Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Back Bay Books (2018), Edition: Reprint, 272 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) HTML:A struggling novelist travels the world to avoid an awkward wedding in this hilarious Pulitzer Prize-winning novel full of "arresting lyricism and beauty" (The New York Times Book Review). WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZENational BestsellerA New York Times Notable Book of 2017A Washington Post Top Ten Book of 2017A San Francisco Chronicle Top Ten Book of 2017Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, the Lambda Award, and the California Book Award Who says you can't run away from your problems? You are a failed novelist about to turn fifty. A wedding invitation arrives in the mail: your boyfriend of the past nine years is engaged to someone else. You can't say yes�??it would be too awkward�??and you can't say no�??it would look like defeat. On your desk are a series of invitations to half-baked literary events around the world. QUESTION: How do you arrange to skip town? ANSWER: You accept them all. What would possibly go wrong? Arthur Less will almost fall in love in Paris, almost fall to his death in Berlin, barely escape to a Moroccan ski chalet from a Saharan sandstorm, accidentally book himself as the (only) writer-in-residence at a Christian Retreat Center in Southern India, and encounter, on a desert island in the Arabian Sea, the last person on Earth he wants to face. Somewhere in there: he will turn fifty. Through it all, there is his first love. And there is his last. Because, despite all these mishaps, missteps, misunderstandings and mistakes, Less is, above all, a love story. A scintillating satire of the American abroad, a rumination on time and the human heart, a bittersweet romance of chances lost, by an author The New York Times has hailed as "inspired, lyrical," "elegiac," "ingenious," as well as "too sappy by half," Less shows a writer at the peak of his talents raising the curtain on our shared human comedy. "I could not love LESS more."�??Ron Charles, The Washington Post "Andrew Sean Greer's Less is excellent company. It's no less than bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful."--Christopher Buckley, The New York Times Book Review… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jnwelch
“Strange to be almost fifty, no? I feel like I just understood how to be young."
"Yes! It's like the last day in a foreign country. You finally figure out where to get coffee, and drinks, and a good steak. And then you have to leave. And you won't ever be back.”
In Less: A Novel, our
Arthur is turning 50 and has just lost a boyfriend he had taken too much for granted, one who is getting married to another man. To distract himself and avoid the wedding (he's invited), he puts together a multi-country tour with author appearances, workshop teaching, and hopefully time to salvage a rejected manuscript. Arthur is appealingly humble about himself, and filled with anxiety about life's challenges. He's also very funny.
“It is a traveler’s fallacy that one should shop for clothing while abroad. Those white linen tunics, so elegant in Greece, emerge from the suitcase as mere hippie rags; the beautiful striped shirts of Rome are confined to the closet; and the delicate hand batiks of Bali are first cruise wear, then curtains, then signs of impending madness.”
He expects to be embarrassed and humiliated at times on this journey, and life delivers. But he's also noble and endearing, with other men attracted to him, and his books have a surprising number of fans. Greer is a graceful writer, and has a deft hand with the humor. In Germany, Less has a higher opinion of his fluency than is justified, and announces in German to surprised students at his first class that, "I am sorry, I must kill most of you." This is just one of many linguistic bobbles.
The students nonetheless are quite taken with him, and the reader is, too. As he travels around the world, Arthur comes to some important realizations about his life, and the ending is satisfying. This is a smart, witty, enjoyable read.
"Yes! It's like the last day in a foreign country. You finally figure out where to get coffee, and drinks, and a good steak. And then you have to leave. And you won't ever be back.”
In Less: A Novel, our
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unforgettable protagonist Arthur Less is a somewhat successful author who views his own writing as mediocre in contrast to that of his long-time romantic partner and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert. Yes, part of the fun here is that this novel just won a Pulitzer, and Robert's winning the Pulitzer is addressed in the book.Arthur is turning 50 and has just lost a boyfriend he had taken too much for granted, one who is getting married to another man. To distract himself and avoid the wedding (he's invited), he puts together a multi-country tour with author appearances, workshop teaching, and hopefully time to salvage a rejected manuscript. Arthur is appealingly humble about himself, and filled with anxiety about life's challenges. He's also very funny.
