Auggie Wren's Christmas Story

published	2004 by Henry Holt and Co.
binding	Hardcover
isbn	0805077235 (isbn13: 9780805077230)
pages	48
description	A timeless, utterly charming Christmas fable, beautifully illustrated and destined to become a classic When Paul Auster was asked by The New York Time...more [close] A timeless, utterly charming Christmas fable, beautifully illustrated and destined to become a classic When Paul Auster was asked by The New York Times to write a Christmas story for the Op-Ed page, the result, "Auggie Wren's Christmas Story," led to Auster's collaboration on a film adaptation, Smoke. Now the story has found yet another life in this enchanting illustrated edition.It begins with a writer's dilemma: he's been asked by The New York Times to write a story that will appear in the paper on Christmas morning. The writer agrees, but he has a problem: How to write an unsentimental Christmas story? He unburdens himself to his friend at his local cigar shop, a colorful character named Auggie Wren. "A Christmas story? Is that all?" Auggie counters. "If you buy me lunch, my friend, I'll tell you the best Christmas story you ever heard. And I guarantee every word of it is true."And an unconventional story it is, involving a lost wallet, a blind woman, and a Christmas dinner. Everything gets turned upside down. What's stealing? What's giving? What's a lie? What's the truth? It's vintage Auster, and pure pleasure: a truly unsentimental but completely affecting tale. [close]
date added	08-29-06 edit book

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Maria rated it:

04/02/08

bookshelves: short-stories

Read in April, 2008

I went to the library today to watch a VHS tape of my work for a class. But when I got there, they told me that they don't let people watch their own VHS tapes, only tapes from the library. I asked why and they told me that if people could just bring in their own tapes and watch them they would never stop. Yup. Good thing the librarians are keeping a handle on things because we wouldn't want crazy people like me camping out in the library with their homework. Guess I'm supposed to go buy a ...more I went to the library today to watch a VHS tape of my work for a class. But when I got there, they told me that they don't let people watch their own VHS tapes, only tapes from the library. I asked why and they told me that if people could just bring in their own tapes and watch them they would never stop. Yup. Good thing the librarians are keeping a handle on things because we wouldn't want crazy people like me camping out in the library with their homework. Guess I'm supposed to go buy a TV and VCR.

Anyway, no big deal about the tape, I'll find somewhere else to watch it and I had an application I wanted to fax. No fax machine at the library though. I though copiers and fax machines would be par for the course, but not so much. So I decided to get one of the books off my to-read list. But it was checked out. Oh..... Didn't want the whole trip to be a waste so I went downstairs to the fiction section and decided to wander around until I found a book.

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I have never heard anything about its spine. And that is exactly what I did. I knew I didn't want anything too long (heavy to take on Muni) so when I saw this tiny red spine with perky black capital letters, I was intrigued.Turns out the book is illustrated which seemed like a sign since the book I had initially wanted was also illustrated.

I really didn't like the illustrations as part Auggie Wren. The art itself (by Isol who I cna only imagine must be a well known artist to go by only one name) has a strong graphic quality and pallet that reminds me of the art in The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Stories. But the pictures, especially of the people, seem inspired by the words rather than lifelike. I found myself trying very hard not to look at them until after I finished each page. They were jarring to the very end of the story.

But the writing itself was lovely. I really felt as though someone was speaking to me the entire time. The sentences are spare but evocative and the subject is entertaining. Something about the writing reminded me of Capote's stories. Anyway, this is a wonderful book that I read rather quickly and I think deserves a more leisurely read because I think I would get new layers out of it. At 36 pages (half of which are illustrations) it's a perfect read for those of you with busy lives. Let me know what you think of it....less

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Auggie Wren's Christmas Story

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