Arthur Less is the novel’s protagonist. On learning that his ex-boyfriend Freddy is to be married, he hastily arranges a round-the-world trip to ensure he is not at home for either Freddy’s wedding or his own 50th birthday. At the beginning of the story, Less is despondent. He feels like a failure in many respects—romantically, professionally, and individualistically. Throughout the narrative, he comes to terms with his own identity and reevaluates his sense of self-worth.

Less’s history is complicated. After coming to terms with his sexuality as a teen, he spent many years in a relationship with an older man. Robert was respected as a poet in a way Less is never able to achieve; indeed, much of Less’s renown comes from this relationship and his proximity to the Russian River School. When his third novel is poorly received and his fourth novel is rejected by the publisher, Less must reevaluate his identity as a writer. With so much of his life spent in the shadow of a writer more acclaimed than he will ever become, Less questions his own professional capability and how this intersects with his romantic life.

In his relationship with Robert, Less was the younger of the two men.