“It is a traveler’s fallacy that one should shop for clothing while abroad. Those white linen tunics, so elegant in Greece, emerge from the suitcase as mere hippie rags; the beautiful striped shirts of Rome are confined to the closet; and the delicate hand batiks of Bali are first cruise wear, then curtains, then signs of impending madness.”
He expects to be embarrassed and humiliated at times on this journey, and life delivers. But he's also noble and endearing, with other men attracted to him, and his books have a surprising number of fans. Greer is a graceful writer, and has a deft hand with the humor. In Germany, Less has a higher opinion of his fluency than is justified, and announces in German to surprised students at his first class that, "I am sorry, I must kill most of you." This is just one of many linguistic bobbles.
The students nonetheless are quite taken with him, and the reader is, too. As he travels around the world, Arthur comes to some important realizations about his life, and the ending is satisfying. This is a smart, witty, enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member Narshkite
Positively delightful. Smart and funny and splendidly written. For those who know B and C list authors who make their way in the world traveling from this writers' workshop to that, this guest lecture to the next, this blurb to that think-piece on the connections between the decline in sales for
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serious literature and the rise of Instagram celebrities, this will resonate. This is a book about getting out of your life, and your social circle, to change your lens and to have a truer view of your world. There is a gorgeous arc here, a true epiphany that boils down to choosing to see the world and write about it from a perspective outside one's own head which is embedded in one's own ass. And also and ultimately, this is a love story, or a series of love stories, all different and beautiful and absolutely imperfect. This feels like a roman a clef, but I know nothing about the author so heck if I know. If its not autobiographical I would be amazed because everything here is so very true. Show Less
LibraryThing member novelcommentary
The novel depicts the excursions of Andrew Less as he travels the world trying to avoid attending or thinking about the wedding of a man he loves, or loved. He also once had a seven year relationship with a famous poet whose greatness kept him, a minor author, in elite circles of the literary
Each chapter takes place in one of the excursions he is taking. (Chapter titles include: Less Italian, Less Mexican,etc). These experiences are very funny in their depiction of characters and places, done with a great eye for detail and observation. His journey helps him to turn 50 with a flare, sipping champagne in Morocco, tasting traditional kaiseki cuisine in Japan; it also serves to provide some time for him to give his last novel a rewrite, one that may give some compassion to its main character, one that may help his publisher take another look. This was a funny well written novel and winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize.
Good lines:
heard the whimpering applause of perhaps fifteen, twenty people in the auditorium—that dreadful harbinger, like the dark rain spots one notices on a sidewalk before the
storm—"
"At the party, Freddy stared out the window, where the fog erased downtown. These days he ate vegetables but still called his legal father Carlos. In his suit he was painfully thin, with a concave chest, and, while lacking youth’s verve, Freddy had all of youth’s passions; one could sit back with a bag of popcorn and watch the romances and comedies of his mind projected onto his face, and the lenses of his tortoiseshell glasses swirled with his thoughts like the iridescent membranes of soap bubbles"
"The Russian novelist pulls his lush eyebrows together like the parts of a
modular sofa."
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world. "Arthur Less? A minor author whose greatest fame was a youthful association with the Russian River School of writers and artists, an author too old to be fresh and too young to be rediscovered, one who never sits next to anyone on a plane who has heard of his books."Each chapter takes place in one of the excursions he is taking. (Chapter titles include: Less Italian, Less Mexican,etc). These experiences are very funny in their depiction of characters and places, done with a great eye for detail and observation. His journey helps him to turn 50 with a flare, sipping champagne in Morocco, tasting traditional kaiseki cuisine in Japan; it also serves to provide some time for him to give his last novel a rewrite, one that may give some compassion to its main character, one that may help his publisher take another look. This was a funny well written novel and winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize.
