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Why Write?
autobiographical essays
58 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
564 people want to read
About the author
Paul Auster
230 books12.2k followersPaul Auster was the bestselling author of 4 3 2 1, Bloodbath Nation, Baumgartner, The Book of Illusions, and The New York Trilogy, among many other works. In 2006 he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature. Among his other honors are the Prix Médicis Étranger for Leviathan, the Independent Spirit Award for the screenplay of Smoke, and the Premio Napoli for Sunset Park. In 2012, he was the first recipient of the NYC Literary Honors in the category of fiction. He was also a finalist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (The Book of Illusions), the PEN/Faulkner Award (The Music of Chance), the Edgar Award (City of Glass), and the Man Booker Prize (4 3 2 1). Auster was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His work has been translated into more than forty languages. He died at age seventy-seven in 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 1, 2011
There is an essay at the end of Joy Williams' book 'Ill Nature' that I believe is called 'Why I Write'. Some of these short essays in Paul Auster's 'Why Write' remind me of that Joy Williams' piece. Both are well worth the read.
While there is a place for books like Strunk and White in the writer's arsenal, it's important to remember that the writer isn't born in these grammatical wastelands. The writer is a vessel waiting to be bled of its story. The writer is floating in the ether and drawn forth by a calling, a crying, a dance. Essays by passionate writers such as Williams and Auster remind us that whether it be to fulfill civic duty, appease hungry ghosts, or crawl your way through what cannot otherwise be defined, the writing process is both a cross to bear and a blessing to behold.
Auster explains how he became a writer by telling a story that ends with "..if there's a pencil in your pocket, there's a good chance that one day you'll feel tempted to start using it."
What's in your pocket?
While there is a place for books like Strunk and White in the writer's arsenal, it's important to remember that the writer isn't born in these grammatical wastelands. The writer is a vessel waiting to be bled of its story. The writer is floating in the ether and drawn forth by a calling, a crying, a dance. Essays by passionate writers such as Williams and Auster remind us that whether it be to fulfill civic duty, appease hungry ghosts, or crawl your way through what cannot otherwise be defined, the writing process is both a cross to bear and a blessing to behold.
Auster explains how he became a writer by telling a story that ends with "..if there's a pencil in your pocket, there's a good chance that one day you'll feel tempted to start using it."
What's in your pocket?
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May 2, 2024A wonderful essay that I read in one go while waiting for someone in a café, because I wanted to honour this great author who died a few days ago.
January 1, 2018
Primera vez que leo a este autor y me llevo una grata sorpresa porque disfruté mucho de cada uno de estos relatos sobre casualidades, fue muy divertido de leer y al ser tan cortos puedo decir que no se quedaban cortos con lo que querían decir. Un libro perfecto para iniciar con este autor!
July 16, 2007
I can't remember a thing about this book, only that I read it and it didn't suck.
June 15, 2025
Lo leí con ganas —porque Auster siempre me interesa— pero esta recopilación me dejó a medio camino.
Why Write? reúne textos breves, cartas, ensayos dispersos y discursos escritos entre los años 70 y 90. Algunos emocionan, otros son pura arqueología personal. El conjunto funciona como una especie de mapa del escritor en construcción, pero no como un libro redondo.
Hay pasajes lúcidos, reflexiones potentes sobre el oficio, la soledad del que escribe, el azar como motor creativo… pero también hay reiteraciones, textos que se sienten menores, páginas que no terminan de despegar.
🔹 Lo mejor: Escuchar a Auster pensar en voz alta sobre su oficio.
🔹 Lo peor: Irregular. Demasiado fragmentado.
Una lectura más interesante que placentera.
Why Write? reúne textos breves, cartas, ensayos dispersos y discursos escritos entre los años 70 y 90. Algunos emocionan, otros son pura arqueología personal. El conjunto funciona como una especie de mapa del escritor en construcción, pero no como un libro redondo.
