The Fourth Hand

Five thumbs way, way up for “The Fourth Hand.”
This one I’d been waiting for for a while. John Irving is a remarkable storyteller. However, his books (“The World According to Garp,” “A Prayer for Owen Meany,” “The Cider House Rules” and “A Widow For One Year” among them) require a great deal of patience, as the typical Irving novel usually spans decades. But for those willing to sit down and open one up, it’s really worth it.
Irving specializes in dynamic characters who will win your heart. And why shouldn’t they? In many a case the reader is able to see Irving’s creations grow from infancy into adulthood. You don’t stay with anyone for that long without getting attached.
Another specialty of Irving’s is his tendency to delve into the twisted, weird and bizarre while tackling such heavy-handed issues as rape, death, abortion, sex, incest, sex, sex-change operations, sex, religion, and a lot more sex. Dare I mention the almost infamous scene in “Garp,” in which a young man gets his .... bitten off during a car accident? Or one character’s love affair with a woman in a bear suit in “The Hotel New Hampshire”?
But these scenes aren’t gratuitously thrown in for the shake of shocking and scaring away the genteel. At the heart of each Irving novel (with the possible exception of “Son of the Circus”; who knows what Irving was thinking when he penned that stinker?) is the question “What if?” And issues and scenes like those mentioned above are par for the course in getting the story told.
“What if a nurse’s young son grows up to be a semi-famous, lust-filled writer and overprotective family man?” (“Garp.”)
“What if a midget with a fixed larynx who talks IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS befriends a town orphan and they grow up together, contemplating God, Liberace, the identity of the orphan’s true father and everything in between?” (“Owen Meany.”)
“The Fourth Hand,” released in July, is no exception. Here, Irving asks the question, “What if the wife of a hand transplant donor demands visitation?”
Patrick Wallingford is a handsome, playboy news reporter who, in the blink of an eye and an extremely gruesome scene, loses his left hand in an accident involving hungry lions. Over time, word comes in from a woman who would like to give him her husband’s hand. The thing is, the husband isn’t dead yet… and I really shouldn’t say anything more.
Suffice it to say, “Fourth Hand,” while not quite as large in scope, is Irving business as usual. There are scenes of freakish nature, there are scenes of weird sex (Patrick is seduced by a mourning widow, Patrick seduces a gum-chewing makeup girl), and there’s a storyline involving Dr. Zajac, Patrick’s hand doctor. Zajac scares us at first because he makes it look like Irving is revisiting “Son of the Circus” territory, but we are ultimately disappointed because while Zajac is an incredibly likable character, as are his undernourished son and smitten housekeeper, that storyline ultimately goes nowhere.
In the end, “The Fourth Hand” celebrates Irving at his best: Bizarre, yes, but a gifted and truthful storyteller as well. It’s not on the same level as "Garp" and "Owen," but it deserves to sit on the shelf beside them.
So put your hands together, there’s a genius at work.

"The Fourth Hand" concerns a blithe TV reporter who loses his left hand on air to a lion attack and consequently finds love in the Midwestern widow of a hand donor. Clever story, really. Because I work in journalism, there was a special delight in the novel's contempt of 24-hour cable news, specifically, and of media sensationalism in general. And because I treasure all my body parts, it was intriguing to read a tightly researched book centered on a character who has lost one of his. But somehow the three story lines (Wallingford's rising and falling career, his lost hand and his found love) seem preposterously stitched together - kind of a Frankenstein book about too many things. Irving is a master writer of particular renown, but "The Fourth Hand" has virtually no surprises and offers up only middling literary value after the first act. The very arc of the story announces itself relatively early on and the characters, because they stay so rigidly on course, fail to interest.

I really enjoyed The Fourth Hand, the new John Irving novel, it kept my attention and I never once thought of putting it aside. Still, it's certainly not his best. In many ways I think part of the problem was that it's simpler than most of Irving's work. It's not only shorter (about 300 pages, compared to his usual 500), but there are far fewer characters populating the pages than usual. And only one of them dies, and you pretty much know he has to die early on, or there can be no story. (Most John Irving novels track multiple generations of characters, and include many emotional death scenes.)
In some ways, I'm tempted to say that he was spoiled by his recent Oscar win for the screenplay to "Cider House Rules." The simpler, almost stripped down, nature of The Fourth Hand reminded me of how one might adapt one of his longer novels into a cinematic form.
For John Irving fans, the book may be a bit of a let-down, but it's still probably better than 95% of what you'll find on the shelves of your local book seller today. I almost gave this three stars, then realized that three is only because of my too-high expectations from John Irving. If anybody else wrote this, I would give it four stars without question. Recommendation: If it interests you, certainly read it. But if you want to know what all the hype is about John Irving, you're better off with "Cider House Rules," or "A Prayer for Owen Meaney," or "A Widow for One Year," or the classic we all agree on, "The World According to Garp."

After having read so many harsh reviews of this book, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was a really good novel. While not Irving's best (my personal favorites are Garp, Owen Meany and A Widow for One Year), this is nonetheless a well-written and fun book.
Lighter in tone than most of his novels, this story focuses on the characters involved in a hand transplant, particularly the recipient and the donor's widow. A subplot in the first part of the book involves the hand surgeon and the comic events in his own life. Finally, there is the donor himself, who only appears on a few pages, but whose presence, both physically (with the donated hand) and spiritually affect the other characters.
Although not a comic novel, this does have a lot of humor. Besides the aforementioned subplot, there are also a lot of digs at TV journalism. In the second half of the book, the humor decreases as events get more serious.
I don't have any real problems with this book, other than that the widow is a little less likable than I think she is intended to be. Other than that, I found this to be a great book and well worth my time.

