Less is a book about being human told from the story of a
gay man. Arthur Less is about to turn 50 years old when the book opens. Less is
a good writer but not a famous writer. He has deeply loved two men and the
latest of those loves (Freddy) has decided to marry another. To escape the pain
of this wedding Less decides to orchestrate a round the world adventure attending
various invited, but lesser, professional events. During the course of these
adventures the reader learns bit by bit the story of Less’s life and at the
same time is entertained by Less’s traveling foibles.
Arthur Less is a self-deprecating man. He has never thought
he had much talent as a writer and always compares himself to others, especially
to his former lover Robert Brownburn who was a genius poet. Unless he is a genius Less feels worthless. He
says, “going on in mediocrity is the worst kind of hell” and “what will the
work do if you are not a genius?” He thinks of himself “ as superfluous as the extra
“a” in quaalude". Even when Less wins an award in Turin he cannot feel good
about it. Arthur thinks “less” of himself…hence the title of the book.
Another theme of the book is Less’s search for happiness. He
is a lonely man and is looking for love. Not only looking for love in terms of
finding the right “person” but looking for what love really is. He says, “ be mysterious, be in love you will
be happy” and “ twenty years of joy and support and friendship that is success”.
Ironically, his relationship with his first love, Robert, ends because Robert
discovers Less is cheating on him. Less seems to fall in love or fall into “lust”
over and over. It seems easy for him to find an attractive man, kiss him passionately
and spend the weekend in bed with him. This desire for commitment but lack of
restraint is a point of tension in the book. Less seems overwhelmed by the beauty
of the human body and the pleasures of sex and unable to stay loyal to his
partners. But now it seems Less has found true love with Freddy and wishes with all his
heart that Freddy had married him.
Less’s adventures around the world were woven with humor and
evocative descriptions of places and events. The energy of
Berlin at night was succinctly, but richly described as if the reader had
jumped into the vibrant streets from the dark sky above. Greer captured Less’s time in India with a concentrated essence of India's culture:
its color, chaos, aroma and spiritual flavor. The stark dessert of Morocco and
surprise of an alpine mountain created an exotic scene that drew the reader in and summoned for more. Less’s mishaps along the way added to the pleasure of the read…his swirling
doubts as to whether or not he got into the right cab (his name was misspelled on
the placard) on his way to the Italian alps was quite plausible and funny. Less’s
misplaced confidence in speaking German while in Berlin was written with clever
humor. Less spends his 50th birthday in Morocco on a group trip
and one by one his fellow travelers fall sick. Less remarks, “this isn’t like a
birthday it’s like an Agatha Christie novel.”
At book club we discussed the merits of this book relative
to it receiving the Pulitzer Prize. None of us related to the character Less;
he didn’t evoke sympathy. In addition, the relationships in the book were not
well developed and seemed flat. Themes of love, aging, and identity were there
but not explored in any depth. On the final leg of his adventure Less visits
Japan to write an article about food…he eats the same dishes prepared at seven
different restaurants. At the final restaurant
he has to break through an ancient Japanese screen in order to get out of the
room he was in…the act causes him great angst. This is clearly a metaphor, but
for what? Giving up on love? Deciding to be happy without love? The metaphor
was strong and beautiful but unfinished. The author does give us a glimpse into the
gay community …promiscuity, age discrepant relationships and lust and the book was cleverly written with unique and fascinating
imagery...” the suit purrs as it sits”, the man’s head “bald as a malted milk
ball”, Less “once pink and gold with youth now faded like the sofa he sits on”.
Moreover, the twist at the end of the book, when it becomes clear that Freddy
is the narrator, creates a fresh look at all that had come before. Our
conclusion was that the book received the Pulitzer because of its objective “craft”
not because of its profound message.
