When I first picked up Less, I wondered what a 29 year old, married, straight man that works in finance could have in common with a 50 year old, single, gay writer. However, after the hype and the awards, I was convinced I would immediately connect with Arthur Less and enjoy this novel cover-to-cover.

I certainly enjoyed Less’ humorous cynicism and idiosyncrasies. I especially related to his pre-flight routine. Jen can attest I, too, constantly check “passport, wallet, phone… passport, wallet, phone.” Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, I lacked the emotional investment in Less’ journey for self-enlightenment – maybe our worlds were ultimately too far apart.

For me, this novel felt written for the critics rather than the public. The Pulitzer Prize was awarded to a book centered on the mid-life crisis of a past-his-prime writer who embarks on a journey spanning the globe to cope with heartbreak and self-doubt. Doesn’t this seem a bit on the nose and almost self-congratulatory by the award committee?

We often see this dynamic at the Oscars as well. I will say Less is The Artist of the Pulitzer Prize – a book that becomes the darling among the industry and was “made for awards season” but probably lacks the “staying power” with the general public.

Verdict: Hard to call a Pulitzer winner a “skip it.” 2.5/5 Stars
Length: 261 pages
Quote: “In a world where most people read one book a year, there is a lot of money hoping that this is the book and that this night will be the glorious kickoff. And they are depending on Arthur Less.”
When: You want an awarding-winning satirical novel
Also Try: I believe Jonathan Franzen has a similar writing style that I found more engaging and entertaining. Freedom would be my recommendation over The Corrections

Buy Less by Andrew Sean Greer