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Collected Prose: Autob...
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Collected Prose: Autobiographical Writings, True Stories, Critical Essays, Prefaces, and Collaborations with Artists
by
Paul Auster
An essential collection from one of the finest thinkers and stylists in contemporary letters.
The celebrated author of The New York Trilogy, The Book of Illusions, and Oracle Night presents here a highly personal collection of essays, prefaces, true stories, autobiographical writings, and collaborations with artists, as well as occasional pieces written for magazines and ne...more
The celebrated author of The New York Trilogy, The Book of Illusions, and Oracle Night presents here a highly personal collection of essays, prefaces, true stories, autobiographical writings, and collaborations with artists, as well as occasional pieces written for magazines and ne...more
ebook, 528 pages
Published
June 22nd 2010
by Picador
(first published October 16th 2003)
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I'm marking this down slightly as it contains two books I'd already read separately (in their own volumes): The Invention of Solitude and Hand to Mouth. That wasn't at all clear to me from the publisher description and I might have thought twice before buying it if I'd realised. That said, if I hadn't already read and enjoyed those separately it would be a solid four stars because those are good reads (no pun intended).
It also contains The Red Notebook - which, again, has been published separate...more
It also contains The Red Notebook - which, again, has been published separate...more
Collects The Invention of Solitude, Hand to Mouth, The Red Notebook, The Story of My Typewriter, a short NYC living guide thing, various critical essays, prefaces, occasion essays, and two interviews.
This is the only place where most of these critical writings, essays, prefaces, and interviews are collected, so this volume is well worth buying. It's economical, too, as it contains within it four independently published books in addition to all the other stuff.
This is the only place where most of these critical writings, essays, prefaces, and interviews are collected, so this volume is well worth buying. It's economical, too, as it contains within it four independently published books in addition to all the other stuff.
Man Paul Auster is mostly awfully good at writing, so it is sort of reassuring that when it comes to talking about himself and his life it turns out he has the same problem as most of us and can't tell what is interesting and what is like 30 pages of every concidence or lucky occurrence he has experienced or heard about. THAT IS BORING MR. PAUL AUSTER.
Feb 09, 2011
Natalie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Sam Schulz
was surprised to find out how "normal-sounding" that Gothic dreamboat Auster is, if not in his mystery-noir-cityscape serials, at least in his memoirs. his observations on memory, family, all the "staples," are boring, but reassuring to read nonetheless: it's comforting to know that the more specific one gets, the more universal one becomes. basic memoir stuff here: 9/11, life abroad in Paris, life in Brooklyn, his odd, non-emotional father. there's no subtext here.
Auster has been a published writer since the 70s, known more for his fiction than his non-fiction, translations, and poetry—though he was a translator and poet first. This comprehensive collection brings together a diversity of prose across thirty years of work—longish memoir pieces, book prefaces, editorials, reviews, and observational pieces. I liked them all and my list of to-be-read books increased by reading this one (Jabes, Hawthorne, Reznikoff, Beckett’s novels). Auster is smart and persu...more
Auster's essay about his father is very powerful; at this point, I think I prefer his nonfiction but want to read more.
Paul Auster is just a fantastic writer and I highly recommmend this book. I am not normally a fan of "collections," but there are several great pieces in here that are worth checking out, especially the essay about his father. Because he writes in so many genres - fiction, personal nonfiction, literary critique - this is a good book to start with if you want to explore more of his writing but don't know where to start.
not sure how i feel about auster. i remember reading approximately one page of one of his novels and thought it was ridiculous, despite being so highly recommended. after a couple years, i figured it was time to give him another shot. i'll tell you man, it's slow going. every once in a while he'll hit on something insightful, but i think i might have to abandon him. keep inventing that solitude, p.a.
One of those dudes I'd been meaning to check out for years and I'm glad I finally did as this is an on-going favorite (haven't finished it). I love how effortless his writing is and I can't wait to read all of his other stuff. There's little better than finding an author you like who's got a hefty back catalogue just waiting for you; I'm getting ready to dive-in.
I read this about four years ago, and the Invention of Solitude impressed me very much, more so than the new york trilogy. Just as thoughtful, but more sincere. I can hardly remember anything else from the collection, hence only 3 stars.
this man is so, so smart.
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Paul Auster is the bestselling author of Sunset Park, Invisible, Man in the Dark, The Book of Illusions, The Brooklyn Follies, and The New York Triology, among many other works. His books have been translated into forty-three languages. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/paulau...
More about Paul Auster...
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Jan 14, 2013 06:48am
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