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John Irving broke on to the literary scene in the late 1970s, with "The World According to Garp." More than 30 years later, he's still at it, publishing his fourteenth novel, "Avenue of Mysteries" this fall.

In between, he's won accolades for "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and "The Cider House Rules" — both the novel and the screenplay, for which he won an Academy Award. 

If you think that means he's led an exciting life, Irving begs to differ.

"I've had an exceedingly boring life," he told the packed crowd at Talking Volumes. "But I'm not complaining." 

Irving joined MPR News' Kerri Miller at the University of Minnesota's Ted Mann Concert Hall to discuss his latest book, his writing process and his trademark blend of tragedy and comedy. 

The new "Avenue of Mysteries" centers on Juan Diego, an older man chasing his past as he travels to the Philippines. And if you know Irving, you know it won't be a pleasant journey. 

"I am a worst-case-scenario writer," Irving said. "I mean, who the hell reads best-case-scenario writers?"

To hear the full interview with John Irving — including how he spent 20 years plotting a single novel, and how he hates Hemingway — use the audio player above.

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"You don't get to choose your nightmares," author John Irving told the crowd at Talking Volumes. "You don't get to choose what you're afraid of." His latest novel, his fourteenth, is "Avenue of Mysteries."

Author John Irving on his own 'exceedingly boring life'

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