A shallow, egotistical, superficial, handsome TV journalist loses his hand in a freak accident while at the Circus, covering a story. This event, a major turning point, opens the door for emotional growth, a change for the better, not only in the journalist but also in the people who come into his life as a result. Author John Irving infuses some light touches of comedy into this dramatic poignant tale of redemption. The book seems to have been written as a prelude to a possible movie. Not a surprise, since some of Mr Irving's previous books, "The Cider House Rules", and "The World According To Garp", were transformed into highly acclaimed successful films. He received an Academy Award in 1999, for the best adapted screenplay of his "Cider House Rules". "The Fourth Hand" capably demonstrates that people who seem incapable of change ---- can indeed change. Now that's something to write about; the indomitable human spirit.

Oh Noooo! John Irving wrote a book that is different from his others! Oh woe is me!! It�s not a carbon copy of his other books! Give me a break! My biggest beef with this book was its length. Not nearly long enough. Aside from that it was a great story. If it was an �Irvingesque� novel, perhaps he would have gone on in greater length about what slimebags the media are and all that. But he chose a different tack. Still, the novel has its typical Irving moments when we are required to suspend our disbelief, as in the secret life of the hand or when he pulls in a few elements from previous books, in this case the Indian circus theme. (In past books we saw this in the form of wrestling, New Hampshire, and Vienna)
The story is about a man who�s glamorous life is suddenly marked by a series of losses and gains, most notably that of his left hand. But it is also the story of a man who has found what he wants and is willing to do what it takes to get it. The epigram (?) that opens the book, a quote from E.B. White�s �Stuart Little� says it all � �a person who is looking for something doesn�t travel very fast.� Here we have a man who, despite being internationally known, and desired by women, finds that he really just wants an ordinary life. I think that the realism in this story comes from the fact that Patrick Wallingford doesn�t just fall right into this realization of where he wants to be. He goes through a series of short, shallow relationships along the way � perhaps looking for Mrs. Clausen in the guise of another. He slowly comes to the realization that what she has to offer will not be found elsewhere. I found Wallingford�s love for this average woman as well as her acceptance of him to be very touching and believable.
The side-story in this novel is that of Dr. Nicholas Zajac, the surgeon who grafts the �new� hand on Patrick. Zajac is a bland, timid man who also is seeking a different life than what he has. Zajac�s life is juxtaposed with Wallingford�s as he comes out of his shell � with the help of his son as well as a new love to become rather outgoing and carefree, while at the same time Wallingford finds he is seeking a life that is more mundane, similarly, with the help of a son and the love of Mrs. Clausen. In both cases, the men go from painful, even zombie-like existences to lives that are rich and fulfilling.
So if you are looking for something along the line of Irving�s last 5 or 6 books, you may be disappointed. But if you are a fan of his earlier works � �The 158 pound Marriage� or �The Water-Method Man�, I think you will enjoy this book.

Drop dead gorgeous hunk Patrick Wallingford is covering the Great Ganesg Circus in Junagadh, India following up on the death of a male trapeze artist and the fight over using safety nets. When the lions begin roaring, Patrick takes his microphone and sticks it inside the cage only to have a hungry beast sever his left hand and wrist while on international TV.
Patrick knows that his chances of becoming an anchor ended with the maiming of his hand even if he received tons of sympathy. However, a new opportunity surfaces when eminent surgeon Dr. Nicholas Zajac decides on performing the first hand transplant, using Patrick as his patient. Packer fan Doris Clausen offers the hand of her healthy and living spouse because she wants the beautiful Patrick whole. However, she demands hand visits and he impregnate her in exchange for the extremity. Meanwhile instead of calm before he tries the impossible, Nicholas deals with his own personal nightmares that could impact the success of the first hand transplant operation.
THE FOURTH HAND is an entertaining condemnation of media excesses using loss, broken relationships and all under the news spotlight. The story line is humorous though at times is undecided between acrimonious hyperbolic satire and realistic condemnation. Still, in the world according to John Irving, this second chance redemption tale is an emotional story that tackles the reader in a blitz and never lets go until atonement comes for one and all including a wristlocked overzealous reviewer.

Harriet Klausner

Having read Owen Meany, Widow for One Year, and Trying to Save Piggy Sneed, I was becoming quite fond of Irving's work, vowing to read as much of it as I could. With enthusiasm, I picked up The Fourth Hand was very disappointed.
As another reviewer mentioned, much of this book is interupted by parenthetical phrases. It comes as no surprise then, to find out that Irving was writing this novel at the same time he was writing the screenplay. The book suffers because of it.
Creative Writing 101: First Rule: "Show Don't Tell". With the abundance of parenthetical phrases, Irving summarizes when he should add more dynamicism to the characters. By using summary, the third-person narrator becomes intrusive and gives you the feeling that Irving doesn't trust the reader, rather treating him/her as a movie watcher.
With 70 pages left in the book, I just wanted it to be over. The characters were flat and the plot was predictable. The story, however, had great potential. With a little more effort this book could've been wonderfully consistent with what readers have come to expect from Irving.
Maybe the movie will be better.

Title: The Fourth Hand by John Irving

Pages: 352

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 years.

