Sometimes Less Is Less

The novel Less by Andrew Sean Greer won the Pulitzer, and now that I’ve read it, I can see why. It is polished, clever, funny, well-structured and safe...so safe. Arthur Less, the protagonist, has his sorrows to be sure, but nothing too horrifying or tragic, and although Arthur isn’t exactly sexless, he’s also not exactly passionate either. I have never read a story about a gay man that was as non-threatening as this.

Arthur’s parents were a bit befuddled, but they read books on how to relate to their sissy son. They raised him as a Unitarian, so Arthur isn’t crippled by homophobic religious doctrine or fears of hellfire. He wasn’t bullied or humiliated. He’s had two significant relationships in his life, but both partners left him. However, neither breakup was the stuff of high drama. He’s still on speaking terms with both men. He’s a mid-list literary writer. He never sits beside anyone on planes who has read his books. But because of his association with a beloved and revered poet, he’s often asked to participate in literary events. He lives a middle class life, and he’s about to turn fifty. Less is bit like garden gnomes and Wonder Bread. If you want something reliable and comforting that won’t challenge you too much, try it out.