The World According to Garp - review

A colleague at work recommended his book to me.  We were talking about books I suppose, and he made a reference to this book - and I didn't know it other than a vague memory of a bad movie.

I was signing out something at the library and the book happen to catch my eye - so I checked it out as well.

The story is about Garp - but starts with his mom, Jenny Fields who wanted a baby but no love attachments.   Jenny Fields came from a wealthy family, but detached herself from them, insisting on doing her own thing, living her own life.  She gets herself pregnant by an unwitting and dying soldier she is caring for behind the closed curtains in the infirmary.   She had the baby and began working in a boys boarding school where she raised Garp, and where Garp eventually attended, and in his adult life returns to coach.  Garp was a serious kid, like his mother, and devoted himself to wrestling and writing.  He goes to Europe with his mom where they both work on writing their first book.  His mom's book becomes popular and political.  Garp's writing has more promise, but he is somewhat dwarfed by his mom's popularity and political involvement.  His mom, who doesn't care so much for what her book has become, but rather commits herself to caring for people.  Garp falls in love with a girl from high school and marries her, has some affairs, they have a couple of kids, he writes some terrible books.  His wife gains her PhD and teaches, he continues his work on writing.  His kids grow, they suffer a tragedy, and from this Garp writes and awful book that also becomes popular and brings him in more contact with his mom's political circles.

What I liked: I liked how Garp devoted himself to his kids and his writing.  I liked how Irving included Garp's writing within the book - it kept me interested in Garp's story.  It made me think about my writing and what it takes, what I want to do with it, ways to think about it.  I was moved by their tragedy and its aftermath - how they dealt individually, and how their sufferings eventually brought them all together.

What I didn't like: Most of the book up until around page 350 of the 500+ page book.  The main character wasn't likable.  The book was supposed to be a comedy-tragedy (which is why I was interested), but I didn't like the comedy.  I didn't find it funny - which it is applauded for being so - but I found it ridiculous instead.  How Jenny Fields got pregnant, her and Garp's narrow unbending view on life, and their isolation - his mother seemed to have no meaningful relationships, and Garp himself, the few meaningful relationships he had (his wife, his kids, and Roberta) were the only parts that held my interest.

Quotes: "He is intolerant of the intolerant."   (I know the feeling).

Rating: 3 of 5