The Imaginary Girlfriend

A short book that looks at the influence of wrestling on the writing and life of John Irving. I wouldn't recommend for anyone that doesn't enjoy wrestling. ( )

It's an easy read. The difference between a well-crafted piece of fiction and somebody just regurgitating their life experiences is obvious. That being said, Irving's wrestling stories are very enjoyable, and being a grappling fan myself I could relate to a lot of the struggles and ups and downs that he went through as a competitor and as a coach.

I think the payoff at the end was quite nice, because I wasn't expecting some big life lesson from his stories, they just seem to roll from one to the next, despite being entertaining.

This is a book that you could easily go through on a lazy Sunday. It tastes great, but you're going to want a full meal later on. ( )

Way too much talk of wrestling, rather boring ( )

It was a disappointment--what a dull life he leads! ( )

semi-auto-biography, readable if a bit self-absorbed ( )