The World According to Garp by John Irving
The novel follows the life of T.S. Garp, the illegitimate son of a feminist mother, who becomes a writer. Garp's life is filled with unusual experiences and characters, from his unconventional conception to his untimely death. He navigates through a world filled with sexual violence, infidelity, and gender issues, and his life story is punctuated by his own literary creations. His mother's feminist ideals and the tragic events of his life deeply influence his writing and worldview.
The 255th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 1211
This book was first published in 1978
14 Lists
- score: 138 -- Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) - 1991 (Weight: 138)
- score: 108 -- The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years - 2005 (Weight: 108)
- score: 98 -- Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century - 1999 (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- The Greatest Books of All Time - 2022 (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 96)
- score: 93 -- The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - 1999 (Weight: 90)
- score: 92 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 90)
- score: 84 -- Big Read (German) - 2004 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- The Big Read - 2003 (Weight: 84)
- score: 83 -- Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels - 2013 (Weight: 81)
- score: 78 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 78)
- score: 51 -- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 - 2013 (Weight: 51)
- score: 18 -- National Book Award - Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 18)