From the moment of his unconventional conception, Garp's life is full of unusual events and characters. Through it all he maintains a zest for life and embraces it wholeheartedly, along with a strong love for his family. If you haven't read anything by John Irving, "The World According to Garp" is a great place to start

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I fell in love with the characters.

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A classic, I would put this on everyone's recommended reading list.

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This is one of my favorite books, one that I pick up time and time again to read. I even love opening it up to a random page and reading an excerpt once in a while. Irving creates a sprawling novel that starts with the story behind the conception of T.S. Garp and follows him to the end of his life, introducing quirky and unforgettable characters along the way. I've often compared this story to a warm, comforting blanket that takes you in and wraps you up from beginning to end. There's just too much that happens to try to summarize it all here.

Bottom Line: Definitely worth the read. If you like it, also check out "A Widow for One Year."

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This is a book that is hard to get into, but once sucked into Garp's world, you won't be sorry!

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This is really one of John Irvings best, full of quirky eceentric people and situations. I read it a long time ago and it was my introduction to Irving, he doesn't fail to entertain or illuminate the wild nature of life or character.

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Irving packs wild characters and weird events into his classic--officially recognized as such in a Modern Library edition with a new introduction by the author--while amazingly maintaining the rough feel of realism in every scene and the pulse of life in every heart. Many novelists of his time might have populated a novel with a novelist protagonist whose life and books comment on each other and the novel we're reading. Transsexual football players, ball turret gunners lobotomized in battle, multiple adultery, unicycling bears, mad feminists who amputate their tongues in sympathy with the celebrated victim of a horrifying rape--Irving made them all people. Even the bear is a fitting character.

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Not nearly as good as A Prayer For Owen Meany or Cider House Rules. Dragged on and on, got really good at the very end. Disappointed.

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Classic John Irving.

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Funny, heartbreaking and horrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Now I want to see the movie....

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I am not generally a reader of tender sensibilities, but I found this one disturbing with regard to its morality. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Well written, but not my cup of tea.

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