Review: Less by Andrew Sean Greer
20 Books of Summer 2020: Book 5
I’m always happy when a funny book wins the Pulitzer because it makes me feel less glum about my chances of ever reading all the winners. There’s a lot to love about Less, which is to say there’s a lot to love about its protagonist: Arthur Less. Arthur is 49 years old and riddled with insecurities around his age and recently-rejected novel. He’s haunted by two past relationships: one with Robert, a Pulitzer winner who was too old for him, and another with Freddy, a man Arthur felt too old for. When Freddy gets engaged to someone else, Arthur avoids the wedding by going on a world tour of literary events: to Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco, India, and Japan. Each chapter is set in a different country on his tour. read more