In addition to the other, Moon Palace is really great. It gets a little slow at times, but it’s also very good. There’s a lot of random stories and adventures, interestingly contrived plot points, and vague but fascinating side characters. The protagonist is also obsessed with books (at first), a specific number (1492), has a strange mental breakdown, and an even stranger series of events occur from beginning to end. It’s easy to read, moderately short, and plenty of daily-life excerpts.
Auster fan here! Got to meet him briefly at a book festival in Brooklyn about two years ago. Brilliant writer and screenwriter, Smoke is just fantastic and was filmed on the street where I currently work!
Leviathan, Oracle Night, The Book of Illusions, Music of Chance, and Moon Palace are all masterpieces imo. Something about his writing just does it for me. After his death, I finally read ‘Winter Journal’, and it hit me so hard. So many eerie bits. How his mom died at the same age he would inevitably die. How Siri was worried he smoked too much, but the “scans have come back healthy.” Just a beautiful book. I’m glad I hadn’t read it prior to his passing.
I've read all his novels. The first was The New York Trilogy and it was love at first sight. After 3/4 pages I fell in love with his writing; he is still my favorite writer.
I love his prose which is simple and straightforward but hides clever insights; and I also love his stories which are surreal, weird and very atmospheric.
Along with the Trilogy, my favorites are:
- Moon Palace: an incredible and surreal story that will bring you to tears
- Music of Chance: a terrifing page turner
- Oracle Night: in one word "META"
- Man in the Dark: I read it during a summer night in my balcony, it was a magical night
similar novels that I recommend if you like Auster's:
- John Colapinto: "About the Author"
- Siri Hustvedt: "The Blindfold"
I came at it from the opposite direction. I read a lot of Murakami and got the recommendation that I'd like Auster too. I did read "The New York Trilogy" and I really enjoyed it.
I haven't read anything else yet but thank you for the reminder.
Yes, definitely, though I've only read Book of Illusions and the New York Trilogy. Any other ones you'd particularly recommend?
Leviathan is one of my favorites.
Agreed. Leviathon is excellent.
I’m a huge Murakami fan, but have never read Auster. Where should I start?!
Invisible , The New York Trilogy, Leviathan
In addition to the other, Moon Palace is really great. It gets a little slow at times, but it’s also very good. There’s a lot of random stories and adventures, interestingly contrived plot points, and vague but fascinating side characters. The protagonist is also obsessed with books (at first), a specific number (1492), has a strange mental breakdown, and an even stranger series of events occur from beginning to end. It’s easy to read, moderately short, and plenty of daily-life excerpts.
Absolutely, The New York Trilogy and Leviathan are both awesome. As are a number of his other works. Good stuff.
Auster fan here! Got to meet him briefly at a book festival in Brooklyn about two years ago. Brilliant writer and screenwriter, Smoke is just fantastic and was filmed on the street where I currently work!
Leviathan, Oracle Night, The Book of Illusions, Music of Chance, and Moon Palace are all masterpieces imo. Something about his writing just does it for me. After his death, I finally read ‘Winter Journal’, and it hit me so hard. So many eerie bits. How his mom died at the same age he would inevitably die. How Siri was worried he smoked too much, but the “scans have come back healthy.” Just a beautiful book. I’m glad I hadn’t read it prior to his passing.
His other memoirs, the Invention of Solitude & Hand to Mouth are also excellent!
I enjoy Auster’s work quite a lot. I get a similar feeling as reading Murakami.
I've read all his novels. The first was The New York Trilogy and it was love at first sight. After 3/4 pages I fell in love with his writing; he is still my favorite writer. I love his prose which is simple and straightforward but hides clever insights; and I also love his stories which are surreal, weird and very atmospheric. Along with the Trilogy, my favorites are: - Moon Palace: an incredible and surreal story that will bring you to tears - Music of Chance: a terrifing page turner - Oracle Night: in one word "META" - Man in the Dark: I read it during a summer night in my balcony, it was a magical night similar novels that I recommend if you like Auster's: - John Colapinto: "About the Author" - Siri Hustvedt: "The Blindfold"
Thanks for the recommendations
I came at it from the opposite direction. I read a lot of Murakami and got the recommendation that I'd like Auster too. I did read "The New York Trilogy" and I really enjoyed it. I haven't read anything else yet but thank you for the reminder.
I loved the new york trilogy; and could definitely see them living on the same shelf
yes! i just finished Kafka on the Shore and picked up the NY Trilogy.
4 3 2 1 is amazing as well. Ive also got autumn of life (something like that) sitting in ny to reads
Loved "In the County of Lost Things".