Hay pasajes lúcidos, reflexiones potentes sobre el oficio, la soledad del que escribe, el azar como motor creativo… pero también hay reiteraciones, textos que se sienten menores, páginas que no terminan de despegar.
🔹 Lo mejor: Escuchar a Auster pensar en voz alta sobre su oficio.
🔹 Lo peor: Irregular. Demasiado fragmentado.
Una lectura más interesante que placentera.
June 27, 2017
A delightful and completely unexpected series of scenes. Whether or not these are truly autobiographical, the structure and brevity of this volume are a delight.
(I have not read anything else by Auster, though, and on the caution of a good friend about the content of his other works, may for the time being leave my acquaintance with him at this.)
(I have not read anything else by Auster, though, and on the caution of a good friend about the content of his other works, may for the time being leave my acquaintance with him at this.)
July 1, 2025
Honestly? One if my favorite books of all time. Picked it up as someone struggling to find myself as a writer, and the stories showed me that no matter how I write, it is important to just.. do it. Learned to love so many people through Paul Auster's eyes that I have never met - and I find that beautiful.
December 24, 2019
" Du moment qu'on a un crayon dans sa poche, il y a de fortes chances pour qu'un jour ou l'autre on soit tenté de s'en servir" Cette citation m'a beaucoup marqué et résume bien le contenu du livre
August 8, 2021
Cuentos cortos para momentos cortos
August 8, 2023
what exactly is the point of this book?
October 29, 2025
había escuchado sobre estas anécdotas. terrible, como todo Auster
November 2, 2011
I chanced upon this in the library catalogue of my department at uni & thought 'nice, something by Paul to read on the train'.
Collected non-fiction pieces from NY papers & magazines. Some of it looked familiar and must have passed through my hands earlier in some other form; but since there are admittedly only 2500 copies of it around, I'm going to make a list of what you're missing.
Answer to a Question from New York Magazine (1995)
The question being, presumably, "What first comes to your mind when New York is mentioned to you?"
This is only a paragraph, but quite funny. An episode from Auster's childhood.
Why Write? (1995)
Five episodes back & forth from Auster's life.
The answer being, presumably, that otherwise these episodes would go untold. And you wouldn't want to miss them.
"It reminds me of something that once happened to my mother..." (1983)
A recollection of Auster's meeting with Charles Reznikoff in 1974. As is always the case with Paul, the episode is filled with coincidences (his wedding day, an article he had written about Reznikoff, his first book of poetry...)
Quite touching.
Twenty-Five Sentences Containing the Words Charles Bernstein (1990)
This is the funniest introductory whatever I've ever read--or heard, for that matter. Auster manages to be obnoxiusly funny, complimentary and profound all at once.
Wood Box
"Sculpture by Jon Kessler". I have no idea why it ended up here, or what has Paul to do with it. I can guess, though. See margin notes for a massive spoiler.
A Prayer for Salman Rushdie (1993)
Or, I Could Be In His Place with a Fatwa On My Head.
Heartfelt and moving.
Appeal to the Governor of Pennsylvania (1995)
... To save Mumia Abu-Jamal's life. Paul is more socially involved than one would think.
This shouldn't even be termed a book, it's that brief. But all the pieces are very good & my vote is given in proportion to the length. And none of you is going to ever read it, anyway.
Collected non-fiction pieces from NY papers & magazines. Some of it looked familiar and must have passed through my hands earlier in some other form; but since there are admittedly only 2500 copies of it around, I'm going to make a list of what you're missing.
Answer to a Question from New York Magazine (1995)
The question being, presumably, "What first comes to your mind when New York is mentioned to you?"
This is only a paragraph, but quite funny. An episode from Auster's childhood.
Why Write? (1995)
Five episodes back & forth from Auster's life.
The answer being, presumably, that otherwise these episodes would go untold. And you wouldn't want to miss them.
"It reminds me of something that once happened to my mother..." (1983)
A recollection of Auster's meeting with Charles Reznikoff in 1974. As is always the case with Paul, the episode is filled with coincidences (his wedding day, an article he had written about Reznikoff, his first book of poetry...)
