A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Johnny Wheelwright tells the story of his friendship with Owen Meany, a boy who never grows taller than five feet and has a distinct, high-pitched voice. Intelligent, opinionated, and uncompromising, Owen doesn’t view his physical shortcomings as a curse, but believes them to be part of his purpose as God’s instrument. The boys’ friendship spans years and jumps time, as they come of age during important events in American History in the 50s and 60s. A Prayer for Owen Meany is a layered, character-driven story of about faith, friendship, and destiny stuffed with laugh out loud moments and horrific tragedy, but it’s the distinct voice of Owen, determined to fulfill his higher purpose, that inspires in a way few novels do and resonates long after the final pages of Irving’s modern classic.