Good lines:
heard the whimpering applause of perhaps fifteen, twenty people in the auditorium—that dreadful harbinger, like the dark rain spots one notices on a sidewalk before the
storm—"
"At the party, Freddy stared out the window, where the fog erased downtown. These days he ate vegetables but still called his legal father Carlos. In his suit he was painfully thin, with a concave chest, and, while lacking youth’s verve, Freddy had all of youth’s passions; one could sit back with a bag of popcorn and watch the romances and comedies of his mind projected onto his face, and the lenses of his tortoiseshell glasses swirled with his thoughts like the iridescent membranes of soap bubbles"
"The Russian novelist pulls his lush eyebrows together like the parts of a
modular sofa."
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LibraryThing member Schmerguls
5586. Less a novel, by Andrew Sean Greer (read 13 Oct 2018) (Pulitzer fiction prize in 2018) With the reading of this book I can again say I have read every book which has won the Pulitzer prize for fiction. Such winners have often been great favorites of mine. But lately they have not been much
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appreciated. This year's winner certainly disappointed and was a blah book as far as I was concerned. If it had not won the Pulitzer prize I would never have read it. Its central character is a man 49 years old and it follows his life for a few months as he turns 50 He is a homosexual novelist who travels to New York, Mexico, Italy, Paris, Spain, Morocco, India, and Japan. The blurbs on the jacket say the book is very funny. I laughed a few times but usually I found the book very boring and hoped it would end and I was very glad it was only 261 pages. The book is a total loser as far as i am concerned. Show Less
LibraryThing member TimBazzett
Sorry. I read about 90 pages of LESS and, well .. nothing. It just seemed like so much fluff. I could not relate. It did not engage me. And I'm pretty sure it's not because it has a gay protagonist - a minor writer, Arthur Less - because I've read gay writers who wrote about gay people and enjoyed
There just seemed to be so little of substance here. And this book won the PULITZER? I just finished reading the runner-up, Elif Batuman's THE IDIOT, which was worlds better than LESS, and should have won. This book? Nope. Not recommended. (Fortunately, I got the book at a library sale for just a buck. It looked brand new, so I suspect the previous owner couldn't read it either.)
- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER
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them. Timothy Findlay, John Boyne, Stephen McCauley and others come to mind. And I like to read about writers and the writing life too.There just seemed to be so little of substance here. And this book won the PULITZER? I just finished reading the runner-up, Elif Batuman's THE IDIOT, which was worlds better than LESS, and should have won. This book? Nope. Not recommended. (Fortunately, I got the book at a library sale for just a buck. It looked brand new, so I suspect the previous owner couldn't read it either.)
- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
I'd characterize this as a "day in the life" book crossed with a coming of age. Seems to me that a lot of white men don't get their shit together until they're 50 and Arthur Less is not an exception. Coincidentally the author will turn 50 shortly and so will I. Less does it in weeks, I will in
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months (from this writing) and the author a couple of years, but boy are we in different places. I hope I keep my head on straight when the day actually comes (I will be on a mini-vacation doing my favorite thing, so I think I'll be ok). 'Less' funny than it's billed, it does have some amusing parts and isn't too over-the-top in terms of absurdity. Arthur's homosexuality is a major part of the story, but it isn't pivotal, it just is. I like that about the book and that the quest for love and acceptance is universal. Show Less
LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
I have mixed feelings about this book. It's a complicated story that I didn't enjoy very much while I was reading it. I was encouraged by others not to bail on this book, nor did I want to since it was a Pulitzer prize winner. I was expecting it to be uproariously funny based on the blurbs which
I only came to appreciate this book after reading the last chapter. That was a long time to wait, but it did pull in the parts of the story that were its meat. The ending was very touching and made my time reading this book worthwhile. What I liked most about this book were its travel aspects as the protagonist visited several countries in an effort to lessen his discomfort about aging and being left single and alone. I also liked the realization of the things that are important to individuals.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you are a person who is not quick to bail on a book as this novel's merit is in reading this novel in its entirety.
