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Start giftingFour Squares
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Learn moreFrom 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.
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.
Reviews
One of People’s Most-Anticipated Summer BooksOne of People’s Essential Reading for Pride: Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Books for Adults
One of Bustle’s 40 Most Anticipated Summer Reads
One of Buzzfeed's 18 Books That I Can’t Get Out of my Mind
One of Book Riot’s 15 of the Best LGBTQ Beach Reads of 2024
One of Amazon Book Review’s Boks Everyone Can Read with Pride
One of Barnes and Noble’s Most Anticipated Books of June 2024
One of Kirkus Review’s 20 LGBTQ+ Books to Celebrate Pride Month
One of Betches’ Best 2024 LGBTQIA+ Books to Add to Your Cart ASAP
One of Brit + Co’s 15 LGBTQ+ Books That are Essential (And Fun) Pride Month Reads
One of Biblio Lifestyle’s Top 6 Best Literary Fiction Beach Reads for Summer 2024
“A charming, heartwarming novel.” —People
“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
“Heartfelt and entertaining…Finger’s inviting tone of warmth and decency, his empathy for these people and their world, his bright humor, skillful timing and clever phrasing, carried me along…Four Squares pays tribute to the resilience of the gay community in the face of staggering challenges, the vital importance of queer friendships and, as one GALS pal puts it, ‘the pleasure of finding your people.’ This welcome message remains as maddeningly relevant as it was way, way back in the 1990s.” —The New York Times Book Review
“A sweetly melancholy novel…Finger does a nice job dramatizing Artie’s fear of dying alone, and he movingly describes the terror and prejudice gay men and lesbians faced during the AIDS crisis and beyond…Audiences hungry for a warmhearted story will happily accompany Finger on the journey.” —Shelf Awareness
“Excuse me while I sob for 300 pages. Old people just get me so emosh, guys.” —Betches
“With friendship at its heart, author Bobby Finger’s followup to The Old Place finds more tenderness within community-driven narratives.” —Pride Source
"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 (after The Old Place) 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
“[A] touching, sweet book about a gay man finding a queer community again after his 60th birthday…Finger deftly guides us through all the feelings of hope, regret, loss, and joy that come with aging and leaving your comfort zone. It’s also a beautiful tribute to the queer community of New York City: past, present, and future.” —Book Riot
"Bobby Finger’s beautiful sophomore release explores a vital, queer Baby Boomer perspective... It’s a love letter to the gay community—especially the elders who fought for the progress we’ve seen since the AIDS epidemic—and the importance of preserving its history. " —Bustle
“From a former B&N Monthly Pick author, this is a big-hearted novel of community and fresh starts, perfect for fans of Less by Andrew Sean Greer.” —Barnes and Noble Reads
“This novel alternates between the two timelines, exploring two different paths that Artie could have taken and taking the reader on a journey of self-discovery.” —Brit + Co
“A moving and reflective novel of New York, aging, community, and chosen family.” —Arlington Magazine
“This warm, funny, bittersweet valentine to the importance of community and connection at any age feels like a hug.” —Amazon Book Review
“Four Squares masterfully explores community, aging, and relationships in gay Manhattan through heartfelt storytelling and keen observations, making it one of the best literary fiction beach reads of 2024.” —Biblio Lifestyle
“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 Expand reviews