Days spent reading it: 2 days.

Why I read it: I liked other John Irving novels (A Prayer for Owen Meany is incredible). So I thought I'd give this a try.

Brief review: Ok, I feel like I need to review this book by saying two things. First, John Irving is an incredible story teller. He draws you right into his world. The narrative is smooth. He is a natural story teller. No doubt about it.

Having said that, the second piece of information about this book is: The Fourth Hand could have been a Harlequin Romance novel. There were more adult situations in this book than I am comfortable admitting I read. I cannot ever recommend this book to anyone based on the content alone.

The main character (his name is Patrick), loses his hand to a lion at the beginning of the novel. He becomes the recipient of a hand transplant, but the oddities increase when the wife of the (deceased) hand donor wants to visit the hand. It could have been interesting. Instead it was trash. Patrick is a jerk that has a ridiculous power over women. They all want to sleep with him, and he lets them. He has no real morals. I'd call him reprehensible. And he does not seem to change very much through the book. Alright, so he does a little by the end, but I don't buy the change. It is forced and not very consistent with the character.

So, what I am basically telling you is avoid this book. Sure, it's well written, but the content is trash. John Irving should know better.

Favorite quote: "You can never exactly imitate someone else's love of a movie or a book, Patrick now believed."

Stars: 2 out of 5.

Final Word: TMI.

Although not his best, "The Fourth Hand" doesn't disappoint--Irving rarely does. Irving has a gift for taking bizarre incidents--in this case a reporter's loss of a hand at a circus in India and medical advances in transplanting limbs--and turning them into an unlikely love story and social commentary. Patrick Wallingford is a very handsome but shallow person who lives in the media world's fast lane, working for the all-news "disaster channel." Irving roasts the media mercilessly, its focus on accidents and personal tragedy, the unwillingness to develop a thoughtful story, the cut-throat environment. Ironically, Patrick is more successful as a one-handed rather than a two-handed news anchor, but comes to see that there's more to life than choosing successive girlfriends from the news room crew. There's also a great story line involving the Green Bay Packers. We've come to know and love Irving, and his bizarre story twists don't shock us the way they did when "Garp" was first published, but I liked this book. Well-written as always and as imaginative as ever, it's worth your time.

What an odd, unlikely premise for a book.

Notwithstanding the creative angle re: the hand, the Fourth Hand employs elements common in most of Mr. Irving's books, dealing with loss, maternity, paternity, sexual themes, and a protagonist who has talents, but who is also woefully immature in his personal life.

While the book is uneven (it drags at times; soars at others), I really appreciated how Mr. Irving took me along paths I hadn't anticipated at all. The best scene in the book is when Pat and Angie get together at Pat's place. Completely over the top.

Satisfying ending.

It doesn't touch what I believe to be Mr. Irving's masterpiece: A Prayer for Owen Meany. But how many of those can an author produce in a lifetime? The Fourth Hand is a good read.

Tremendous! Fabulous! Wonderful! There are not enough superlatives to describe John Irving's latest work, The Fourth Hand. It is simply exquisite, made more so by sparse and tight writing. The World According to Garp established Irving's reputation as a serious writer. It also expressed a central theme: "In the world according to Garp, we are all terminal cases." With possibly one exception, Irving has explored the ways in which men and women can find meaning and hope in the face of the inevitability of death in all of its forms. Death is definitely present in The Fourth Hand: The death of John F. Kennedy, Jr, his wife, and his sister-in-law underlies a turning point in the narrative. Yet another turning point occurs with the destruction of the EgyptAir flight whose pilot, we now know, deliberately destroyed his plane and passengers. Death is present in more microcosmic ways, as well: the central character, Patrick Wallingford, loses his left hand to a lion in India (shades of Son of the Circus)....a devoted wife (and frustrated mother) in Wisconsin loses her drunken husband to a gun accident....when the man's hand is transplanted to Wallingford's stump, both he and Mrs. Clausen lose it to rejection. Yet, as Wallingford muses, the hand departed because it had done its work. It had freed both Patrick and Doris, the Wisconsin widow, from the addictions that had circumscribed their lives. Patrick's addiction took shape in a vapid life as a TV disaster commentator who attracted and bedded women almost offhandedly (to make a pun). Doris Clausen's addiction was to a narrowly defined life with a good man who drove a beer truck and lived to watch the Packers play. Before this lovely little novel is finished, both envision a larger world. That world will end in death, but that inevitability will be relieved and ultimately redeemed by the presence of love.
The last time John Irving came close to anything this profound and moving was in A Prayer for Owen Meany. In a review, I said that Owen Meany (the book and the character) represent Irving's ongoing search for a valid principle of transcendence. Introduced in his early novels, that search was addressed in Garp. In Hotel New Hampshire, we learned that one response to the transience of life is lunacy and sorrow. "Keep passing the open windows" was the mantra of the dysfunctional family in question. Then, Irving seemed to be saying that the best one could hope for is not to kill oneself in the face of the absurdity and pain that mark our days. It would be interesting to re-read Hotel in the aftermath of the events of 11 September, 2001. By Owen Meany, Irving has discovered that a death-bound world is also redeemed in self-sacrifice. "I am a Christian because of Owen Meany," says John Wheelwright, all the more after learning that Owen Meany had given his life to save innocent people from a terrorist attack (hmm, maybe we should re-read this one, too). With The Fourth Hand, Irving's musing is both gentler and more richly textured. Now, nearing sixty, Irving knows that there are many ways to benefit from the sacrifices of others, and there are many things that must be sacrificed for hope to survive. Don't miss this book.

