Paul Auster, internationally renowned author and one of the great exponents of contemporary literature, died on Tuesday, April 30 in Brooklyn at the age of 77. The writer died surrounded by his family, along with his wife, the renowned writer and essayist Siri Hustvedt, and his daughter, the singer Sophie Auster. Among a vast production of essays, poetry and stories, The invention of loneliness and 4 3 2 1 They are some of his masterpieces.
Paul Auster’s contribution to the world of letters has been highlighted since the beginning of the 80s. The writer, recognized for his ability to create complex narratives and memorable charactersleft a literary legacy in which he explores themes such as identity, loneliness and fatherhood.
Five notable books by Paul Auster
Auster won numerous international awards for his books, including titles such as “The New York Trilogy,” The book of illusions and moon, S Palacejust to mention those that led the writer to his universal recognition.
Among his most recognized works, different lists coincide in including the following titles:
1 – The New York Trilogy (1985)
Three detective novels written between 1985 and 1987. Crystal City, Ghosts and The closed room. They gave the author international recognition and laid the foundations on which he would build his work.
2 – The Palace of the Moon (1989)
With New York as the main setting, it is the story of a young orphan who reaches adulthood when man reaches the moon. The figure of the protagonist is inspired by Marco Polo, by the journalist Henry Morton Stanley, as well as by Phileas Fogg, by Around the World in 80 Daysby Jules Verne.
3 – The book of illusions (2002)
The protagonist is David Zimmer, a university professor who loses his wife and children in an accident. After this, he begins to write a book about the silent film actor Hector Mann, and receives an unexpected letter that will change the course of his life. It is a great tribute to the world of cinema, to which Auster is linked.
4 – The Night of the Oracle (2004)
It’s about two New York novelists whose writing is a deep exploration of their personal relationships. Daniel Auster’s medical record surrounds this fiction.
5 – 4 3 2 1 (2017)
Considered the novel that crowned his work. Auster paints a portrait of an entire generation, through events that marked the second half of the 20th century in the United States.
7 phrases from books by Paul Auster
- “A book won’t end war or feed a hundred people, but it can feed minds and sometimes change them.”
- “Everything can change at any moment, suddenly and forever.”
- “The fear of death, which deep down is probably no different from saying: fear of living.”
- “The best friendships, the longest lasting, are based on admiration.”
- “He who trusts idiots ends up behaving like an idiot.”
- “We desperately need to be told stories. Just as much as eating, because they help us organize reality and illuminate the chaos of our lives.”
- “There is probably no greater human achievement than to deserve love in the end.”
