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Summary and Reviews of The World According to Garp by John Irving

The World According to Garp by John Irving

The World According to Garp

by John Irving
  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • Readers' Rating (1):
  • First Published:
  • Apr 20, 1978, 720 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jun 1997, 437 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

A worldwide bestseller since its publication in 1978, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life and times of T. S. Garp, novelist and bastard son of Jenny Fields--a feminist leader ahead of her time.

The World According to Garp is a comic and compassionate coming-of-age novel that established John Irving as one of the most imaginative writers of his generation. A worldwide bestseller since its publication in 1978, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life and times of T. S. Garp, novelist and bastard sonThe World According to Garp virtually defies synopsis.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

The New Republic
Nothing in contemporary fiction matches it. . . . Irving's blend of gravity and play is unique, audacious, almost blasphemous. . . . Brilliant, funny, and consistently wise; a work of vast talent.

The Washington Post
A wonderful novel, full of energy and art.

Library Journal
Like Garp, this is a complex, sad, and quite compelling tale.

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Read-Alikes

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If you liked The World According to Garp, try these:

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    The Irresistible Henry House

    by Lisa Grunwald

    Published 2011

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    Filled with unforgettable characters, settings, and action, The Irresistible Henry House portrays the cultural tumult of the mid-twentieth century even as it explores the inner tumult of a young man trying to transcend a damaged childhood.

  • Doghead jacket

    Doghead

    by Morten Ramsland

    Published 2010

    About this book

    From a fiercely funny Danish John Irving, a bighearted, epic story of mad dogs, naughty boys, strange relatives, and family secrets.

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