Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Book Review

When I was contemplating reading Less, I put a poll in my stories (on the @bookmarkparty Instagram) asking those who have read the book what they thought… the results were quite interesting. It seems most who responded either loved or hated the book. While I found the book enjoyable, I can understand why is isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

This satirical story focuses on Less, a washed-up writer on the brink of turning 50. The wedding of his former lover, Freddie, is quickly approaching, so in order to excuse himself from Freddie’s big day, Less makes a plan to accept any and all speaking engagements, awards, fellowships and vacation invites - taking him on a year-long adventure around the word. As Less makes his way across Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco and India, he encounters many whimsical characters - some old friends and many new acquaintances.

I love a story that allows you to travel the world without leaving your living room and Less makes for an excellent travel companion with his witty humor, cynicism and absurd antics. Despite his shortcomings (and there are many), Less is a character I couldn’t help but root for.

As much as I enjoyed learning about Less and the flashbacks that brought him to his present circumstances, I must say, I was a bit surprised to see that this book won a Pulitzer Prize. While it is certainly a unique and compelling read, it seems an odd choice for such a prestigious literary award (at least in my opinion). Nevertheless, I’m definitely glad I read this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

For those of you that have read this one, I would love to hear what you did/did not like about it!