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Less

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2018

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Less

By: Andrew Sean Greer
Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
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Summary

 *** Pre-order Andrew Sean Greer's brilliant new novel Villa Coco, coming in June ***

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018

'You will sob little tears of joy' Nell Zink

'I recommend it with my whole heart' Ann Patchett

'This book is basically perfect' Dolly Alderton

'Charming, languid and incredibly funny, I absolutely adored Arthur' Jenny Colgan

'Marvellously, endearingly, unexpectedly funny' Gary Shteyngart

'I adore this book' Armistead Maupin

'Bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful' New York Times Book Review

'A fast and rocketing read . . . a wonderful, wonderful book!' Karen Joy Fowler

'Hilarious, and wise, and abundantly funny' Adam Haslett

WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS?

Arthur Less is a failed novelist about to turn fifty. A wedding invitation arrives in the post: it is from an ex-boyfriend of nine years who is engaged to someone else. Arthur can't say yes - it would be too awkward; he can't say no - it would look like defeat. So, he begins to accept the invitations on his desk to half-baked literary events around the world.

From France to India, Germany to Japan, Arthur almost falls in love, almost falls to his death, and puts miles between him and the plight he refuses to face. Less is a novel about mishaps, misunderstandings and the depths of the human heart.©2017 Andrew Sean Greer Fiction Genre Fiction Humorous Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Romantic Comedy Heartfelt
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Critic Reviews

I adore this book (Armistead Maupin)
Greer is one of the most talented writers around (Michael Chabon)
A really smart, funny book that pulls you up instead of down . . . It's hysterical, and the writing is fantastic (Ann Patchett)
The most deftly funny romantic comedy I've read in years. If you have a sentimental bone in your body (I have 206),the ending will make you sob little tears of joy (Nell Zink)
Marvelously, unexpectedly, endearingly funny. A love story focused on the erroneous belief that the second half of life will pale in comparison to the first. Guess what? It won't! (Gary Shteyngart)
Less is the funniest, smartest, and most humane novel I've read since The Imperfectionists . . . Greer writes sentences of arresting lyricism and beauty. His metaphors come at you like fireflies . . . Like Arthur, Andrew Sean Greer's Less is excellent company. It's no less than bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful (Christopher Buckley)
A generous book, musical in its prose and expansive in its structure and range, about growing older and the essential nature of love (Judges of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2018)
I am re-reading Less by Andrew Sean Greer. It is a hilarious, heart-warming story about an imperfect, optimistic and utterly loveable protagonist Arthur Less, stumbling towards a milestone of middle-age on a geographical and personal odyssey while reflecting on his life so far. It is my idea of perfect comfort reading - heroically hopeful, laugh-out-loud funny and overflowing with love (Dolly Alderton)
A fast and rocketing read with everything I want from a story - moments of high humor, moments of genuine wisdom, sharp insights, and gorgeous images. A wonderful, wonderful book!
Greer is an exceptionally lovely writer, capable of mingling humor with sharp poignancy . . . Brilliantly funny . . . Greer's narration, so elegantly laced with wit, cradles the story of a man who loses everything: his lover, his suitcase, his beard, his dignity
Less is philosophical, poignant, funny and wise, filled with unexpected turns . . . Although Greer is gifted and subtle in comic moments, he's just as adept at ruminating on the deeper stuff. His protagonist grapples with aging,loneliness, creativity, grief, self-pity and more
Greer elevates Less' picaresque journey into a wise and witty novel. This is no Eat, Pray Love story of touristic uplift, but rather a grand travelogue of foibles, humiliations and self-deprecation, ending in joy, and a dollop of self-knowledge
Greer, the author of wonderful, heartfelt novels including The Confessions of Max Tivoli, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells and The Story of a Marriage, shows he has another powerful weapon in his arsenal: comedy. And who doesn't need a laugh right about now?
All stars
Most relevant
Everything, every moment, every word of this book is so beautifully crafted. The narration by Robert Petkoff couldn’t be more perfect. Day after day I would stop reading and quietly reflect on this exquisite work. Usually a greedy reader, I took my time and soaked in every emotional glorious moment.

My Book Of The Year

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I admired and enjoyed this book immensely, a take on middle age that’s a funny, sunny, California, gay (and much shorter) version of Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “My Struggle”. What prompted me to write the review, however, is the absolutely brilliant reading by Robert Petkoff, in particular his mastery of a range of accents, including mixed accents and, almost miraculously, differing versions of one of the secondary characters, one of them middle-aged and the other stroke-afflicted and elderly. Bravo!

A great book read absolutely brilliantly

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I am not white or middle aged or gay (all these attributes pertain to the main character). I'm straight and asian and 19 (not that it matters). At the beginning I thought it was completely unrelatable and to be honest found myself borderline hating it, but turns out I was playing right into Greer's hands the entire time. What absolute genius. Without spoiling anything, the moment where the story purposefully turned my distate for it upside down and started making it seemingly universally relatable was simply amazing. The narration is so self-aware and humourous but also very authentic and satisfying. It's about 9 hours (about half the length of audiobooks i usually buy) but Greer doesnt mince his words but he also makes the story progress so smoothly and naturally. It feels fleshed out to just the right amount. Completely worthwhile as ive listened to 17-hour audiobooks that cant even hold a candle to Greer's execution and storybuilding. Do give it a try if you believe in no pain no gain.

Thought it was bad but then it turned out amazing

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This is a book for when you need a break from the books about the confronting, the traumatic, the heartbreaking. Its not light - there's much to chew on - getting older, self-image, loneliness, the nature of relationships. It won 'the big prize' for a reason. ENJOY this book.

Charming, relaxing, modern

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Much has been said about 'Less' - so I will only add to it by saying that the narration was brilliant. I felt like I was in a play or watching a movie so perfectly were the characters given life and realised. Despite myself I found my heart going out to Less and despite myself developed a stake in his life and hope for the outcome. I loved it!

Narrator and novel wonderful

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