Having been an avid Irving fan for over twenty years, I had high expectations for The Fourth Hand. Irving disappoints me on just about every level. The characters are essentially one dimensional and static. One could see every plot twist long before it arrived. One reason I continued to read was that I was waiting for Irving to surprise me. He never did.
The Fourth Hand borrows from just about every other book he's written with nothing new to offer. I got the sense that Irving was filling the quota of a book contract and we'll see his next effort with a new publisher. It's either that or Irving has chosen to rest on his laurels.
I thought A Widow For One Year a stunning comeback from the abysmal Son Of The Circus. However, with this effort I have to begin to wonder if Irving has lost his will to write. Shallow characters, predictable plots and unresolved subplots just left me unfulfilled as a reader.

The Fourth Hand is certainly not John Irving's best effort, and if you have never read his work start with Garp or Owen Meany, because this should not be your first impression of his work, but it is not as bad as most of the reviewers have made it. I will grant that the characters are not particularly well developed and you don't really care about any one, especially the women who all seem to be made from the same mold, but otherwise it is well done. The plot is interesting, the writing is superb, it is a very fast-paced read, and in the end the reader is left with a warm heart. The comic element is as prevalent as in any of Irving's book and it it incorproates many contemporary events which makes it all the more immediate to readers, so I do not agree with many reviers that it is not interesting enough for them. I think this is a great book for any one who has experience with Irving, loves good fiction, and is looking for a fun, relatively easy read.

John Irving's characters are often quirky to say the least. Normally they draw one in. Irving's typical forays into the minds of the odd but believable individuals who populate his stories are usually irresistably intriguing. I have often had a difficult time putting an Irving novel down.

This novel for some reason does not work. The characters did not interest me, and I neither liked nor disliked most of them. The plot drags on. I often considered putting the book down for good, and not finishing it, which is NOT like me, once I get in very far.

Sorry for the short discussion, but I disliked this book so much I would rather not think about it too long now!

For those who have not tried Irving, don't judge him by this one! I especially recommend A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, one of my all time favorites, and THE CIDER HOUSE RULES.

I dunno. This John Irving novel just doesn't live up to his previous ones. There are the usual LOL moments, the usual quirky characters, the usual brilliant schticks, but the character development strikes me as weak and hurried - or rather, almost nonexistent. Except for the women, and they steal the show. I know, I know: it's satire, but I'm sure someone of Irving's prodigious gifts and talents can do better with delving into the depths of the human condition. I mean, come on: he's already done it a thousand times over in his previous books.
On the plus side: there're the typical romps through the complicated, twisted, quirky, and inter-twined Irvingesque explorations of all the various relationships involved. TV journalist Wallingford loses his hand to a lion, live on TV, and some fan wills his hand to Wallingford...just in case - and all too soon, he conveniently dies, Wallingford gets the hand, and the widow of the donor wants visitation rights. Um...yeah, right.
Read it and decide for yourself.

Well, definitely Irvingish but without any wrestling. There is however, football - not just any football either - the Packers. The story is about a reporter, Patrick Wallingford, a television reporter who loses his left hand to a lion, but somehow in the process gains a soul. I love John Irving's writing and this didn't disappoint. There was also less angst in this one than some. I did listen to the audio version and the reader had a decidely eastern accent which didn't work all that well for the midwestern characters. And the fact that he kept calling Green Bay - GREEN Bay instead of Green BAY was annoying, but it didn't ruin the story or anything. All in all - I definitely recommend for Irving fans

Visitation rights for a hand? I soldiered on through this book hoping that it would get better, but to no avail.
Irving is a good storyteller, and there are several entertaining passages in Fourth Hand. Unfortunately, this time around Irving doesn�t manage to bring the quirky elements and offbeat characters together into a coherent novel as he had succeeded in doing in previous efforts (Garp and Owen Meany jump to mind). I read almost the whole novel on one long round-trip flight; had I not been a captive audience strapped into my seat at 30,000 feet I would have aborted the effort and selected something else form the bookcase. I�ll give the book two stars for a couple of funny scenes, but overall not recommended.

It is difficult to write a standard review for this book on the heels of such comprehensive reports by Publisher's Weekly and the store's fine review staff.
This is an endorsement; and by fellow reader without any economic benefit derived from the reader's purchase. I simply suggest you not deny yourself this very singular literary pleasure.
These are difficult times for the sensitive reader. Magazines and newspapers recount sorrow and tragedy in an endless progression. This is a book that not only illuminates the business of reporting tragedy, but interestingly enough, offers a wonderful respite in it's warmth and charm. This is an endearing romance, a story of passion and vision, parenting and family.
I enjoyed this book at a restless time in my life. It was a calming and charming respite from the daily brutality we read and hear each and every day. What more can anyone ask for?

Patrick Wallingford loses his left hand to a lion's bite while working as a reporter on a news story in India. Dr. Sajac, a world famous neurosurgeon receives an offer from Doris Clausen to replace Patrick's lost hand with that of her husband Otto. The repercussions of this arrangement are somewhat surprising.
What begins as a very interesting story with a typical John rving odd assortment of characters slowly deteriorates into the more mundane story of Patrick's sexual proclivities versus his desire to win Doris Clausen. It simply loses the threads of the lives of the other characters which make more lively reading. Although the novel induces the reader to want to reach the conclusion, the latter part of the story is far less engaging than the first half.

