What a joy to once again immerse myself in the world of the delightful, charming, endearing, cringe-worthy, hopeless, hapless, persistent-despite-the-odds world of Arthur Less in this sequel LESS IS LOST (Hachette 2022) by Andrew Sean Greer. (Although I do think it was a missed opportunity not to call the sequel Less Is More … or More is Less?)
Arthur Less is a unique individual and in him Greer has created an unforgettable, sympathetic and hilariously funny character. In this book, ‘life is going surprisingly well for Arthur Less’ – he is a moderately famous and published author (though not so famous or published as to be recognised or comfortable), and he has finally found love again with his partner Freddy Pelu, after the ending of Less’ 15-year relationship with the enigmatic and difficult poet, Robert Brownburn. Less and Brownburn were 27 and over 60 respectively when united – an age gap that necessarily led to issues of power, wealth, fame and ambition. In this novel, Less is in middle-age, and Pelu is much younger. Once again, Less finds himself in a union with a significant age difference, although this time it is him who is the older man. Greer explores the challenges of these differences with nuanced and tender warmth.
Less finds himself almost accidentally (it’s a long, funny story) on a road trip across America, driving a campervan called Rosina and with the company of a black pug named Dolly. Through the ‘Mild Mild West’ they go, with Less ditching his favoured plain suit and bland appearance with the addition of a handlebar moustache (very YMCA vibes), a cowboy hat, a bolero and a bunch of US flags flying bravely from every corner of Rosina. As he passes through the southern states to his birthplace, he is variously surprised, annoyed, fearful and amazed that everyone from bartenders to RV camper managers can tell Less is ‘different’ (predominately guessing either gay, or from the Netherlands …) Less himself can’t shake the feeling that he’s a ‘bad gay’ or worse, a ‘bad writer’.
The literary gigs he shows up to across the country, heralded by rather confusing announcements of his imminent appearance, make for a steady beat of amusing misunderstandings and witty befuddlements. But no matter how far he travels he cannot, of course, ever outrun himself. In the end, it is Arthur Less who must deal with Arthur Less.
David Sedaris calls LESS IS LOST ‘Wildly, painfully funny’; Marlon James says it is ‘Hilarious, affecting and unforgettable’. This is a novel of contemplation and trepidation, of considered action and ill-advised decisions, of low self-esteem and high anxiety. I would recommend reading the first in the series before this one, to get the complete picture of Arthur Less in his youth, although this novel does stand alone. Amusing, sharp dialogue, clever predicaments, warmth and endless joy.