Less

***/*****                                                                                                                                        Novel

Less

Andrew Sean Greer

Arthur Less, a middle-aged homosexual, is a second-rate novelist. In his early twenties he was lover of an acclaimed Pulitzer-winning poet. This, it seems, has been his only achievement in life.

One day he receives an invitation for the wedding of his companion, who has been his lover for eight years. Life could not be more cruel. He is at the end of his tethers. And he is about to turn fifty. Is this the end of life for him? He can’t attend the wedding. On the spur of the moment, he decides to accept an invitation- that has been languishing on his desk for months -to a string of ersatz literary events around the world: an offer to interview some science-fiction writer in New York; guest-almost as an afterthought-at an half-baked literary gathering in Mexico; an awards ceremony in Turin, Italy; A teaching assignment in Germany; stopover in Paris; few days of desert safari in Morocco; a few weeks in Kerala, India, where he is able to rewrite an old novel in a guest house facing Arabian sea; and in the end, a few days in Japan writing gastronomic reviews for few restaurants.

Arthur Less, a bumbling, has-been-beautiful man, at threshold of the decrepitation of old age, lover of bright, peacock-blue-suits, a failure in every sphere of life, awkwardly innocent, stumbles across these cities on the globe as he remembers his past and dreads his future. He falls in love many times and then extricates himself with heart-wrenching agony.

Author, Andrew Sean Greer, throughout this almost picaresque novel, spanning many continents, weaves a tale of love and hopelessness as he writes about Arthur Less’ past life, while describing his present travels. There is a heart-tugging poignancy in Less’ desire to be loved and be wanted, ‘I want to be wanted more than anything in the world’, his repeated losses in this regard and his awareness of his mediocrity as a writer. Greer writes in a humorous tone and this is suave, tinged with sadness. He eschews melodrama, yet he has adroitly contrived certain situations that leave you acutely melancholic, but, for briefest of moments only. Greer in no time changes the atmosphere as he soon adapts the humorous tone once again.

I find the often-abstruse prose and a recondite narration, major drawbacks of the novel. Is Greer hesitant in looking at the emotions of Arthur Less, square in the face? Does he dread the sentimental quicksand he might not be able to navigate? Is his nebulous narration on such occasions an attempt to avoid dealing with the situation head-on? I couldn’t help as these doubts recurred in my mind while I read the book.

This is an interesting story. Greer deals with the sadness of the human condition with a sensibility that is quite exquisite. He is unflashy in dealing with emotions, yet conveys the poignancy of the situation. He uses humour to underscore the sorrows. A sweet book. Arthur Less lingers in your thoughts long after you have read the last page.