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cover this book, front and back. I found the bulk of this book only mildly amusing.I only came to appreciate this book after reading the last chapter. That was a long time to wait, but it did pull in the parts of the story that were its meat. The ending was very touching and made my time reading this book worthwhile. What I liked most about this book were its travel aspects as the protagonist visited several countries in an effort to lessen his discomfort about aging and being left single and alone. I also liked the realization of the things that are important to individuals.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you are a person who is not quick to bail on a book as this novel's merit is in reading this novel in its entirety.
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LibraryThing member b.masonjudy
Less is playful and unabashedly enjoyable. I think that the novel itself captures the emotional spirit of its protagonist, Arthur Less. While not shying away from deeper questions in life its concern is love and the fate of living and the necessity of risk and humor.
LibraryThing member sturlington
Despite its self-referential comments about books about middle-aged white men and their "problems," this is still just a book about a middle-aged white (albeit gay) man and his "problems"--and he's a writer, to boot. Not much for me here. Abandoned.
LibraryThing member yukon92
That was plain boring - no wonder it won a Pulitzer Price!
LibraryThing member emquixotic
I adored Greer's writing and found this to be both a humorous and smart book. I am looking forward to reading more by Greer!
LibraryThing member Elizabeth_Foster
An engaging and warm read. Arthur Less approaches mid-life with trepidation. How does a romantic soul deal with ageing, loss and rejection, and a stalled writing career? The story manages to address weighty topics with a light touch and is sprinkled with humorous moments and reflections. I really
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enjoyed this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
This is a delightfully self-aware, funny, and poignant story of Arthur Less, an author who is taking a trip around the world to distract himself from the fact that he is turning 50 and that his much younger lover is marrying someone else.
"Man dealing with midlife crisis" is one of the least
First of all, Greer's writing is amazing. I would happily read his shopping list. The book is laugh-out-loud funny. But as much as you find yourself laughing at Less and his charming, blundering naivete, it is a laughter that is full of compassion for this lovably flawed man. Greer lets us laugh at him without losing respect for him. The narrator occasionally intrudes to share with us how much he loves Less, and it's impossible not to share that love.
The humor is there to cover up a lot of pain. Less has a lot of flashbacks to both good and bad times with former lovers, to the joys and pains of being gay in San Francisco during the AIDS crisis.
The book is charmingly self-aware: Less is in the process of rewriting a rejected novel about a middle-aged gay man wandering around San Francisco, and the reader can't help but compare Less's failed novel to "Less" itself. It's especially ironic then, that "Less" won a Pulitzer Prize when one of the big scenes in the book is when Less's lover wins the Pulitzer.
"Man dealing with midlife crisis" is one of the least
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appealing plotlines in the world to me, but this book is wonderful. First of all, Greer's writing is amazing. I would happily read his shopping list. The book is laugh-out-loud funny. But as much as you find yourself laughing at Less and his charming, blundering naivete, it is a laughter that is full of compassion for this lovably flawed man. Greer lets us laugh at him without losing respect for him. The narrator occasionally intrudes to share with us how much he loves Less, and it's impossible not to share that love.
The humor is there to cover up a lot of pain. Less has a lot of flashbacks to both good and bad times with former lovers, to the joys and pains of being gay in San Francisco during the AIDS crisis.
The book is charmingly self-aware: Less is in the process of rewriting a rejected novel about a middle-aged gay man wandering around San Francisco, and the reader can't help but compare Less's failed novel to "Less" itself. It's especially ironic then, that "Less" won a Pulitzer Prize when one of the big scenes in the book is when Less's lover wins the Pulitzer.