From the man who gave us "Garp", "Owen Meany, "Hotel New Hampshire", "A Widow For One Year" and "The Cider House Rules", I expected more. In the last four years I have become a rabid John Irving fan, and have devoured 8 of his ten novels and loved most of them. However, "The Fourth Hand" left me fairly cold and flat.
Irivng seems to be at his best when writing from what he knows: boarding schools, wrestling, bears, and when he writes in a true Dickensian Style. I'm sorry to say that "The Fourth Hand" has no boarding schools, no character aspires to be (or was) a wrestler, and the only wild animals are the lions in chapter one. Wallingford is shallow and uninteresting for the first two thirds of the book, and the female characters surrounding him are primarily cardboard displays. At one point, one of his conquests (Angie the makeup girl) sets up some very interesting possibilities, but in the end, turns out to be as uninteresting a character to us as she must be to Wallingford.
The plot is thin this time around, and although hardly predictable, has none of the classic structure, skill and style of "Owen Meany", and none of the heart of "Cider House." Perhaps it is unfair to categorize this novel with the others I've listed here. It is not a New England/Vienna novel, it does not aspire to the depths of literary greatness that "Owen Meany" does, and it has none of the political timeliness of "Garp". It is a simple story of a simple man. Unfortunately, Irving has shown us that he is capable of far more than this simplicity.
Maybe expectations lead to disappointments, but after the four BRILLIANT novels I mention above, "The Fourth Hand" pales. If you are already an Irving fan, by all means, read it. But if you have never read Irving before, start with "The World According to Garp", start with "The Hotel New Hampshire", but leave this second-class novel until you've read all the rest.

Having read, and mostly loved, all of Irving's previous works, I rushed out to get "The Fourth Hand" the day it was published. I just finished it and I agree with the previous reviewer: this was a real disappointment. In addition to the fact that it's a rather skimpy idea for a novel, the writing seemed extremely amateurish to me. A couple of times I asked myself if it was really John Irving writing.
The book is absolutely larded with cliches: "so to speak," "as it were," "was wont to say," and almost every paragraph ends with a distracting parenthetical aside. Was there no editor on the job?
An even bigger problem is that most of the story is told in a "once-removed" style. There are very few real scenes until the second half. The first half feels like a quick retelling of some other novel. This is especially disappointing from Irving because he has always been the master of storytelling. (Think of the orphanage scenes in "Cider House Rules" or the scenes about Jenny's early days in "Garp.")
If you're a true fan, you'll want to read this. After all, there are glimmers of the real John Irving here -- a scene in which a young lady nearly chokes to death on her chewing gum comes to mind. But wait for the paperback. If you haven't read John Irving before, please don't start here.

Like most of the reviewers who've written about "The Fourth Hand" here, I count myself an Irving fan and have always awaited his next with great anticipation. "Fourth Hand" was a disappointment. The protagonist, Patrick Wallingford, a television news anchor and ethical cipher, seems like a character meant to engage that enormous "married with" Boomer audience out there whose minds, beneath the claptrap of SUV payments, college tuitions and prostate examinations, pulse with that immortal, burning question: What if I were still getting laid a lot? More specifically, it seems calculated to engage the heterosexual male segment of that population who ponder that more primal (or at least adolescent) question: What would it be like if getting laid a lot happened with little effort on one's part? For Patrick Wallingford is not a sexual predator; he's just a man at whom women throw themselves. A tough problem, but Wallingford is the perfect man for it, and he is, thereby, a character we cannot hate. Unfortunately, he's also a character about whom one can have any sort of complex sentiment.
Throughout the novel as Wallingford becomes more conscious of the ethical compromises he makes in his job, he experiences a sort of moral awakening, but, thank the gods, he's still getting laid a lot. Somehow, the loss of his hand and the subsequent implant attempt tie into this awakening but only is a sort of hazy way. Irving claims in his postscript that all of his novels begin with a "what if?" The "what if?" here ends up as idle speculation. What if a donor's relative asked for visitation rights with the implanted organ? seems like a question with as much literary depth as one of those sports conundrums like "What if Mickey Mantle had never taken a drink?" What if? Whatever.
And so, to bring this muddled series of inert questions to consummation, Wallingford "commits" to one woman (ahhh, sighs the audience), the one woman who makes his ghost hand come alive--guess when? And that somehow is all related and, you know, kind of deep, for some reason, if you just don't think about it too hard.

Like most of the reviewers who've written about "The Fourth Hand" here, I count myself an Irving fan and have always awaited his next with great anticipation. "Fourth Hand" was a disappointment. The protagonist, Patrick Wallingford, a television news anchor and ethical cipher, seems like a character meant to engage that enormous "married with" Boomer audience out there whose minds, beneath the claptrap of SUV payments, college tuitions and prostate examinations, pulse with that immortal, burning question: What if I were still getting laid a lot? More specifically, it seems calculated to engage the heterosexual male segment of that population who ponder that more primal (or at least adolescent) question: What would it be like if getting laid a lot happened with little effort on one's part? For Patrick Wallingford is not a sexual predator; he's just a man at whom women throw themselves. A tough problem, but Wallingford is the perfect man for it, and he is, thereby, a character we cannot hate. Unfortunately, he's also a character about whom one can have any sort of complex sentiment.
Throughout the novel as Wallingford becomes more conscious of the ethical compromises he makes in his job, he experiences a sort of moral awakening, but, thank the gods, he's still getting laid a lot. Somehow, the loss of his hand and the subsequent implant attempt tie into this awakening but only is a sort of hazy way. Irving claims in his postscript that all of his novels begin with a "what if?" The "what if?" here ends up as idle speculation. What if a donor's relative asked for visitation rights with the implanted organ? seems like a question with as much literary depth as one of those sports conundrums like "What if Mickey Mantle had never taken a drink?" What if? Whatever.
And so, to bring this muddled series of inert questions to consummation, Wallingford "commits" to one woman (ahhh, sighs the audience), the one woman who makes his ghost hand come alive--guess when? And that somehow is all related and, you know, kind of deep, for some reason, if you just don't think about it too hard.

