The Book of George
“A wry and riveting story of wasted potential that follows its eponymous protagonist from the ages of 12 to 38…It’s a testament to Greathead’s skill that he becomes a character worth rooting for. This is a revelation.”
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A Washington Post Best Book of the Year
A Real Simple Pick of 2024's Best Books
From the author of the critically acclaimed Laura & Emma comes a The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. for our times: Kate Greathead's razor-sharp but big-hearted excavation of millennial masculinity, The Book of George.
"Baker captures the overarching impact of the audiobook, making this listening experience exceptional, especially for the Georges who may hear themselves in the narrative."-AudioFile
If you haven't had the misfortune of dating a George, you know someone who has. He's a young man brimming with potential but incapable of following through; sweet yet noncommittal to his long-suffering girlfriend; distant from but still reliant on his mother; charmingly funny one minute, sullenly brooding the next. Here, Kate Greathead paints one particular, unforgettable George in a series of droll and surprisingly poignant snapshots of his life over two decades.
Despite his failings, it's hard not to root for George at least a little. Beneath his cynicism is a reservoir of fondness for his girlfriend, Jenny, and her valiant willingness to put up with him. Each demonstration of his flaws is paired with a self-eviscerating comment. No one is more disappointed in him than himself (except maybe Jenny and his mother). As hilarious as it is resonant and as singular as it is universal, The Book of George is a deft, unexpectedly moving portrait of one man-but also countless others.
A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.
Praise