The World According to Garp by John Irving

“A novel (1978) by the US writer John Irving (b. 1942). T.S. Garp is the son of Jenny Fields, who is generally repelled by men but who as a nurse in the Second World War decides she wants a child. She chooses as father of her child a terminally brain-injured airman, whose only utterance is the meaningless syllable ‘Garp’; the ‘T.S.’ of the son’s name stands for ‘Technical Sargeant’. When Garp grows up he becomes the author of a novel called The World According to Bensenhaver, while his mother, retaining her nurse’s uniform, becomes a charismatic feminist leader. Both are eventually assassinated. A film version (1982), directed by George Roy Hill, starred Robin Williams in the title role and Glenn Close as his mother.”

Excerpted from: Crofton, Ian, ed. Brewer’s Curious Titles. London: Cassell, 2002.