Villa Coco Book

Villa Coco

Villa Coco

Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer ("A great chronicler of our times." —San Francisco Chronicle) showcases his wit, sophistication and deep knowledge of focaccia in this magical and madcap tale of a young man who takes an unspecified job with a charismatic elderly baronessa at her crumbling villa in the Tuscan hills. Heartsore, broke and directionless, our young man (the chosen moniker of Villa Coco's narrator) takes a job in the Italian countryside as the all-purpose assistant (technically, the employment ad asked for "adjutant") to Lisabetta, known to her friends as Coco, a strong-willed, wealthy widow of great local renown. Technically, our young man is an archivist, charged with cataloguing Coco’s extensive and eclectic collection of art and artifacts, but what are his actual duties? He is charged with ridding the house of a marten, whatever that is, locating the antediluvian septic system, entertaining an endless carousel of guests (from bohemian painters to elderly princesses to handsome nephews), attending a funeral in order to make off with the urn and not inadvertently sabotaging Coco's great and final plan—to locate the lost love of her life and be reunited before it’s too late. Told with the signature wit, insight and deeply felt humanity that made Less an international phenomenon, Villa Coco is a dazzling, sun-soaked ode to life itself—a romp through a youthfully self-constructed emotional obstacle course, a meditation on what we give and take from others and a bawdy Mediterranean ballad about becoming who you’ve always wanted to be.

Villa Coco

⭐ The new novel by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less ⭐ ⭐ One of the most anticipated books of 2026 for The Times, BBC Culture, People, Time, Oprah Daily, Seattle Times, Bookseller, Waterstones and Barnes and Noble ⭐ 'No one writing in English is funnier or more charming than Andrew Greer. Every sentence in this novel sings' DAVID SEDARIS 'Greer is not only the funniest of writers, but he has a wonderful way with conjuring an image... Villa Coco is such a sunny book' KATE ATKINSON 'The most beautiful paean to youth, to age and to the fulfilment of love. Absolute joy' SARAH WINMAN, AUTHOR OF STILL LIFE 'A lyrical and witty reminder that the most meaningful life - and certainly the one with the best stories - can emerge from the deepest chaos... A great treasure' KATHERINE HEINY, AUTHOR OF STANDARD DEVIATION 'What a beautiful book: an absolutely engrossing world full of golden sunlight and little secrets and anchovies and art' HOLLY GRAMAZIO, AUTHOR OF THE HUSBANDS 'Eccentric, funny, touching: I adored it' NINA STIBBE, AUTHOR OF MAN AT THE HELM A coming-of-age novel, a love story and a tale of life-enhancing friendship: Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer showcases his wit and warmth in this magical tale set amidst the Tuscan hills. Broke and directionless, our young protagonist takes a job in the Italian countryside as the all-purpose assistant to Lisabetta, known to her friends as Coco - a strong-willed, wealthy widow of great local renown. Trained as an archivist, he thinks he's been hired to catalogue the contents of the beautiful, crumbling mansion nestled in the green Tuscan hills... but what are his actual duties? Days are spent ridding the house of a marten - whatever that is - locating the antediluvian septic system, entertaining an endless carousel of guests (from bohemian painters to elderly princesses to unnervingly handsome nephews), attending a funeral in order to make off with the urn, and not inadvertently sabotaging Coco's great and final plan-to locate the lost love of her life and be reunited before it's too late. As summer turns into autumn and the Italian countryside begins to work its magic, the secrets of Villa Coco and its inhabitants are slowly brought to light - and with them, an unforgettable story of the enduring power of friendship. Praise for Andrew Sean Greer 'Bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful' New York Times 'I recommend it with my whole heart' Ann Patchett 'Brilliant' Guardian 'Basically perfect' Dolly Alderton 'Unforgettable' Independent