Books: Less

Our book club's selection for this quarter was Less, a novel by Andrew Sean Greer. The book is about a struggling writer, Arthur Less, who finds out that his old boyfriend is getting married. In response, Less plans an around-the-world voyage of author events, teaching engagements, and literary award ceremonies to avoid the awkwardness of attending the wedding without losing face. 

Less is the most lighthearted and comic title we've read so far in the book club. The big "problem" in the story is emotional rather than physical or financial (Less is never in any danger and seems to have plenty of money for a minor author), and the breezy premise is over and done with in a few hundred pages. It's not Tolstoy, but if you're looking for a lightweight comedy about an American abroad, where lessons are learned and hearts are mended, you could do worse than settling for Less.