The World According to Garp
Books | Fiction / Literary
4.3
(924)
John Irving
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 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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More Details:
Author
John Irving
Pages
544
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2018-10-25
ISBN
1524744808 9781524744809
Community ReviewsSee all
"I had a friend who insisted I read this so I can say my opinion. At the time, I had a problem saying no, so I did. Long story short, this book haunts me, I hated it omg its so messed up. 😫 never read to the author again. 😕 the end "
D M
D M
"I’m now a fan of John Irving! Loved the in-depth character development, the stories within a story, the writing. Well done!"
M A
M. A. Daniels
"I just finished “Normal People” and I’m not totally sure what is next. Maybe The Little Friend by Donna Tartt"
K D
Kate Double
"WHAT?????"
B R
Berlin Rae
"My first (intentional) book in the 1,000 books to read before you die list, and a great start.
It's difficult to explain why I loved this book so much. I certainly understand why it's a classic, and it's challenging that a book originally published in 1978 still has such relevance to literally everything women experience to this day. Hell, there's even a man vs. bear discussion in one of the chapters, although it's a fantastical chapter of Garp's 'Pension Grillparzer'.
I do understand why some people don't like it - in many ways, it's plotless, it goes off on strange tangents into other books that T.S. Garp writes, sometimes Garp is an asshole, the book is vulgar and some of it's depictions of sex and sexual assault are heavy, but honestly, as the book itself says, it's a book that feels alive. And it's commentary on feminism, how Jenny Fields is killed by a man who hates women, and then people tell Garp all men know is violence, for Garp to then be killed by a woman who hates men really drives home the fact that modern feminism has become frustratingly divisive in a way that serves nobody.
This is a 6 star book for me and I think my new favorite classic. We all have to have one."
C C
Charlie Coward
"I laughed and cry on the same page!!!"
C
Charlie
"Sentimental "
J L
Jasmine Lilly
"One of my all time favorite books. It's like trying to describe life with all of it's messy details and open-ended trivialities. "
J D
Jacques D'Silva
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