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Less cover art

Less

Written by: Andrew Sean Greer
Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
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Publisher's Summary

A breakout romantic comedy by the best-selling author of five critically acclaimed novels.

Who says you can't run away from your problems?

You are a failed novelist about to turn 50. A wedding invitation arrives in the mail: Your boyfriend of the past nine years is engaged to someone else. You can't say yes - it would be too awkward - and you can't say no - it would look like defeat. On your desk are a series of invitations to half-baked literary events around the world.

Question: How do you arrange to skip town?

Answer: You accept them all.

What would possibly go wrong?

Arthur Less will almost fall in love in Paris, almost fall to his death in Berlin, barely escape to a Moroccan ski chalet from a Saharan sandstorm, accidentally book himself as the (only) writer-in-residence at a Christian Retreat Center in Southern India, and encounter, on a desert island in the Arabian Sea, the last person on Earth he wants to face. Somewhere in there: He will turn 50. Through it all there is his first love. And there is his last.

Because despite all these mishaps, missteps, misunderstandings, and mistakes, Less is, above all, a love story.

A scintillating satire of the American abroad, a rumination on time and the human heart, a bittersweet romance of chances lost, by an author the New York Times has hailed as "inspired, lyrical", "elegiac", and "ingenious" as well as "too sappy by half", Less shows a writer at the peak of his talents raising the curtain on our shared human comedy.

©2017 Andrew Sean Greer (P)2017 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"Andrew Sean Greer is one of the most talented writers around, feeling and funny, with a genuinely fine prose style and a sensibility to match." (Michael Chabon)
"Andy Sean Greer writes with an intelligent joy that encompasses a truly kaleidoscopic vision, reminding me of the work of Peter Carey and David Mitchell. This novel is beautifully sewn together." (Colum McCann)

What listeners say about Less

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I actually refunded my credit

I had gone about 2hours into this book and for some reasons did not want to continue it so I refunded my credit, but I still had it downloaded. I had finished my other audiobook and to kill time I ended up continuing this one. I
ended up loving it, laughing out loud at some parts and loving the side characters, it really took my imagination for a ride

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Meh

Read/listened to this for girly book club. It's an existential narrative of a rich white man having an existential crisis. Unrelatable and unremarkable.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fun and smart

Fun, easy to listen to book, with many laughing moments. Loved the ending and was surprised by the identity of the narrator. Positive notes throughout most of the book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

travel with Less

loved it. touching and laugh-out-loud funny. charming prose and a perfect globe trot at a timebwhenbthebworld seems far way.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

less could have been more

I almost gave up on this book, but since I had the audiobook, I put it on in the background as I was doing some chores, just to get it over with. It wasn't until he was in Morocco that I finally found Arthur and his story mildly interesting. The misadventures at every turn seemed forced to give the story a plot. I didn't mind the later part of the book, but it really was nothing special. Sure, the author had a very eloquent way of describing everything, but all it did was create a literary painting without substance. Yes, the story is supposed to shine a light on coming to terms with middle age, but being exactly at that point in my life, I can't say I gained any insight. Big on imagery, limited in meaningful plot. Also, not really as funny (I didn't laugh, snicker or chuckle one) as some reviews suggest.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very well written prose

Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to good writing. The story was better than I had expected from most plot summaries and the narration was very well-done.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

narration

a very good story but narrator's imitation of different accents gets really annoying towards the end.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Clever, funny and heart-warming

This book is beautifully written with clever and funny imagery and a lovely romantic twist. It’s a smart, realistic look on life and love. I deeply enjoyed it and will miss Arthur now my book is done.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

It was okay-ish

This was one of those books that I went back and forth on. I like it, I thought it was boring, I liked it, I thought it was boring. Robert Petkoff is an excellent narrator though so that keeps the listener engaged but the story was just.....okay...ish.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great writing. Great character. Great story.

I was sad when this book was done, and then happy to find the sequel!!

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