After reading so many critical pans of this novel, my usual enthusiasm for Mr. Irving's books was dampened, but not my curiousity. Thank God I read the book anyway. It seems that we all have expectations of one of our greats, and that may be to the detriment of true appreciation of this novel. I found, as usual with one of Irving's novels, I could not put this one down and I laughed out loud at several parts. Considering these facts, I have a hard time accepting many reviewers opinions of the quality of the book. Granted if you were looking for a carbon copy of some other book (Garp or Owen)you will not find it here. Instead I am intrigued by Mr. Irving's development as a writer, and ability to reinvent new characters with new challenges. Yes he has toned down the wild rides of his previous subplotting, but he still manages to make even the minor characters come alive. His points about the TV non-news seemed to me to be right on, both a part of Wallingford's awakening, and sorely needed commentary on our culture. The chapter "Up North" strikes me as a turning point in the novel, and a more satisfying summer setting could not be imagined. I am thankful that I ignored the shallowness of the throngs of critics here and read this novel. I hope others who love John Irving (and have ever been "up north") will feel the same.

this Irving novel has a wonderful front end, and is more than easy to put down by the ending. I found the Irving characters to be bizarre (par for the Irving course) and I'd be laughing out loud at descriptions of superficial news anchors, quirky Cambridge doctors, and Wisconsin cheeseheads. Once set up though, the plot weakens and drivels on and on toward a finish. My recommendation: borrow this book from your local library, or someone else who bought it at the store, read the first half, then go out and rent the Garp videotape. Nothing measures up to Owen Meany in the Irving ouvre. Certainly not this.

Not so fabulous Irving is till terribly good compared to most other writer's best efforts. I've been a huge Irving fan since about the 5th grade, so I'm a bit hypersensitive about rating his work - I always expect it to be fabulous, so if it's not, I'm let down. Having said that, though it's not as good as Garp or Cider House Rules, it's still wonderful. I found myself wanting to leave work early so that I could read it. Unlike other readers, I have been terribly disappointed by the last few books he's written, and I feel like he's moving back up the curve with this novel, rather than on down. Read it!

Author John Irving is a literary icon, having won many awards. And because he has a great reputation he can get junk like this published. It is supposed to be amusing and/or droll, but it reads like a complete waste of time. It may be possible that there is some great message or point to be made here and I am just too stupid to see it. But, failing that, someone would have to point out to me what value there is in this rambling tale of sexual misadventures and attempts to transplant a hand. There is nothing more sad than an attempted joke that falls flat and that's all there is here.

This book is funny and entertaining, and includes several laugh-out-loud passages. I like the story, although it is not as dynamic as I would expect, knowing that the auther is John Irving. Generally I am a big Irving fan, and I think that 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' and 'Son of the Circus' are fantastic books, maybe even modern classics. This one doesn't quite measure up, it's just too rough around the edges. Still, it's enjoyable - just don't expect the same quality (but it puzzles me why Irving would release such a book when it is clearly so much less of a literary effort....??)

The story that Irving weaves combines a barage of eccentric characters: A man who loses his hand, his doctor, the man who's hand is donated to replace the lost hand, a wife who demands visitation rights to the transplanted hand... the list could stretch on and on.
The most appealing thing about this novel was the uniqueness of the story - I can assure you that you will not read another even remotely the same. Fortunatly, the plot moves, so while the story itself lacks some of the depth that we are used to from Irving, it is not an effort to negotiate. Overall, I was expecting something more worthy of Irving's name.

Irving's newest selection is a welcome return to familiar territory for his devoted readers. The novel The Fourth Hand reveals sympathetic and intriguing characters through bizarre incidents treated as the mundane. As is expected by his readers, the characters are idiosyncratic and muted, but infinitely likable and pitiable during their travails through Irving's surreal but grounded landscape, which is mostly urban and American in this novel. While he does not reign in his affinity for the uncanny and coincidental, Irving does seem to offer some restraint with his imagery and symbolism that have been critiqued in prior work as " heavy-handed". This novel is above all, a narrative. But the only major flaw is tethered to that same restraint. The writing sparingly uses dialogue and reads like a story told perhaps over a long drunken weekend, or one an eccentric uncle might be adept at spinning after far too many years of practice. The author even drops the veil a few times early in the novel with phrases such as " don't forget " and " don't think". This is troubling but not entirely damaging. Irving's expertise at subtle farce ( particularly sexual ) and especially crisp description is preserved as when he describes a female character as " pretty in a kind of bereft or disturbed way, as if there'd recently been a suicide or a murder of someone close to her..." The novel certainly demonstrates an author more in tune with reflection and redemption. The tone and overall passion of the work is more gentle, but still charged and compelling. This may simply reflect the Irving on the jacket that now appears scholarly and grandfatherly ( no doubt gazing at his Oscar ) rather than the iron jawed ex-wrestler on his early books. For fans, and I am one, it is a joy. For anyone, it is a crafted and original tale that explores archetypal yearnings and questions, albeit in Irving's own slightly twisted universe. I read it quickly and needed to know how it would end. And that is likely the finest endorsement.