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LibraryThing member Travelgem
I didn’t like the protagonist or the first half of the book. I did enjoy the ending and appreciated the writing so I gave it 3 stars.
LibraryThing member FormerEnglishTeacher
Every so often I read a book that I decide is “not for everyone.” “Less” is such a book. In fact, I can think of only two people I know I would recommend it to. The story is about a sad sack sort of character with the apropos name of Arthur Less. Arthur is heart broken with his love
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interest decides to marry another man. Not only that, but this guy actually invites Arthur to the wedding. Obviously too distraught to attend, Arthur decides he can’t even stay in the country until after the wedding, so he concocts a scheme to travel around the world on someone else’s dime. His adventures are as strange as Arthur is. I won’t spoil the end for those reading this. Suffice it to say that Greer put a tasty frosting on a terrific cake. Bravo. Show Less
LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
Arthur Less is a writer whose latest novel has been rejected by his publisher and needs to be rewritten. His ex-lover is getting married and he doesn't want to go to the wedding. He concocts a trip around the world, made up of lectures, seminars, readings, book prize awards, and whatever else he
I often think Pulitzer Prize or Booker Prize books are over-rated to some degree, but I wish I had more stars to give to Less. The writing is superb, often meandering long sentences that are perfectly descriptive or terse comments that made me laugh out loud.
Arthur himself is a mild, sad man, about to turn fifty and apprehensive about it. He could be boring yet he is so likable. He sees the humor in the various accidents and escapades that he falls into on his travels. He's reflective yet innocent, called Peter Pan by his students. His claim to fame is his earlier relationship with a famous poet. He and Robert are still friends, but Robert was much older than Arthur. Freddy, the younger man who is marrying someone else now, is still much on Arthur's mind.
The story travels from San Francisco to Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco, India, and Japan. Those settings are a delight as Arthur wanders like Odessyus around the globe, seeking his real home and purpose.
Arthur's failed book is about a man who wanders around San Francisco for a day. I loved how it parallels his global journey. When Arthur finally finds his real courage and purpose, he's able to rewrite his book.
Anyway, this is definitely a book I'll want to reread over and over.
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can jam in so he has an excuse to avoid the wedding and work on his book.I often think Pulitzer Prize or Booker Prize books are over-rated to some degree, but I wish I had more stars to give to Less. The writing is superb, often meandering long sentences that are perfectly descriptive or terse comments that made me laugh out loud.
Arthur himself is a mild, sad man, about to turn fifty and apprehensive about it. He could be boring yet he is so likable. He sees the humor in the various accidents and escapades that he falls into on his travels. He's reflective yet innocent, called Peter Pan by his students. His claim to fame is his earlier relationship with a famous poet. He and Robert are still friends, but Robert was much older than Arthur. Freddy, the younger man who is marrying someone else now, is still much on Arthur's mind.
The story travels from San Francisco to Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco, India, and Japan. Those settings are a delight as Arthur wanders like Odessyus around the globe, seeking his real home and purpose.
Arthur's failed book is about a man who wanders around San Francisco for a day. I loved how it parallels his global journey. When Arthur finally finds his real courage and purpose, he's able to rewrite his book.
Anyway, this is definitely a book I'll want to reread over and over.
Show Less
LibraryThing member streamsong
Forty nine year old author Arthur Less is facing a midlife crises.
He feels he will never progress beyond being a midlist author of only moderate talent. His original lover, a famous poet of a particularly popular school of poets called the Russian Circle, has become old and frail.
His second lover,
And so to avoid the wedding, Less puts together a trip around the world of middling non-enticing events of the sort he has never accepted previously: a conference in Mexico where he is to speak about being a hanger-on in the group where his famous lover revolved; an awards banquet in France; teaching a short course in Germany; heading to Morrocco with a starlet he has never met and her entourage while she and he both turn 50; and finally a sojourn in India to rewrite his newest book, which his publisher has rejected.
