the way I think it will right now, I'm going to cry for sure..."

I love this novel. After reading the other reviews on his work, I have to read the other novels too.

Not one of Irving's bests.......2007-04-28

I'm definitely an Irving fan, having read 7 of his books. However, this is not one of my top three. I was a bit disappointed. I found that THE CIDER HOUSE RULES lacked some of the emotional zeal that A WIDOW FOR ONE YEAR and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP had. I never fell in love with the characters of this book.

How do I love thee.......2007-04-13

Oh Irving, how do I love thee.
Another beautiful, fantastic read by Irving.
Cider house rules is another example of Irving's intricate attention to character and unusual story telling.
The characters in this book are wonderfully flawed, the story is detailed and rich.
If you saw and liked the movie, it has nothing on the book. The book is quite different from the movie, but it will not dissapoint.
Another favourite of mine.

The Cider House Rules - Review by an author.......2007-03-04

Doctor Wilbur Larch who was the administrator over an orphanage and occasionally performed abortions became attached to Homer Wells, one of the young men who was adopted twice and brought back. He taught him everything he knew when he grew older and the young man was great help, except he protested his conscious on the abortion issue. One day he left with a couple on a journey to a new life and experienced things he had never seen or done. All the while Dr. Larch's heart was broken because the young man left and he was trying in every way to get him back. He made fake credentials for him and sent him a doctor bag with instruments. Homer fell in love, wound up with a broken heart, worked on an apple farm and performed an abortion for a young black girl whose own father had gotten her pregnant. When he received a letter saying that the Doctor Larch had died, he left on a train and came back there to take up the doctor's mission. The author created a world where truth rules, one which would not be tolerated by the well-meaning media in our current milieu.
Trish New, author of The Thrill of Hope and South State Street Journal.

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The Cider House Rules - A Screenplay
John Irving
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IWWDFA

Amazon.com

The Marilyn Encyclopedia is, according to its jacket notes, "the most comprehensive book about [Marilyn Monroe's] extraordinary life and legacy ever published." This may easily be true--it is incredibly, insanely detailed. Author Adam Victor has taken every conceivable source of Marilyn information--admittedly including Internet rumors and Hollywood gossip among the more well-documented tidbits--distilled them down to alphabetical entries, and cross-referenced them to within an inch of their lives. While the casual fan can check out Marilyn's Look covers or a list of the screenwriters she worked with, hardcore devotees can look up such vital information as the name of the first restaurant she and Joe DiMaggio ate at on their honeymoon (a controversy--was it the restaurant at the Hot Springs Hotel or at the Clifton Inn?) or the name of Marilyn's poodle (Maf Honey). The meticulous cross-referencing makes The Marilyn Encyclopedia an extremely enjoyable browser's read, allowing the reader to hop from Marilyn's disdain for underwear to her working relationship with John Huston to the fact that she never had much trouble with gambling--all with the flip of a page. This encyclopedia of course contains a rich assortment of photos: posed studio portraits, pinups, and candid shots vie for space throughout the tome. Despite his obvious devotion as a fan, Victor is remarkably evenhanded in his choice of the quotes and anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book. The reader cannot help but be left with the impression that, for all her magical appeal, Monroe may well have been a trying person to deal with on a day-to-day basis. This is the perfect book for the dedicated fan who wants to know everything--no, really, everything--about Marilyn Monroe. --Ali Davis

Book Description

This stunning visual compendium of Marilyn's life includes hundreds of rare photographs and easy access to all of the information on Marilyn's life and times. With complete information on Marilyn's films, including comprehensive credit listings, cross-referencing, a comprehensive bibliography, and an extensive name index, The Marilyn Encyclopedia surpasses everything that has come before it.

Customer Reviews:

WOW! WOW! WOW! Amazing!.......2007-07-29

After reading the glowing reviews for this book, I just had to get it and see what the fuss was about. I was cynical though, and thought it was probably overrated. How wrong I was! When I went to the mail there was this huge package for me, and I wondered, what did i order that big? When I opened it I was astonished and delighted that "The Marilyn Encyclopedia" was so big. I thought, "a Marilyn book this big?! Boy, this has to have a lot of info and pics!" I was right! I've never seen a MM book like this or a celebrity book like this actually. I praise Mr. Victor for all his hard, hard work. To compile this must have been an an excruciating task (he said this book took 3 yrs to create and he had a lot of help) There's 334 pages of just info (and pics). And you might as well think if it as more than 334 pages; because if this was an average sized book it would have been 600 pages! That's why they had to make the pages so long and the book is so big. Mr. Victor did the impossible. From A-Z you will find how someone, something, or someplace relates to Marilyn Monroe!! For instance, there's "Elizabeth Taylor", "Biography", "Beauty", "Body", e.t.c, e.t.c. Basically you will get all the scoop you can possibly get on MM! With my collection of MM books, I THOUGHT I knew everything, heard all the quotes she said, all the quotes people said about her. But there's SO much more-and you can only find them in this book. If you are a MM fan/book enthusiast you really don't have a collection until you have this!! The ONLY thing that I didn't like a little was there were some great pics and a lot were small. I was like, "oooh that pic should have been bigger." But that couldn't bring me to give this book 4 stars; it's just too good for that! To sum up this book, Victor even has MM's phone number and social security number under "Numbers"! (Too bad it's of no use now) Get this book now! It is the best Marilyn Monroe book!