After finishing this book, I ended up thinking: so what? Irving's new book left me pretty unsatisfied. The plot is contrived and clumsy and the characters feel wooden. And to think this comes from Mr. Irving, the guy who usually makes you root for his characters. The only ones I really enjoyed were Irma and Dr. Zajac, and they virtually diappeared midthrough! Worse still, Irving overuses the technique of telling the story, instead of letting his characters speak from themselves. I can't recommend The Fourth Hand: Irving fans will find it disappointing and newcomers might as well try one of his better-known works.
What a shame it wasn't better...

I am currently about halfway done with this book and so far I have really enjoyed it. On a whim, I thought I'd see what other people thought of it because I don't know anyone who has yet read it. I was quite suprised to see the bad reviews. I too am a huge fan of John Irving. However, I am not disappointed (unlike many of the other reviewers). Perhaps I am not critical enough (I didn't major in English). That said, since other reviewers seem to think this book is an unwelcome departure for Mr. Irving, perhaps my husband will actually like this one (he could never get through any other of Mr. Irving books).

I consider John Irving my favorite author of fiction. I always look forward to each new novel. Having read all of his previous works, I have to say that this is definitely not up to his HIGH standards. The characters were not fully developed, nor did his writing entrance my imagination. I was not moved by, nor did I have any strong feelings for, any of the characters. To me the writing was like an outline for a movie (I understand that there is already a movie in the works). This might be one of those rare casees where the movie is better that the novel. If you are looking for a great novel, read "Empire Falls" or any of John Irving's previous books, but not "The Fourth Hand." Hopefully this new novel is one small bump in the road for Mr. Irving and he will return to his high standards with his next effort.

Like many other reviewers have already pointed out, this book--while good--is not up to par with most of his other novels. That being said, it is still a very readable, very interesting story. The protaganist--Patrick Wallingford--is a TV news reporter who loses his left hand in a freak accident involving lions. He then receives a new hand from a deceased man, and gets romantically involved with his widow. One of the problems I had with this book is that the characters aren't quite as "quirky" as in some of Irving's other books. But it's still a light, entertaining and worthwhile read! I recommend it for any Irving fan.

Mr. Irving has always been a master at presenting life in the most outlandish and poignant scenarios. But with this book, Mr. Irving, more than in any of his other writings, not only describes the human comedy of life but also gives insight into how the reader can learn from it. He has interjected at least three life situations into his story line so subtly that the novice might miss them and just enjoy the book for one heck of a "hoot." Patrick Wallingford hates his life, socially and professionally. Mr. Irving shows his gradual transformation from a "one nighter" guy into someone who accepts responsibility. The second human life drama deals with the death of Doris Clausen's husband and her painful process of letting go. That process takes an "Irving" twist of not letting go of part of the body, the hand. The current French movie (one of the best to come along in years), Under the Sand, deals with this human tragedy of letting go and is a good contrast to Mr. Irving's book. A third scenario is dished out in poignant antidotes to illustrate moral wrong. Mr. Irving "slam dunks" the press and their "lynch mob" by illustrating the news media's intrusion into people's lives during times of crisis and the "crash and burn" media followers (those "body-spotters") getting stirred into a frenzy over dismembered dolls floating in the water after an airline crash. This book is definitely worth a slow read and reflection every step of the way.

In typical John Irving fashion, "The Fourth Hand" delivers quirky yet lovable characters that weave a tale rich with questionable possibilities intertwined with those things which are basic in all of us. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, often wondering where it would take me. With an ending that some might consider trite or conceptualized, it seemed the only way for it to reach its finality and have the proper closure. If you enjoyed "Hotel New Hampshire," then this will be a must read on your list.

I always love works by John Irving, though I haven't read him in several years. "The Fourth Hand" reminded me of why I like him: quirky characters, improbable situations, unique love stories. This book has it all, and compacted in a much shorter story than his usual work. Patrick was believable as a journalist who eventually develops a conscience (I have met a few of those), and Mrs. Clausen was a sympathetic character without being overwrought. This book has a lot to say about both medical and journalistic ethics, and he works in real life situations nicely. I highly recommend this book.

Wow. Every four pages or so, I'm stuck wondering just how this book got out of the sex shops and into the Borders around the country.
"Is this Irving character some sort of sex storywriter gone professional or something?" one might think.
The Fourth Hand was incredibly well done, don't get me wrong. Dr. Zajac enchanted me, and I really hoped to read more on him. Its seems like halway through the story, Irving wrote him off, gave him a happy ending, and focused on Wallingford.
Wallingford's obsession with Mrs. Clauson is extremely vivid. The entire story was very vivid. Especially the sex scenes.
Sensational story. But it makes you wonder just what kind of sex life the author really has.

