Irving, John: *1942

The World According to Garp, 1978 - Information about the Book

  • General Information
  • Facts

    • Some of the notable awards are:

      National Book Award for Fiction: In 1980, "The World According to Garp" won the National Book Award for Fiction, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the United States. This recognition helped solidify its place in American literature.

      The novel has also garnered numerous other honors, including being named one of the 100 best English-language novels by Time magazine and included in The Guardian's list of the 100 greatest novels of all time.

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    • Characters

    • The novel received widespread critical acclaim and became a bestseller. Critics praised Irving's storytelling prowess, particularly his ability to blend tragedy and comedy. Irving's narrative style, characterized by its intricate plot and detailed character development, garnered particular attention.

      Over the years, "The World According to Garp" has maintained its status as a modern classic. It is frequently included in discussions of important American literature from the late 20th century and remains a popular and influential work in Irving's bibliography.

      Overall, "The World According to Garp" was and continues to be celebrated for its originality, emotional impact, and insightful commentary on human nature and society.

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  • Author
    • John Irving says the title "The World According to Garp" was actually a mistake. CTV
    • The Novel Was Never Meant to Be This Timeless: "The novel was always a feminist novel, but in the passage of time I’ve become more of a feminist." John Irving; November 21, 2018
    • John Irving on why The World According to Garp is more relevant now than he ever imagined. Author John Irving reflects on the book that made him famous 40 years after its release.
  • Articles
    • Books of the Times: "For all its realism, is not a realistic novel. It is a novel about a writer writing novels--or, more precisely, about the way a sensitive human being communicates his response to reality through the stories he makes up." The New York Times; April 13, 1978
    • Garp, Forty Years Later: "Garp is still being read, and Garp’s cis son and the trans woman he married still live, and all that love and affection in the book’s pages still live." The Paris Review; August 23, 2019
    • Laughing at the Damndest Things: "There we are, numb with shock and sick with concern, and suddenly we are laughing. And not feeling all that guilty about doing so either." Literary Hub; May 2, 2017