Lyceum Agency

06/11/2025

Dear Readers,

As I mentioned in the announcement for Queen Esther, a younger version of my favorite character from The Cider House Rules, Dr. Larch, reappears in the new novel—as does the orphanage at St. Cloud’s. But when I began writing Queen Esther, three years ago, I didn’t know its publication would coincide with the 40th anniversary of The Cider House Rules.

The unadopted orphans are an entirely new cast of characters—Esther Nacht among them, a Viennese-born Jew, whose life is shaped by anti-Semitism. She is born “to be of use”—as Dr. Larch instructs the orphans in his care to be.

I can’t wait to share Queen Esther with all of you. The new book is available now for pre-order at Simon & Schuster (in US and UK) and Knopf Canada (in Canada).

Pre-order at Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Queen-Esther/John-Irving/9781501189449
Pre-order at Knopf Canada: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/586584/queen-esther-by-john-irving/9780735276246

—John

11/20/2024

02/26/2024

Colum and Diane have already hit the best seller lists in France and Ireland both! Coming to your local book shops in the United States next week.... Don't forget that significant proceeds from the book will go to the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.

Upcoming Tour Dates

MARCH 4 NEW YORK … with NBC’S CRAIG MELVIN! 7 p.m
NYC/BARNES & NOBLE: https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062164714-0
MARCH 6 NEW YORK IRISH ARTS CENTER … with BUDD MISHKIN
https://irishartscenter.org/.../colum-mccann-and-diane-foley
MARCH 7 … with BOSTON/HARVARD BOOK 7pm with CHARLIE SENNOTT (Ground Truth Project) STORE: https://www.harvard.com/.../colum_mccann_and_diane_m._foley/
MARCH 8 BOSTON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL Noon …
Boston Childrens Hospital link to come
MARCH 9 PHILADELPHIA … with STING!
Tickets only $30!! Including a book.
PHILADELPHIA FREE LIBRARY … https://libwww.freelibrary.org/calendar/event/134554
MARCH 15 WASHINGTON D.C
DC/POLITICS & PROSE: https://www.politics-prose.com/colum-mccan-diane-foley
MARCH 24 SAN FRANCISCO … IRISH ARTS FESTIVAL
https://www.presidiotheatre.org/show/colum-mccann/
MARCH 25 SAN DIEGO UNIVERSITY … KROC CENTER
https://www.warwicks.com/event/mccann-2024
MARCH 28 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY, UTAH
APRIL 11 NJ/FRIENDS OF RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY:
www.eventbee.com/v/2024authorluncheon #/tickets
MAY 13 SYMPHONY SPACE, N.Y, with DAN BARRY of The New York Times

02/06/2024

American Mother is a book that will shake your soul out. A thriller, a memoir, a mystery; a portrait of forgiveness, and a literary song of grace, –Sting

01/12/2024

Join Nick Hornby & Susan Orlean in conversation with Dean Nelson at the Writers Symposium by the Sea

09/15/2023

How about the first week of booktour, you ask? Can you at least tell us about the first week?

Sure! With links.

LA
https://www.skylightbooks.com/event/skylight-jonathan-lethem-presents-brooklyn-crime-novel-w-danzy-senna

BALTIMORE
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jonathan-lethem-brooklyn-crime-novel-tickets-648965702887?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

DC
https://www.politics-prose.com/jonathan-lethem

New Yorker Festival
https://www.goelevent.com/NewYorkerFestival/e/Jonathan-Lethem-Colson-Whitehead?_ga=2.239166595.1403477209.1694715777-438565692.1692184225&_gac=1.119009403.1692441866.Cj0KCQjw0IGnBhDUARIsAMwFDLkw6DiQy_w1eEWABw-LgHIRTf7wOe3-xx5PtuIamysDHtlhxQwgF6saAjEeEALw_wcB

08/22/2023

In the early years of Brooklyn’s gentrification, a 1977 New Yorker piece by Jervis Anderson captured the process in a freeze-frame. Those he interviewed were my neighbors.

11/06/2022

Author John Irving talks about writing his longest book, The Last Chairlift, addressing sexual and gender politics in his novels and writing his 1985 book, T...

10/07/2022

04/11/2022

Join us! https://literary-arts.org/event/2022-oregon-book-awards/

There's only three weeks until the Oregon Book Awards Ceremony! We can't wait to announce the 2022 winners with you in-person at Portland Center Stage on April 25. Join us in honoring and celebrating the incredible writers in our state! Get your tickets now: https://literary-arts.org/event/2022-oregon-book-awards/

02/09/2022

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 sexu...

04/26/2021

It's happened again, another beloved Lyceum author has been featured in the New York Times' BY THE BOOK. This time: Chris Bohjalian. Please have a look to read about the looming threat posed by Chris's bedside book tower (and check out the comments for links to a few other past Lyceum authors...

“I also loved to read in swimming pools, pre-Covid, when vacations were a thing.”