Introduction

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The New York Times bestselling author returns with an irreverently sexy, tender, hilarious and surprising novel about a woman upending her life

“A frank novel about a midlife awakening, which is funnier and more boldly human than you ever quite expect . . . nothing short of riveting.” —Vogue

“All Fours has spurred a whisper network of women fantasizing about desire and freedom. . . . It’s the talk of every group text."—The New York Times

“All Fours possessed me. I picked it up and neglected my life until the last page, and then I started begging every woman I know to read it as soon as possible.”—The Cut

“A novel that presses into that tender bruise about the anxiety of aging, of what it means to have a female body that is aging, and wanting the freedom to live a fuller life . . . Deeply funny and achingly true.” —LA Times

“July’s novel is hot and weird and captivating and one of the most entertaining, deranged, and moving depictions of lust and romantic mania I’ve ever read.” —New York Magazine

A semi-famous artist announces her plan to drive cross-country, from LA to NY. Thirty minutes after leaving her husband and child at home, she spontaneously exits the freeway, checks into a nondescript motel, and immerses herself in an entirely different journey.

Miranda July’s second novel confirms the brilliance of her unique approach to fiction. With July’s wry voice, perfect comic timing, unabashed curiosity about human intimacy, and palpable delight in pushing boundaries, All Fours tells the story of one woman’s quest for a new kind of freedom. Part absurd entertainment, part tender reinvention of the sexual, romantic, and domestic life of a forty-five-year-old female artist, All Fours transcends expectation while excavating our beliefs about life lived as a woman. Once again, July hijacks the familiar and turns it into something new and thrillingly, profoundly alive.

Editorial Review

No Editorial Review Currently Available

Excerpt

No Excerpt Currently Available

Discussion Questions

1. The first-person narrator of All Fours is a 45-year-old mother and artist, at something of a turning point in her life. When she embarks on a physical trip cross-country, it suddenly turns into a very different kind of journey. What motivates her to change her mind about her travels and what impact does it have on her physically and emotionally? Was that change in plans (and its repercussions) inevitable? How much of what changes in her life and marriage is a result of that initial decision to get off the highway?

2. The narrator attempts to honor the multiplicity of her roles as a mother, wife, friend, and artist. Why do you think she chooses to upend her life, despite having the family, or life, she wants? What, if anything, is she seeking in her journey? What is desire to the narrator? How does desire come into play with her other values, including autonomy, non-conformity, and joy?

3. This book tackles the subject of a woman’s experience with perimenopause at age forty-five. What might the book be suggesting about the trope of a midlife crisis? What is the role of humor and irony here? How does the book depart from the usual depictions of one’s experience with aging, particularly when compared to everyday media?

4. There are some moments of surprising behavior, not just from the narrator, but also Davey and his mom, Grandma Esther, Aunt Ruth, and Audra. How are each of these characters distinct from one another? What does the narrator learn as she encounters these individuals and reflects on their impact in her life?

5. The narrator becomes preoccupied with breaking free from the household without giving up her coparenting duties. How is domesticity portrayed? What conflicts (or transformations) do you see the narrator undergoing as she seeks out nontraditional forms of emotional, bodily, and spiritual intimacy?

6. Heartache and obsession can manifest in extreme ways. How does the narrator deal with her complex breakups and strive to resolve these tensions? How do her dreams get shattered and rebuilt? What is the function of the novel’s themes about fantasies, invented fictions, insanity, and reality?

7. The narrator and her husband have a nonbinary child named Sam, who uses the pronouns they/them. How does the book address the ideas of gender, femininity vs. masculinity, and gender neutrality or fluidity? What is the narrator’s relationship with her body, her sense of self, and her own understanding of womanhood?

8. The book unapologetically dives into topics of sex, masturbation, and pleasure. Why might the author choose a radical approach in exploring such topics? How might it complicate, add to, and/or subvert the taboos that exist in our modern, evolving world? How might the book challenge a reader’s initial misconceptions?

9. The narrator experiences flashbacks surrounding the birth of her child due to post-traumatic stress. How does the narrator overcome and/or find solidarity among other parents or women? How does the author interpret the meaning of death and survival? How does she adapt to her own anxieties and insecurities?

10. The novel emphasizes artistic and creative passions, including dance, music, interior design, visual arts, and performance. Compare and contrast these various art forms—how do these mediums overlap, differ, and/or speak to one another throughout the book? Consider the additional layer of the writing of this novel itself as an art form.

11. As the plot advances, how do the characters’ notions of monogamy expand? What are the characters’ views toward the institution of marriage—of partnership, love, honesty, and allyship? What might the title, All Fours, signify, and how do these symbolizations change throughout the book?

Weblinks

There are no web links at this time.

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.

Member Reviews

There are no user reviews at this time.
Rate this book