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Michael S. A. Graziano, PhD, is a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Princeton University. He is also a composer and occasional ventriloquist. Love is his latest work of fiction published by Leapfrog. Others include The Love Song of Monkey, The Divine Farce, and Death My Own Way. He has also published popular science books: God Soul Mind Brain (Leapfrog Press, 2010), Consciousness and the Social Brain (Oxford University Press, 2013), Rethinking Consciousness (W. W. Norton, 2021), which was a finalist for the Penn-Faulkner award, and most recently, Charlie's Lab (Press 53, 2023). He has written for the Atlantic, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other media outlets. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey with his wife and a backyard fox family.
Reviewed by Robert A. Groves for Readers' Favorite
Love by Michael S. A. Graziano is told from the perspective of a street artist who sketches strangers in a metropolitan park. If passersby see him at all, it is often with disgust at his chronically disheveled appearance. The artist uses his talent as a form of connection. There comes a moment when his subjects’ expressions soften, and genuine emotion takes its place. Differences between one’s surface and depth, between appearance and truth, are all captured by the artist’s pencil and paper. His observations reveal love, not in grand gestures, but in the quiet recognition of another’s soul. The artist blends both the physical and psychological details of his subjects. Then, a woman, radiating power, sits on his park bench and demands a portrait. Suddenly, the artist’s entire world is changed by this single human being – and that’s where the real story begins. Believe me, there is no anticipating the ending to this novel. It left my mouth hanging open.
In Love, Michael S. A. Graziano has delivered another fantastical, existential work to his fans. I have had the pleasure of reading three of his other publications – all excellent. This one goes a realm above anything previously written. Graziano uses the artist’s gaze as a metaphor for consciousness. How are we perceived and how do we perceive others? This basic need for affirmation becomes addictive, possessive, and enables dependency on others. The story’s quiet tone and introspective focus make it less about romance and more about the human need to be recognized as real, which is the essence of existential inquiry. Lastly, the author provides bonus material at the end that readers will enjoy, separate from the novel’s plot. Love will be a delight for current fans. If you have not yet discovered this author, now is the perfect time to do so.
