The World According to Garp: A Novel Summary and Reviews

The World According to Garp: A Novel
by John Irving

The World According to Garp: A Novel
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Book Summary Information

Author: John Irving
Reader: Michael Prichard
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Published: 2005-07-12
ISBN: 0739320890
Publisher: Random House Audio

Book Reviews of The World According to Garp: A Novel

Book Review: Rich with complexity and reflection
Summary: 4 Stars

My first exposure to John Irving's writing was his 'The Water method man'. His writing style attracted my attention with its uniqueness, its nuances of comedy and drama intertwined with moral lessons that made my reading experience both meaningful and entertaining.

'The World According To Garp' is one of his first novels and despite its wholes, it is marked with the very same impulsiveness seen in all early works of the great authors. One can see the inexperience of reconciling the desire to say so much with the need to release the first `great work' while at the same time struggling with the impending sense of not enough time. These three factors are so overwhelming that the impact becomes etched into every page of their debuts. I enjoyed this book, but at the same time was robbed of the craving I get when reading his latter works.

John Irving creates a character he calls T.S. Garp and follows him from birth to his untimely death. Garp is an author, a husband and a father who stands for certain moral principles, commits life's mistakes and ultimately finds the peace we all search.

It is difficult to characterize this piece as `a book about life and death', or `a book about lust, loss and reconciliation'. It is much too rich with complexity and reflection to even attempt to label it. I highly recommend it, but with the caveat - if you like this one, you'll love his latter books.

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