Trying to Save Piggy Sneed

By: John Irving

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Trying to Save Piggy Sneed contains a dozen short works by John Irving, beginning with three memoirs, including an account of Mr. Irving’s dinner with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. The longest of the memoirs, The Imaginary Girlfriend,” is the core of this collection.

The middle section of the book is fiction. Since the publication of his first novel, Setting Free the Bears, in 1968, John Irving has written 12 more novels but only half a dozen stories that he considers finished”: they are all published here, including Interiors,” which won the O. Henry Award. In the third and final section are three essays of appreciation: one on Gnter Grass, two on Charles Dickens.

To each of the 12 pieces, Mr. Irving has contributed his Author’s Notes. These notes provide some perspective on the circumstances surrounding the writing of each piece - for example, an election-year diary of the Bush-Clinton campaigns accompanies Mr. Irving’s memoir of his dinner with President Reagan; and the notes to one of his short stories explain that the story was presented and sold to Playboy as the work of a woman.

Trying to Save Piggy Sneed is both as moving and as mischievous as readers would expect from the author of The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, A Prayer of Owen Meany, A Widow for One Year, and In One Person. And Mr. Irving’s concise autobiography, The Imaginary Girlfriend,” is both a work of the utmost literary accomplishment and a paradigm for living.

©1982, 1996, 1993, 1980, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1968, 1973, 1979, 1993, 1982 Garp Enterprises Ltd. (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Loved the Dickens reviews and insight into the German writers.

John Irving is a master story teller and has the ability to not take himself too seriously. Thoroughly enjoyed the journey and the meandering of his mind. A worthwhile read!

Incomplete

Although Audible claims this book is unabridged it is actually incomplete. 2nd chapter, The Imaginary Girlfriend, is missing. Author's notes for the third chapter, My Dinner at the White House, are also missing. It is funny considering the Publisher's summary presented on the Audible page for the audiobook mentions 12 short works, but Audible version only presents 11 of them.
The audiobook is also poorly cut up. Preface is not separated and while Author's notes (when present) are part of the chapter, the first chapter, Trying to Save Piggy Sneed, has it's Author's notes separated into so called Chapter 2, probably to make it look like there really are 12 short works presented.
That is why the production quality of this audiobook is questionable at best.
The performance is exquisite though.
The writing is very nice indeed and interestingly presents John Irving's short writings from a period of almost 30 years.

Pretentious: attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

First off. I like some John Irving novels, some very much, But this was like watching the greatest Magician show you a trick and then explain how it’s done and then make you feel stupid for not having figured it out, while at the same time telling you how brilliant he was for coming up with such an amazing trick.

Some of the shorts were good, some okay and some long winded and self serving to show you how we’ll read the author is.

Joe Barrett is great, but could not save you from the self grandiosity of Irving’s s writers notes.

Interesting stories and insight of author

I liked the intro and outros to Irving’s short stories.

His insight in authors he admires, Charles Dickens and Günter Grass, were interesting.

Enjoyable listen!

Great Collection of Stories

Each semi-memoir-biographical story within this book phenomenal, and an in-depth critique of Great Expectations by John Irving was a true bonus. Loved it.