We all want to believe in impossible things, I suppose, to persuade ourselves that miracles can happen.
If you’re a fan of modern American literature like me, you’ve probably heard of Paul Auster. We bid farewell to this literary luminary, whose passing leaves a void in the world of letters.
Paul Auster wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill author. He was the real deal. Born on February 3, 1947, in Newark, New Jersey, he was a wordsmith extraordinaire. He wrote novels, essays, poems, screenplays—you name it, he nailed it.
Auster’s breakout novel, “The New York Trilogy,” published in the mid-1980s, catapulted him to literary stardom. This seminal work, comprised of three interconnected detective stories, showcased Auster’s masterful command of language and his ability to blur the boundaries between reality and fiction. Through labyrinthine plots and enigmatic characters, he explored themes of identity, solitude, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. It was a rollercoaster of mystery, identity crises, and mind-bending twists. Seriously, it was the bomb.
But Auster didn’t stop there. Oh no, he kept cranking out hits like “Moon Palace,” “The Music of Chance,” and “Leviathan.” Each one was a literary masterpiece in its own right, filled with deep thoughts and characters that felt like old pals.
Auster wasn’t just about spinning yarns. He was a deep thinker, pondering life’s big questions like a philosopher with a pen. Love, loss, time—you name it, he had something wise to say about it.
In addition to his novels, Auster’s essays and memoirs offer invaluable insights into his creative process and worldview. His reflections on literature, film, and art provide a window into the mind of a consummate storyteller—one who was deeply engaged with the world around him and unafraid to confront life’s most profound questions.
But you know what really set Auster apart? His style. His prose was like poetry, flowing off the page and straight into your soul. It was deep, it was beautiful, and it left you thinking long after you’d closed the book.
In the words of Auster himself, from his novel “Invisible”: “We all want to believe in impossible things, I suppose, to persuade ourselves that miracles can happen.”
So here’s to Paul Auster, the literary rockstar who rocked our world with his words. Even though he’s left us, his stories will live on forever, inspiring readers to dream big and believe in the impossible.
Rest in peace, Paul. You’ll always have a special place on our bookshelves and in our hearts. Your words will continue to inspire generations to come.
Photograph: getty images