The book of george

by Kate Greathead

We all know a George. He's the kind of guy who's brimming with potential but incapable of following through; he doesn't know if he's in love with his girlfriend, but he certainly likes having her around; he's distant from - but still reliant on - his mother. Sure, you might find him disappointing. But no one is more disappointed in George than George himself.

Paperback

Published January 1, 2026

About the author

Kate Greathead is the author of the novel Laura & Emma. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Vanity Fair, and Moth Radio Hour. She was a subject in the American version of the British Up documentary series, and she lives in Brooklyn with her husband, the writer Teddy Wayne.

Reviews

[Jeanne LEGRAND · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea what to think of this book.

At first it was funny and i was agreeing with how George viewed the world. But then it was just this never ending story of him living on someone else’s expenses.
Grew older but stayed a man child. Rude and completely self centered.

I get he was depressed. But Carrie actually made a point when she called him out on his bullshit. And I related to him more in that moment. Because he was always just so scared of screwing up he did nothing to help himself, fearing he would be just average.

I think a lot of people have this fear of not getting to their full potential and because they’re scared of not doing something exceptional, they’re not doing it at all. George is one of them. Just wasted potential with his books and essays he never published because he was too scared to get criticism.

The end is disappointing because George has done nothing of his life at 38 years old. And it sums up his character perfectly. We like him but we are disappointed. Which is what I felt reading this book.

[Someone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aμμ νόμιζα θα μαρεζε περισσότερο.
Στην αρχη βαριόμουν πολυ να το πιάσω να το διαβάσω. Προς το τελος μαρεσε και το τελείωσα γρήγορα, αλλα δεν ξετρελαθηκα. Ηταν ενδιαφέρον και διαφορετικό απο αυτα που διαβάζω συνήθως αλλα δεν μαρεσε και παρα πολυ. Η γλώσσα επίσης κατι ειχε και με δυσκόλεψε, πολλες λεξεις δεν τις καταλαβαινα. Η σχέση του με την τζενυ ήταν άπειρα απογοητευτική. Ο George βασικα ήταν άπειρα απογοητευτικος και μου την εσπασε. Νομίζω δεν τον λυπήθηκα/συμπαθησα καθόλου. Πραγματικά απλα νομιζε οτι ηταν καποιος και οτι θα γινει καποιος αλλα ποτε δεν ξεκίνησε, οπότε δεν εγινε κανενας. Και ηταν άπειρα σπαστικό αυτό γιατί δεν προσπάθησε ποτε. Τωρα η τζενυ γιατι ηταν μαζι του, δικο της θεμα.
Overall mixed feelings που δεν τα εχω ακριβώς ξανανιωσει σε βιβλίο οπότε αυτό ήταν ενδιαφέρον.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This George was in particular very unbearable

[Jessica Norris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite gruelling.