A Prayer for Owen Meany

The 2020 Cathedral Reads book for adults, A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving, is Irving’s seventh novel, published in 1989 and set in the 1950s and 60s. A NYT bestseller, the novel is Irving’s bestselling novel in every language and is also a PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick. It tells the story of John Wheelwright’s relationship with his childhood friend Owen Meany, a tiny person with a grating voice, who believes he is an instrument of God, and who, in the end, saves others by fulfilling his destiny. With many typical Irving traits—New England setting, bizarre plot twists, and accidents—the book addresses serious spiritual issues, such as social justice, fate, and the importance, and challenges, of faith.