This book is written with humor and pathos; cringe-worthy moments and moments where Arthur seems to triumph in spite of it all. I recognize my own aging angst in Arthur.
This book was written with a lot of sensitivity; it's not a farce although I laughed out loud; it's also not overly sentimental.
But can Arthur Less recognize that he is more than meets the eye?
He feels he will never progress beyond being a midlist author of only moderate talent. His original lover, a famous poet of a particularly popular school of poets called the Russian Circle, has become old and frail.
His second lover,
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Freddy, has left him and is planning to get married. He even sent Arthur a wedding invitation, which Arthur is determined not to attend.And so to avoid the wedding, Less puts together a trip around the world of middling non-enticing events of the sort he has never accepted previously: a conference in Mexico where he is to speak about being a hanger-on in the group where his famous lover revolved; an awards banquet in France; teaching a short course in Germany; heading to Morrocco with a starlet he has never met and her entourage while she and he both turn 50; and finally a sojourn in India to rewrite his newest book, which his publisher has rejected.
This book is written with humor and pathos; cringe-worthy moments and moments where Arthur seems to triumph in spite of it all. I recognize my own aging angst in Arthur.
This book was written with a lot of sensitivity; it's not a farce although I laughed out loud; it's also not overly sentimental.
But can Arthur Less recognize that he is more than meets the eye?
Show Less
LibraryThing member hemlokgang
Meet Arthur Less. An acclaimed author, a "bad gay", a man traveling around the world in search of his soul, his youth, his identity, while his luggage is on it's own separate journey. Arthur is less than he expects of himself, seems less loved/loveable than others in his opinion, less together,
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less many things. Yet, what does his beloved Freddy realize he wants more than anything? Why, Less, of course. An absolutely lovely book about aging, self-image, life and love. Show Less
LibraryThing member Iira
This fell victim to too much praise. Not a bad story in any way, but not good enough to fill the internet, in my opinion. Fun here and there, sad at times, but not gripping or adoreable or heartfelt. The best I got out of this was the correct pronunciation of Pulitzer (Pull-it-sir, not
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Pew-lit-sir)! I think I should continue to avoid books with too much hype, since I am always let down by my expectations. Show Less
LibraryThing member haymaai
Several people have said that ‘Less’ by Andrew Sean Greer, is a hilarious story, and although there were some humorous parts to it, for the most part, I thought it was a dismal tale about a 49 year old, almost to be 50 years old, gay writer who flees on a trip around the world to escape having
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to attend his former lover’s wedding. The main character, Arthur Less, takes an extended trip in which he encounters a series of misadventures while lamenting that his ex-boyfriend is going to be betrothed in a few days. While encountering one mishap after another, amongst them in which he loses his luggage and barely escapes death from a fall in Berlin, Less reflects upon his life and laments over his missed opportunity to have asked his former boyfriend, Freddie, to stay. Now he is turning 50, is an aged, somewhat mediocre writer, and life is looking quite dismal. Less’s most recent novel has been rejected by his publisher, and he embarks on this extended trip to hopefully revise the latest manuscript. While I felt that this novel was well written with superb metaphors and wit, I was somewhat detached to the humor, and felt mostly saddened for poor Andrew Less. I will say that this was somewhat of a love story, and for me, the end did not disappoint. Show Less
LibraryThing member write-review
Less Is More
Andrew Sean Greer’s peripatetic contemplation on love and self-worth is a pleasant and often lyrical experience. The Less of the title is one Arthur Less, the author of several lesser works, and himself a self-deprecating fellow. The novel follows him as he travels the world to lesser
Greer possesses a skillful style that floats the story along and engages the reader. Even when not much happens, the little bit happens with charm. Greer’s also a keen observer of people, in particular people many readers probably don’t encounter much in their own lives. These are people steeped in the art of thinking about themselves, those around them, and translating their observations into essays, novels, and poems we read to sharpen our own insights not only into the workings of the world but ourselves as well. Greer has created a charming voice for the narrator. The narrator knows Arthur intimately, in fact, better than Arthur seems to know himself. Most readers will soon enough figure out who is telling the story of Arthur’s loves and writings and bouts with angst, but even so it’s pleasantly and warmly rewarding when that narrator steps from the shadows.
