like all extraordinary books, the world according to garp defies synopsis, wrote the chicago sun times when garp was first published in 1978. it is a marvellous, important, permanent novel by a serious artist of remarkable powers. garp is a book that captivates all who read it. peopled with the most extraordinary characters you will ever meet, here is a novel that will make you laugh, make you weep, and, above all, make you think.