The Last Chairlift

John Irving, one of the world’s greatest novelists, returns with his first novel in seven years — a ghost story, a love story, and a lifetime of sexual politics.

In Aspen, Colorado, in 1941, Rachel Brewster is a slalom skier at the National Downhill and Slalom Championships. Little Ray, as she is called, finishes nowhere near the podium, but she manages to get pregnant. Back home, in New England, Little Ray becomes a ski instructor.

Her son, Adam, grows up in a family that defies conventions and evades questions concerning the eventful past. Years later, looking for answers, Adam will go to Aspen. In the Hotel Jerome, where he was conceived, Adam will meet some ghosts; in The Last Chairlift, they aren’t the first or the last ghosts he sees.

John Irving has written some of the most acclaimed books of our time — among them, The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. A visionary voice on the subject of sexual tolerance, Irving is a bard of alternative families. In The Last Chairlift, readers will once more be in his thrall.

Extremely entertaining book that holds the reader’s attention from beginning to end

I would love to recommend this book to all readers, John Irving does have sexual reference in his writings this is is his style he is not over the top and I Believe a lot of people could benefit from reading his boos. He always takes you on an amazing journey and his characters are always interesting. I love reading his books.

A long and winding ski run

Loved the characters and their closeness. Did not enjoy the screenplay interruptions and the repetition - this could have been a shorter, tighter story.

Disappointing

So disappointing as usually liked Irving novels but this one is a chore to listen to so not persisting - the first of over 400 of my audible listens that don’t want to “waste time” listening to!