The World According to Garp - John Irving -------------------- 3.5 Stars

I am not sure why or how The World According to Garp made my "to read" list. I know it's been on there a long time (like 5 years) and I only picked it up as I was seeking a book in paper form and saw it in the library (perhaps a blog later about the digital vs. paper divide). Although I finished it a week ago, I've been struggling to figure out if: a) I liked it, b) why I did/did not like it, c) what it's really about.

I ended up landing with 3.5 stars as I really couldn't figure out how much I enjoyed the book. There were parts I couldn't put down and read quickly, while other times I had wished I didn't pick it up. And, even with the parts that were highly entertaining, I wasn't sure often what to make of the content. The book has been out over four decades so it's been around a while and there was (I think) a pretty popular movie based on the book that starred Robin Williams and Glenn Close that I watched after in hopes that it would give me more insights into the book (it really didn't).

The book is mostly a story about the character Garp - literally from when he was born to his death. His experiences growing up, turning into a writer, raising a family, and having marital issues. And while the book is fairly straightforward, I would classify the book is weird. I was trying to figure out what it reminded me of and I think the closest comparison I could make connections with was David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest (review here). That book, unlike this, is a masterpiece and beloved but there is a similar oddness to it. Both have a make believe quality (that seems based in reality but not really) that makes you question what you are reading and the connections to the book's themes as a whole. I did Google parts of this book to see if the references were real or unreal (almost all were fictional). The book also has many explicit parts that I was surprised to see in this book - partly because of its age and partly because I just figured it would be more wholesome.

So all of this leads to the final part - what was this book about? Usually, I don't get too focused on that part. Mostly because it's usually easy to tell and I'm mostly reading for entertainment. But when I finished and didn't know, it bothered me. Ironically, the edition I read was the 20th anniversary and Irving, the author, attempted to answer this question himself. And he too struggled! While he waxed thoughtfully about whether this was a coming of age story, a feminist focused novel, or about the power of lust, he too was not able to fully answer the question.

Which, upon review, is probably why the book is well regarded. While not the most entertaining story, it did pull on many of my emotions (humor, sadness, etc.) and did make me think. I guess a book could do a lot worst.