John Irving has become a brand name. While the "Show-Don't Tell Rule" is hardly a "rule" that must be followed rigidly by every author, it was never more evident than in this book why this advice is so often repeated in writing lectures. Most of THE FOURTH HAND is summarized, like someone explaining what happened in the book, rather than dramatized with dialogue and action. If a new writer presented this, it would be discarded as lazy writing. John Irving, like Thomas Harris (HANNIBAL) or even Woody Allen, presents this based on the strength of his name, and people will praise it for that reason alone. I have to struggle to keep reading it, and I love many of Irving's earlier books. Then again, maybe this is "Art" and I'm just a moron.

I can't begin to express the disappointment I felt after finishing The Fourth Hand. Up until this point Irving's writing has been consistently fabulous. A Prayer For Owen Meany is pure genuis, closely followed by masterpieces such as The Hotel New Hampshire and The World According to Garp. The Fourth Hand was no where near the quality of writing Irving is capable of. The narritive was easy to follow but felt lackluster and deviod of spirit, soul, and heart. Irving is typically a master when it comes to characters yet The Fourth Hand's cast has no staying power and the reader forms no real attachment to anyone. They are, for the most part mindless and dull, making the book an unenjoyable read. Constantly waiting for something to happen, the reader is never rewarded for continued reading. The Fourth Hand has very few elements that comprise a typical Irving piece. There are no bears, wrestling, Vienna, midgets, transvestites, or orphans. The classic themes of loss, love, revenge, sex, and fear for one's children are all there yet are not weaved together in the magical way that past works have been. The writing style itself also leaves much to be desired. Pick up anyother piece of Irving and you will see what I mean. Writing is a craft and Irving is usually a master craftsman yet this time something is off kilter. All and all this is not a bad book but compared to the rest of his writing, John Irving has failed to live up to the high standards he has set with his past work. Hopefully this is just a fluke and the next will be up to par.

While the novel has echoes of the humor and originality found in Irving's early books, it is just not very engaging. About mid book, Patrick's depth as a person begins to develop, and my interest increased. Then came the one night stand with the makeup girl, and the book's momentum was lost.

I did appreciate Irving's swipes at the 24 hour news networks, especially at the concept of "closure".

John Irving has given us so many wonderful novels that awarding him a mere one star is painful - but only as painful as this empty, unappealing book. Was it the challenge of writing a novel about a vapid and shallow man that even he could not admire or like that produced such a work? With each new Irving title you hope for an experience as rich as "Garp" or "Owen" or "Cider House." This work is at the very bottom of the Irving canon. Better luck to all of us next time.

Although the negative portrayals of women in this book really made me want to dislike it, I couldn't help but be sucked in by this poignant, funny story. The central character is largely unlikeable, but by the end of the book, I found myself rooting for Patrick Wallingford to get his woman. This is by no means Irving at his best (for that, read Cider House Rules or The 158-Pound Marriage), but it was an enjoyalbe, engrossing read.

Everytime, John Irving writes a novel, I start to read and it takes me a long time to get into the book. This novel was different; I got into the story of Patrick Wallingford losing his hand to a lion right away and really liked it. I am amazed at the imagination of John Irving. I really found myself laughing at the oddities of these characters. It was a quick read. As long as you don't take it too seriously, you'll love it.

Irving has found new territory, again.. Poor are the people that don't grant him his success. This book is definately different and shows the complex world John Irving is creating in his latest books.
To me it is clear since Widow for One Year that John Irving is becoming a "more human" writer than ever. The characters in this book are strangely seeking a world to live in. Like Widow didn't have this already. Come on you fans.
After winning an Oscar for the great "Cider House Rules" this is a great way to be back. If this becomes a movie again I am sure it will hit the right notes. In the States what goes up must come down. Do not forget Irving has sold MORE books in Europe than in the States, WE ADORE HIM. Like Gunther Grass, his great friend, Irving should be winning the Nobel Prize.
A man who has given us Garp, Larch, Meany, Ruth and now again so many great characters... should be given XXXXXX reviews, not jealously sick reviews by people who don't read but just complain.
John Irving is God... if not.. almost.
A fan forever.

I live John Irving's books because they are different. He comes up with interesting characters and situations. The Fourth Hand was like nothing I have ever read. The only thing I did not like about this book was I feel it could have done without that whole chapter on Dr. Zajac. It was boring. I did not need to know about Dr. Z's failed marriage, that he was too skinny, that he had an obsession with dog poo. That whole chapter, to me, had nothing to do with the rest of the story.

Other than that, great book.

It is incomprehensible why Irving would have released this book. Fourth Hand lacks the colour and insight and joy we have come to expect from such an accomplished writer. The book is trite and dismissive and is more an invective against the media than anything else.
It almost appears less a novel and more a script. Perhaps Irving has fallen to the lure of the moneyed agents and film industry. And who can blame him. What is art compared to healthy bank account?

Well, I was quite enthousiastic about Irving, after reading the New Hamphire Hotel and the water drinker novel (I know its spanish translation only, sorry), and there was a strong campaign for Irving in the formal press, with long and very positive articles dedicated to the newest novel by the Cider House Rules man.
And it begins fast, funny and very very interesting, both on what Irving tells and the way he tells it. But... after the main character looses again the hand, the novel descends into the realms of nothingness, and an different novel begins; a very very ordinary love story. Besides, I am European, so I don't know anything about American Football...
Remarkable, though; the whole episode of how Patrick lost his hand, the life of Surgeon Zajac and Patrick's sexual adventures with Monika with K and the chewing gum girl, and also the Indian Pills plot. The rest? just pages and pages of dull litterature.