Most complete look at the legend.......2007-05-29

The Marilyn Encyclopedia is perhaps the most thorough look at Marilyn Monroe available. From A - Z, from her addresses, movies, favorite shops, sex life, marriages- it's all in here. An in depth look at each of her movies, including plot synopsis, reviews, & background. This book is a complete must have for any fan. Tons of pictures, rare facts, and quotes. Completely worth the price.

absolutely no real facts only real facts about marilyn in play here i am mother by nancy miracle.......2005-09-13

it seems to me they could have come up with at least her place of birth not the town but at least the state as donald spoto at least got right nancy miracle's play tells the real story and is available.

Dissapointed.......2005-04-20

i was hoping this book would contain better pictures of marilyn's most famous outfits from her movies. being a costumer
i like to have full shots, that are large enough to see details.
this book didn't have that, most pictures are small, one to two inch. with a few full page pictures thrown in. most are just head shots though. it does list what movie, or event the pictures came from and all sorts of other info. so for a refrence book it's not bad.

AMAZING!.......2003-07-15

As a rather new Marilyn fan/collector, this book is invaluable to me as a resource. It is a huge book, alphabetized and cross-referenced, covering everything from movies, music, books, and biographies to gowns, hotels, cars, cities, and family. There are also, of course, hundreds of gorgeous pictures! What I'm enjoying the most is that as I read other Marilyn books, I can fact-check and look up obscurely mentioned items to learn more, or gain perspective. An objective, fact-filled, exhaustive collection of Marilyn trivia.

More Marilyn: Some Like It Bright! : The Best of the "Ask Marilyn" Letters Published in Parade Magazine from 1992-1994 and Many More Never Before Pu

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More Marilyn: Some Like It Bright! : The Best of the "Ask Marilyn" Letters Published in Parade Magazine from 1992-1994 and Many More Never Before Pu
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Omni I.Q. Quiz Contest
Marilyn Vos Savant , and Marilyn Vos Savant
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The contest is over, but the book still holds up........2003-03-27

Even though the I.Q. contest that this book was written for is long over (the prize was awarded on July 31, 1986) it is still an interesting and informatve book.The text covers the distinction between I.Q. and intelligence, and the history of measurement. There is also a list of the estimated I.Q.'s of great historical figures (I "tied" with Newton, Rousseau, and Spinoza.) Plus, there is a introductory description of most of the high I.Q. societies in the world such as Mensa, Intertel, Triple Nine, The International Society for Philosophic Enquiry, The Prometheus Society, and the Mega Society. The contact addresses are also given should you decide to try for membership (I belong to two of them.) Lastly, the I.Q. quizes in the back are totally nondated and a good way to practice for the real thing.

Book Description

Recognized as one of the outstanding academic books published in 1982, American Educators' Encyclopedia has now been revised to reflect a decade of change. More than 200 items have been added to serve the needs of today's educators. Additions range from "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome," "Attention Deficit Disorders," various computer languages and statistical packages, "Schema Theory," and "Teacher Warranty Program," to "Zero Rejection." One-third of the original items have been significantly updated or deleted. The authors have diligently kept the same characteristic and quality of the first edition, which provided readers with a quick, accurate understanding of education terms and a ready reference for further direction. The revised American Educator's Encyclopedia is an excellent reference for today's teacher and parent. Additions, updating, and deletions in this second edition reflect the vast changes in American education within the past decade. The original format, proving so successful, has not been changed. References follow each item, and a variety of appendices cover a range of areas. The length and language of each item gives the reader a concise understanding that allows for accessible, comprehensive referencing.

Ask Marilyn: The Best of "Ask Marilyn" Letters Published in Parade Magazine from 1986 to 1992 and Many More Never Before Published

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From boot camps to truancy, the Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice provides more than 200 up-to-date, concise, and readable entries in a single, authoritative volume. The editors, noted authors of several criminal justice books and editors of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Prisons (Garland, 1997), cover historical and contemporary theories, concepts, and real-world practices of juvenile justice in the United States. The entries address a broad range of issues and topics, such as alcohol and drug abuse, arson, the death penalty for juveniles, computer and Internet crime, gun violence, gangs, missing children, school violence, teen pregnancy, and delinquency theories. In addition, topics cover societys response to the problems of juvenile justice, punishments meted out to Americas juvenile offenders, juvenile rehabilitation programs, and well-known researchers and professionals in the field. Key Features More than 200 articles, written by a stellar collection of academic theorists and real-world practitioners Complete review of the complicated juvenile legal and court system, juvenile punishment, rehabilitation efforts, and legislation Extensive entries on child and adolescent crimes, pathologies, and problems Coverage of psychological, biological, and sociological theories of delinquency, as well as historic "body type" theories Addresses such historical topics as the deinstitutionalization movement, the Chicago Area Project, and the Provo Experiment Profiles historic theorists and policymakers in juvenile justice Includes a special appendix on print and electronic resources on juvenile justice Comprehensive index, including a readers guide that facilitates browsing and offers easy access to information

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