Summary of Setting Free the BearsÂ
“Setting Free the Bears” is a darkly comic novel by John Irving, set in Austria in 1967. It follows two university dropouts, Hannes Graff and Siggy Javotnik, as they embark on a motorcycle journey through the Austrian countryside, with a plan to liberate the animals from the Vienna Zoo.
Reasons to read Setting Free the Bears
This debut novel by American-Canadian author and screenwriter John Irving offers a vivid portrayal of post-war Austria. Drawing on his own experiences as a student in Vienna during the 1960s, Irving captures the spirit of a young generation of Austrians seeking meaning in a world still shadowed by their parents’ wartime experiences. Vienna features frequently in Irving’s novels, including in “The World According to Garp”.
Original title: Setting Free the Bears
Year of publication: 1968
Nr of pages: 416