So, if you’re in the mood for a charming, witty, and insightful trip around the world that includes San Francisco, Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco, and India (containing some of the best passages in the novel), climb on board Less.
Andrew Sean Greer’s peripatetic contemplation on love and self-worth is a pleasant and often lyrical experience. The Less of the title is one Arthur Less, the author of several lesser works, and himself a self-deprecating fellow. The novel follows him as he travels the world to lesser
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award presentations, lecture gigs, and retreats to redraft his latest novel that his long time publisher has rejected. His impetus for leaving is that his younger lover, Freddy Pelu, has left him for another man whom Freddy is about to marry; yet another indignity and punishment the world has inflicted on him. If there’s a literary conceit here it is that while Arthur things little of himself, believes that the world continually catches him in traps designed to pummel him with failure, the opposite appears to be true; that many do like him as a man, respect him as a writer (just not a loyal gay writer), and love him enough to give up other lovers and husbands for him. If we can find a lesson here, perhaps it is that we shouldn’t be quite as down on ourselves as some of us tend to be; that, really, we probably are better people than we give ourselves credit for being.Greer possesses a skillful style that floats the story along and engages the reader. Even when not much happens, the little bit happens with charm. Greer’s also a keen observer of people, in particular people many readers probably don’t encounter much in their own lives. These are people steeped in the art of thinking about themselves, those around them, and translating their observations into essays, novels, and poems we read to sharpen our own insights not only into the workings of the world but ourselves as well. Greer has created a charming voice for the narrator. The narrator knows Arthur intimately, in fact, better than Arthur seems to know himself. Most readers will soon enough figure out who is telling the story of Arthur’s loves and writings and bouts with angst, but even so it’s pleasantly and warmly rewarding when that narrator steps from the shadows.
So, if you’re in the mood for a charming, witty, and insightful trip around the world that includes San Francisco, Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco, and India (containing some of the best passages in the novel), climb on board Less.
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LibraryThing member Danielle.Desrochers
As much a story about love as a love letter to language.
LibraryThing member janismack
I have a hard time understand why this book won a pulitzer. Story of a man petrified of turning 50 years old. He has lost his lover and thinks that his life is over since he is turning 50 and is alone. In order to be out of town when his lover is to marry another, he goes on a trip to many
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international cities to promote his new book. Show Less
LibraryThing member strandbooks
Less won the Pulitzer this year, which is rare for a humorous novel. It is funny and touching; although I don’t think it is one I will remember well for long. The last 2 pages are a revelation of a character that makes me want to reread it with that knowledge (trying not to give away a spoiler.
LibraryThing member tapestry100
This story is exquisite. Something of a coming of age story, but for a 50 year old gay writer finding his place in his new middle age life. I listened to this during a recent road trip, and loved everything about both the story and the narration. An immediate favorite with a shine I know won’t
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dull with future readings. Show Less
Awards
Lambda Literary Award (Finalist — 2018)
Pulitzer Prize (Winner — Fiction — 2018)
Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards (Finalist — Fiction — 2018)
Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction (Longlist — Fiction — 2018)
Australian Book Industry Awards (Shortlist — 2019)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction & Poetry — 2017)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
Notable Books List (Fiction — 2018)
ALA Over the Rainbow Book List (Selection — Literary and General Interest — 2019)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2017-07-18 (1e édition originale américaine, Little, Brown and Company, New York)
2019-01-02 (1e traduction et édition française, Jacqueline Chambon)
2021-06-02 (Réédition française, Babel, Actes Sud)
Physical description
8.38 inches
ISBN
031631613X / 9780316316132