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by Bobby Finger
From the beloved author of The Old Place comes a tender, funny, and fresh novel about a gay writer in New York City whose life is irrevocably altered, and then again thirty years later.
In 1992, on his thirtieth birthday, Artie Anderson meets the man who will change his life. Artie spends his days at a tedious advertising job, finding relief in the corner of New York City he can call his own, even as the queer community is still being ravaged by HIV. But when his birthday celebration brings Artie and his friends to his favorite bar, a chance encounter with Abe, an uptight lawyer and Artie's opposite in almost every way, pushes Artie to want, and to ask for, more for himself.
Thirty years later, Artie is stunned when Halle and Vanessa, Abe's daughter and ex-wife, announce they are moving across the country. Artie has built a lovely, if small, life, but their departure makes Artie realize that he might be lonelier than he previously thought. When a surprising injury pushes Artie into the hands of GALS, the local center for queer seniors, a rambunctious group of elders insist on taking him under their wing.
Alternating between both timelines, Four Squares is an intimate look at what it means to find community at any age. With humor and compassion, it honors the enduring power of queer friendship, its history, and how essential it is to keep those stories alive.
"Finger's depictions of the changes in the West Village, the depredations of aging, and the possibilities of romantic connection between older single people are acute, yet infused with a sweet shrug of resignation...A big-hearted and relatable read, especially if you're old enough to remember the 1990s." —Kirkus Reviews
"Finger's affectionate and evocative sophomore novel alternates between two distinct periods in a writer's life… [Artie] makes for an endearing protagonist, one who is deeply shaped by his evolving feelings for others in his life. Admirers of Finger's first book will love this." —Publishers Weekly
"Another funny, heartfelt novel…Finger's dialogue is exquisite, and his characters are unforgettable. Four Squares is a readable and cinematic tribute to queer love and friendship." —Booklist
"Four Squares is a work of immense literary generosity. Through the story of Artie Anderson—at once an every(gay)man and an unforgettable protagonist—Finger has braided together New York City's queer past and its queer present, bringing a community's joys, sorrows, and unsung heroes into the light. A witty, absorbing, and deeply loveable book." —Daniel Lefferts, author of Ways and Means
"Four Squares affirms what all of us hope is so: We can put our lives, our emotions on hold for only so long, pushing away contentment and, yes, joy with bitter resolve. When we can ignore happiness no longer, it's there to welcome us, informed and enriched by that hurt and loss—and somehow richer. Four Squares is just the Bobby Finger-taught life lesson I needed." —Jeffrey Dale Lofton, author of Red Clay Suzie
"Four Squares had my heart in its hands from the first page. Finger's decades-spanning novel is not only a love letter to an ever-changing New York, but also an ode to friendships—those that are old, those that are new, and those that are entirely unexpected. It's a celebration of the power of community to uplift and heal us, and a testament to the necessity of keeping queer stories alive. It's also uproariously, side-splittingly funny." —Grant Ginder, author of Let's Not Do That Again
"Five stars for Four Squares! A beautiful and immersive story of often achingly relatable moments of being gay and longing for love during trying times. This journey of a writer seeking to perfectly capture imperfect joys of friendships and family—trying to put words to life's sometimes indescribable experiences—is hopeful, insightful, and absolutely delightful." —Byron Lane, author of Big Gay Wedding
This information about Four Squares was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Bobby Finger is the author of The Old Place, and cohost of the popular celebrity and entertainment podcast, Who? Weekly. A Texas native, he lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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