The Door in the Floor and John Irving

Last night I went to a preview of the Door in the Floor, which is based on John Irving's A Widow for One Year. I've read a lot of John Irving but I don't think I'd read A Widow for One Year. Anyway. The movie is only part 1 of the book. It stars Kim Basinger and Jeff Bridges, and Elle Fanning, who is Dakota's little sister and who is adorable. It's the story of a family torn apart by a tragedy and trying to start over. I really liked it a lot. It's sad but parts are funny. It doesn't tell you everything, so things are left to the viewer's imagination. People do horrible things but you still have sympathy for them.

After the movie, John Irving and director/screenplay writer Tod Williams were there to answer questions. It was really interesting. John Irving likes to talk, so he gave some really good and through answers to people's questions. Someone asked him what his favorite of his books was, and he said choosing between the books is like choosing between his children, and he can't do that, but that he does recognize that the last 5 are better written than the first 5. I have to say, there's at least one in the last 5 batch that I didn't like and didn't even finish (Son of the Circus). I also didn't like A Prayer for Owen Meany, even though I think I'm in the minority there. I loved the Hotel New Hampshire, Cider House Rules, and the Fourth Hand. Some people had brought books for him to autograph. I wish I had thought of that, but I think I've either read my mom's copies or library copies of all his books, so I don't even think I own any.