The Late Americans is called a novel, but is very nearly a connection of linked short stories, following a group of graduate students from about October to the spring of their final year in Iowa. Some are poets, some are dancers, all of them are horny and still figuring out this thing called life.

The story begins with Seamus in a class critiquing a poem, and ends with Daw, Noah, Fatima, and several others that we've met along the way having a party before they all go their separate ways. Most of the characters are gay men and there's sex or masturbation in just about every chapter, which was a lot for me, personally (though it didn't seem to be particularly sexy, more about the age and stage in life they were in?). There's not a lot by way of plot, but each chapter gives sort of a character study of one or more of the grad students. And Taylor can write: some of his sentences and observations are perfection, and that, ultimately is what kept me reading. ( )