A Single ManA Single Man
Score Classic
What it's about
George Falconer, an English professor in suburban California, is heartbroken after the death of his partner, Jim. Over a single day, Christopher Isherwood follows George as he carries on, teaching, drinking, remembering, finding unexpected pleasures and fighting loneliness.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best novels in English. It's a short, honest and groundbreaking portrait of a gay man's grief, written in 1964.
You'll love it if you liked
Giovanni's Room
Mrs. Dalloway
StonerGood to know
It's short and can be read in an evening. Tom Ford adapted it as a film.
By the numbers
- Readers75 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Christopher Isherwood
If you like this, read next
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of ReposeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is A Single Man worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best novels in English. It ranks #732 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Single Man about?
George Falconer, an English professor in suburban California, is heartbroken after the death of his partner, Jim. Over a single day, Christopher Isherwood follows George as he carries on, teaching, drinking, remembering, finding unexpected pleasures and fighting loneliness.
How long does it take to read A Single Man?
About 5 hours (192 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Single Man?
If you liked it, try Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf or Stoner by John Williams.