Quite touching.
Twenty-Five Sentences Containing the Words Charles Bernstein (1990)
This is the funniest introductory whatever I've ever read--or heard, for that matter. Auster manages to be obnoxiusly funny, complimentary and profound all at once.
Wood Box
"Sculpture by Jon Kessler". I have no idea why it ended up here, or what has Paul to do with it. I can guess, though. See margin notes for a massive spoiler.
A Prayer for Salman Rushdie (1993)
Or, I Could Be In His Place with a Fatwa On My Head.
Heartfelt and moving.
Appeal to the Governor of Pennsylvania (1995)
... To save Mumia Abu-Jamal's life. Paul is more socially involved than one would think.
This shouldn't even be termed a book, it's that brief. But all the pieces are very good & my vote is given in proportion to the length. And none of you is going to ever read it, anyway.
November 23, 2015
While Why Write? is available in the Collected Prose collection, I'm delighted to own one of the 2,000 copies of this slim (58 page) paperback. The title essay, in 5 sections offers several vignettes from the life of Paul Auster that could easily fit into any of his fiction. And that's the point. It also gives his explanation of why he's a writer. Kind of....
"It Reminds Me Of Something That Once Happened To My Mother..." is a loving tribute to the poet, Charles Reznikoff, while "A Prayer For Salman Rushdie" (from 1993, when the fatwa was still in force and "An Appeal To The Governor Of Pennsylvania" which is a poignant appeal to then Governor Ridge's deepest humanity to "save Mumia Abu-Jamal's life." Both show Auster's activist side as a member and Vice-President of PEN.
"It Reminds Me Of Something That Once Happened To My Mother..." is a loving tribute to the poet, Charles Reznikoff, while "A Prayer For Salman Rushdie" (from 1993, when the fatwa was still in force and "An Appeal To The Governor Of Pennsylvania" which is a poignant appeal to then Governor Ridge's deepest humanity to "save Mumia Abu-Jamal's life." Both show Auster's activist side as a member and Vice-President of PEN.
May 6, 2013
Stumbled on this at the library, shelved with the "how to write a bestseller" and "how to save your soul through writing" books.
It's very short and very scattershot, an odds-and-sods compilation like the ones musicians put out of B-sides, outtakes, soundtrack contributions. But all readable and worth reading.
And, sometimes overtly, sometimes elliptically, every piece offers an answer to the question posed by the title.
It's very short and very scattershot, an odds-and-sods compilation like the ones musicians put out of B-sides, outtakes, soundtrack contributions. But all readable and worth reading.
And, sometimes overtly, sometimes elliptically, every piece offers an answer to the question posed by the title.
October 6, 2016
Well this was disappointing. A short collection of essays, speeches and other snippets from Auster, which most of all seems like a collection collected just to make some money of the Auster name. I did not find anything profound or original. It is fine, the snippets may have been good and appropriate for the situations and contexts they were created for, but as a stand alone collection they are uninteresting - and the prose is uninspiring.
July 16, 2008
A tiny book by a terrific author, it contains some of the best essays I've read, including one of my favorite essays on writing ever. While I checked it out from the library, I wish I owned a copy.
June 14, 2015
Short, yet pungent collection of essays. Auster's ability to weave a complete, complex moment out of merely a few pages is considerable, and having considered trying one of his longer works for awhile now, this book gives me confidence to do so. We shall see how this turns out.
November 26, 2016
Cinq très courtes nouvelles qui ne me laisseront aucun souvenir, ni pour leur sujet, ni pour leur forme... C'est "sympathique" mais parfaitement dispensable.
January 21, 2020
Es un libro corto, para pasar un buen rato y que deja muchas ganas de seguir leyendo a este autor.
December 12, 2018
Pourquoi écrire? La réponse en 5 courts chapitres. Allez je vous spoile: pour raconter des histoires, pardi! C'est court et chouette.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews