John Irving
1978
Around 610 pages
I don't think John Irving does himself any favors with his titles. To me, The World According to Garp sounds like a Disney Channel series. Despite this, he is one of my favorite authors of all time and I am quite happy to welcome him to the List family.
The novel follows the life of T.S. Garp. He was conceived by his mother Jenny raping a braindead Technical Sergeant. Jenny raises T.S. alone, and becomes a feminist icon after the publication of her autobiography. Garp, as you can imagine, doesn't have the healthiest relationships, but he is devoted to his kids.
The characters in Irving's novels are so rich and nuanced, and, surprisingly for the 1970s, that extends to the transgender character, Roberta, who is the most emotionally stable person of the bunch. His character work is comprehensive without sacrificing pacing or action.
Tragic and funny, which is about as true to life as you get.
RATING: *****
Interesting Facts:
In 1981, Time magazine quoted the novelist's mother as saying "There are parts of Garp that are too explicit for me."
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