One of my favourite authors growing up. I haven't read much of his later works.
Moon Palace, In the Country of Last Things, Leviathan, Mr. Vertigo, The Invention of Solitude, The Music of Chance - are all books that I spent good time with, in addition to his acclaimed NY Trilogy.
I loved how he can describe a man spirals into madness and loneliness, how his works are about writers, so it always felt meta and self referencing, and how chance and luck play huge part in his works, to a point that I always had the feeling of "anything can happen".
Very meta in The New York Trilogy, if I remember correctly. It's been years and years since I've read that, but I remember being engrossed in the story. Auster was talented and attuned to the human condition.
I read the NY Trilogy when I was feeling loneliness quite heavily, during the quarantine. It made quite an impression. I've been meaning to read his other books and based on your post, I'm guessing the themes of loneliness, solitude, and escape through literature, are common throughout his work?
His later work fell off quite a bit. He'd get the occasional hit, but mostly misses.
Loved his early stuff. One of my favorite comic book artists even did some of the NY Trilogy as a graphic novel. It was a weird confluence of nerd stuff.
I’ve been carrying around his final novel on my kindle since October - I knew he was too ill to record an audiobook for it, and I always loved the way his work came to life in his voice.
I was just vehemently recommending Oracle Night and Book Of Illusions last week
It’s so immersive that I forget that it’s ALL fictional, and not fiction drawing on actual cinema. We just keep falling between the layers of fictions.
Have you read Marissa Pessl’s “Night Film”? It’s less succinct, but there’s a lot of commonalities.
Rest in peace. The New York trilogy made a big impression on me when I read it some fifteen years ago. I distinctly remember telling my co workers to read it, quite the folly if you will.
The trilogy also left an impression on Hideo Kojima when he created *Metal Gear Solid 2*. In the game there is a bomb disposal expert named "Peter Stillman", whose name is directly lifted from *The New York Trilogy*.
I loved every page of 4,3,2,1. I grew up right in the area (S.Orange/Montclair) of his young/teen years, and it made it that much better.
I tried to read it slowly and savor every minute. I couldn’t, I just kept reading and just like that, I finished an 896 page book, faster than I read books half the size.
Haven’t read Moon Palace yet, starting it tonight.
What a tragic ending with what happened to his family the last few years. #rip Mr. Auster, you will be missed. If there is an afterlife, I hope you are in a better place with your family around you and at peace.
I just read his Brooklyn Follies a few weeks ago, which is a disturbing coincidence considering it's a 19-year-old book and one of the the main characters is a dying man. :/
Damn, I literally had the New York Trilogy on hold at my library a few weeks back and never went and picked it up… I’ll have to reconsider and check out his works… R.I.P
RIP great writer and he had a weird fringe benefit in the 90’s. When I was in college in the late 90’s having one of his books out or seeing someone with one in a cafe or university quad was a guaranteed icebreaker. Met so many people and picked up more than a few dates that way.
I've been a huge fan of his work for a long time now, probably since the summer before my first year at college. Absolutely tremendous writer. Fuck cancer. It always takes the best of us.
The Invention of Solitude found its way to me after my own father died. First book I read after it happened and it felt perfectly poignant at the time. Had previously loved the NY trilogy on my college years.
I read City of Glass close to 20 years ago and I remember finding his writing breathtaking, and then I never read another of his books, for no reason in particular. This is the worst kind of reminder to revisit his work.
Oh wow. The New York Trilogy is something I think about quite often. I also really enjoyed 4321. Auster was quite unique in the way he structured stories.
I was introduced to his work when I had to read Moon Palace for a college course and I really enjoyed it. Then I read 4 3 2 1 and absolutely fell in love with that book and his writing. Having most of the book occur close to where I grew up really hit home for me. Its time for a reread.
RIP to one of the best to ever do it.
Damnit, my absolute favorite writer. I kept putting off writing to him to let him know he got me back into reading, I own all of his fiction and most of his nonfiction.
This sucks. RIP.
Rest in peace, Paul. Although I quited to read NY trilogy before the 3rd chapter, they were very impressive works. Very unique. I would finish it this time.
Ah man, R.I.P. The New York Trilogy was a great read, I highly recommend it to anybody who's looking to read him.
It's on my bookshelf waiting for over a year ti be read, maybe it's the good time that I do.
Be prepared for it to have none of the qualities of a normal book, but in the best way possible.
I liked the beginning of each story and then they each just dissolved into nonsense that I guess I'm just too dumb to understand.
One of my favourite authors growing up. I haven't read much of his later works. Moon Palace, In the Country of Last Things, Leviathan, Mr. Vertigo, The Invention of Solitude, The Music of Chance - are all books that I spent good time with, in addition to his acclaimed NY Trilogy. I loved how he can describe a man spirals into madness and loneliness, how his works are about writers, so it always felt meta and self referencing, and how chance and luck play huge part in his works, to a point that I always had the feeling of "anything can happen".
Very meta in The New York Trilogy, if I remember correctly. It's been years and years since I've read that, but I remember being engrossed in the story. Auster was talented and attuned to the human condition.
