Now available as an ebook for the first time ever in America, the bestselling coming-of-age classic novel by John Irving—the 40th anniversary edition with a new introduction by the author. “He is more than popular. He is a Populist, determined to keep alive the Dickensian tradition that revels in colorful set pieces…and teaches moral lessons.”—The New York Times The opening sentence of John … Times
The opening sentence of John Irving’s breakout novel The World According to Garp signals the start of sexual violence, which becomes increasingly political. “Garp’s mother, Jenny Fields, was arrested in Boston in 1942 for wounding a man in a movie theater.” Jenny is an unmarried nurse; she becomes a single mom and a feminist leader, beloved but polarizing. Her son, Garp, is less beloved, but no less polarizing.
From the tragicomic tone of its first sentence to its mordantly funny last line—“we are all terminal cases”—The World According to Garp maintains a breakneck pace. The subject of sexual hatred—of intolerance of sexual minorities and differences—runs the gamut of “lunacy and sorrow.” Winner of the National Book Award, Garp is a comedy with forebodings of doom. In more than thirty languages, in more than forty countries—with more than ten million copies in print—Garp is the precursor of John Irving’s later protest novels.
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This is Irving at his finest. Quirky, yet insightful with all the feels of a writer who can deftly take you where he wants you to go even if it comes as a surprise to you. This was the first John Irving that I read and consequently took me on the divine road of his literary talents. You won’t be disappointed.
Terrific book. One of my all-time favorites. Sad, tragic, melancholy, deeply philosophical, romantic, silly, horrifying — it’s ALL there. A must-read for any reader and especially any writer.
Cumbersome, All-Consuming and Powerful!
I must confess, after reading “The World According to Garp,” I have sunken into a state of intense depression, and I see no clear end. My own life has been touched by sweeping circumstances outside my control, even as early as a teenager. But after reading John Irving’s fourth fictional novel that was obviously modeled after himself and his mother, Frances Winslow, it was clear to me that I’d consumed a literary prestige. No other novel will ever measure up to the nirvana I achieved reading this title, even in consideration of the malicious effect it’s had on me, finishing it only moments before I started writing this review.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is… this book was a fucking bold experiment in emotional terrorism. Goddammit, I wish I hadn’t even said that, but I refuse to delete it.
To put this into perspective, I rarely consume a novel over 350 pages. This was by chance, due to Irving’s reputation, that I decided to read it. And if that weren’t enough, the book spanned the title character’s entire life, which included nearly 30 pages of the timeline before he was born. In the end, it was necessary. Not many novelists can pull that off to my pleasure.
There are countless arcs in the story, ranging from the evolution of Jenny Fields to the charismatic development of Garp and his eventual courtship to Helen, all of which were main characters alongside the boisterous Robert(a) Muldoon. I might even go as far to say that the novel was ahead of its time.
The themes present include feminism, transsexual acceptance, violence to women and the resulting rise against the patriarchal institution, intolerance and the extreme consequences of such, family, marriage and the distant borders of experimentation with open relationships, sex (lots of sex), martyrdom, fatherhood, motherhood, the working mother and the stay at home dad, the constant fear of Murphy’s Law (described in the novel as the “Under Toad”), and the importance of existence.
The book really appears existential in parts, but it’s more nihilistic than anything. The philanthropic aspect is ever present, but devoid of spirituality in tone and context.
“The World According to Garp” is the best novel I’ve ever read, and John Irving’s arguably the greatest novelist of the 20th century, in my opinion.
It is just a very readable,entertaining bool that keeps you going. And it’s not a light romance type either.
This was my first introduction to the world of John Irving, and I was captivated. I found his storytelling to be masterful. In the following books he crafted his world and even honed his storytelling to an even finer edge. If I had to give reasons why this book grabbed my attention so much I would just have to say that the characters in this book seemed to be so real, so full of life and flaws. I had to know where they were going, what was going on. I have read several other books in one sitting but this one gave me a favorite author for years.
I read Garp decades ago. I still remember great swathes of the narrative. When I finished the book, I wanted to live out my life in Maine with Jenny and her community, learning kindness and laughter. And I still sometimes think about the Undertoad.
Quirky and very funny, this was the book that got me started on John Irving.
I’ve meant to read this book for many years and thrilled to finally have read it! While in Russia decades ago, The World According to Garp was the only American book & novel available in English to read. The Russians loved it! The characters and plot are completely original and John Irving’s writing is a pleasure to read! Garp has an untraditional life from inception to beyond his generation. There’s sexual content, adultery, and even sexual violence mentioned, but given the authors I’d rate this novel PG. It is about a son that is raised by a unique single mom that becomes a feminist icon. The novel is very entertaining with memorable characters. The World According to Garp is an international classic that I’d highly recommend!
I loved this dark comedy. I found myself laughing out loud at sick humor.
surely one of the top 100 great American novels
Weird book I didn’t care for and I am a fan of the Arthur
A very enjoyable book by one of my favorite authors. I love the way John Irving tells a story
Although very odd I really enjoyed this book. I have read several of his books so I kind of knew what to expect.
A novel for a lifetime. Read it and see why.
One of my all time favorite books …
I loved this book. First read it in high school and then read it again years later. I recommend this book to lovers of literature, and I would like to read it again someday. Wonderful character development deeply exploring so many aspects of the human experience candidly. These characters feel so real in dealing with obsession, anger, lust, and so much more. It feels like a peek behind the curtain into the real lives of multiple different people. I feel like it was a book ahead of its time in so many aspects of social interaction, and it is as relevant today as it was when it was written decades ago. Full of humor and relatable characters that draw you into their worlds.
A terrific book
Anything written by John Irving is wonderful. He is a excellent and dynamic writer. His works usually inject wry humor while exploring complex storylines.
This is my favorite John Irving novel, with A Prayer for Owen Meany a very close second.
I forgot how much I enjoyed this book. On reading again, can’t believe how young I was to read it the first time and only in my later years appreciate the depth of character and story here. John Irving has many great works, The World According to Garp is truly exceptional in this list (which is saying something amongst the work.)