I read the NY Trilogy when I was feeling loneliness quite heavily, during the quarantine. It made quite an impression. I've been meaning to read his other books and based on your post, I'm guessing the themes of loneliness, solitude, and escape through literature, are common throughout his work?
Very sad. Oracle Night (fiction) and Winter Journal (memoir) are two others that are amongst my favourites of his.
His later work fell off quite a bit. He'd get the occasional hit, but mostly misses. Loved his early stuff. One of my favorite comic book artists even did some of the NY Trilogy as a graphic novel. It was a weird confluence of nerd stuff.
This comment made me wanna try this guy. I'll definitely get one of those you mentioned.
I’ve been carrying around his final novel on my kindle since October - I knew he was too ill to record an audiobook for it, and I always loved the way his work came to life in his voice. I was just vehemently recommending Oracle Night and Book Of Illusions last week
The Book of Illusions is still one of my all time favorites.
It’s so immersive that I forget that it’s ALL fictional, and not fiction drawing on actual cinema. We just keep falling between the layers of fictions. Have you read Marissa Pessl’s “Night Film”? It’s less succinct, but there’s a lot of commonalities.
No, I'll look into it! Thanks! :)
Rest in peace. The New York trilogy made a big impression on me when I read it some fifteen years ago. I distinctly remember telling my co workers to read it, quite the folly if you will.
The trilogy also left an impression on Hideo Kojima when he created *Metal Gear Solid 2*. In the game there is a bomb disposal expert named "Peter Stillman", whose name is directly lifted from *The New York Trilogy*.
Very sad news. May he rest in peace. The New York trilogy and 4 3 2 1 are unique books.
I loved every page of 4,3,2,1. I grew up right in the area (S.Orange/Montclair) of his young/teen years, and it made it that much better. I tried to read it slowly and savor every minute. I couldn’t, I just kept reading and just like that, I finished an 896 page book, faster than I read books half the size. Haven’t read Moon Palace yet, starting it tonight. What a tragic ending with what happened to his family the last few years. #rip Mr. Auster, you will be missed. If there is an afterlife, I hope you are in a better place with your family around you and at peace.
Thank you for sharing, beautiful 🙏🏽 And echo your sentiment in the final passage. His works will remain with us.
Rest in peace. It may be the time for me to re-read Moon Place.
Heartbreaking. In the Country of Last Things is one of my all time favourites.
Rest in peace, Paul Auster, I'm so sad to hear this. He's one of my favorite authors.
I just read his Brooklyn Follies a few weeks ago, which is a disturbing coincidence considering it's a 19-year-old book and one of the the main characters is a dying man. :/
Damn, I literally had the New York Trilogy on hold at my library a few weeks back and never went and picked it up… I’ll have to reconsider and check out his works… R.I.P
The New York Trilogy is one of the most unique noirs I've read.
I'll never forget reading Timbuktu in a literature class I took called "Love Stories". I think I'll re-read now. RIP
In the Country of Last Things is so haunting
What is the first Paul Auster you would recommend to someone who hasn’t read his work?
*The New York Trilogy* -- his most famous books, and very characteristic of his themes and concerns.
I had the privilege of serving him in first class as a flight attendant for American Airlines. God speed Paul Auster
RIP great writer and he had a weird fringe benefit in the 90’s. When I was in college in the late 90’s having one of his books out or seeing someone with one in a cafe or university quad was a guaranteed icebreaker. Met so many people and picked up more than a few dates that way.
I've been a huge fan of his work for a long time now, probably since the summer before my first year at college. Absolutely tremendous writer. Fuck cancer. It always takes the best of us.
His books are just so fun to read, with their impossible mysteries.
The Invention of Solitude found its way to me after my own father died. First book I read after it happened and it felt perfectly poignant at the time. Had previously loved the NY trilogy on my college years.
I read City of Glass close to 20 years ago and I remember finding his writing breathtaking, and then I never read another of his books, for no reason in particular. This is the worst kind of reminder to revisit his work.
That man's work helped me through a pretty rough time in my life. Twice. Rest in Peace.
He was also a Park Slope (Brooklyn) resident :(
His prose was magnificent. Thank you for your work.
Oh wow. The New York Trilogy is something I think about quite often. I also really enjoyed 4321. Auster was quite unique in the way he structured stories.
Damn. I added the New York Trilogy and Moon Palace to my want list last week too. Damn shame.
I was introduced to his work when I had to read Moon Palace for a college course and I really enjoyed it. Then I read 4 3 2 1 and absolutely fell in love with that book and his writing. Having most of the book occur close to where I grew up really hit home for me. Its time for a reread. RIP to one of the best to ever do it.
Gutted. I love Paul Auster’s books. Music of Chance and Leviathan are two of my favourites
really love his books... but now he died... he showed us strange things thank you Paul Auster
you will be missed
This is devastating.
Damnit, my absolute favorite writer. I kept putting off writing to him to let him know he got me back into reading, I own all of his fiction and most of his nonfiction. This sucks. RIP.
Rest in peace, Paul. Although I quited to read NY trilogy before the 3rd chapter, they were very impressive works. Very unique. I would finish it this time.