El cuento de Auggie Wrem

by Paul Auster

El narrador, Paul Auster, compra sus cigarros holandeses en un determinado estanco de Brooklyn con cuyo propietario, de sobrenombre literario Auggie Wren, tiene una afició sacar fotografías siempre del mismo ángulo de su calle a diversas horas, en diferentes estaciones, durante todo el año, y año tras año. Cuando a Paul le encargan un cuento de Navidad para el New York Times, será Auggie el que le saque del apuro con un extraño relato sobre el desarraigo, la pobreza y cierto tipo de suave venganza que poco parece casar con el espíritu navideño. Este relato se publicó en el New York Times la Navidad de 1990. Nada más leerlo, el director de cine, Wayne Wang decidió contactar con Auster para proponerle el guion de una película que englobara la historia. De esta experiencia nació Smoke , reconocida internacionalmente. Y ahora, Isol, reinterpreta tanto el texto como la película para ofrecernos un álbum ilustrado para grandes y pequeños.

Genres: Short Stories, Christmas, Fiction, American, Literature, The United States Of America, Holiday

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Paul 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.

Reviews

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auggie works behind the counter of a neighborhood cigar store, an icon in downtown Brooklyn, and Paul is a frequent customer. Over many, many years they’ve had many conversations. Years ago, when Auggie realized Paul was a published author, he had asked Paul to take a look at his photographs. Twelve books of photographs taken over twelve years in chronological order. An insight into Auggie and his life.

When the New York Times called him and asked him to write a “short story” to appear on Christmas morning, he almost declines, but reluctantly, after multiple pleas, he gives in.
Then he begins to panic.

Even at their best, Christmas stories were no more than wish fulfillment dreams, fairy tales for adults, and I’d be damned if I’d ever allowed myself to write something like that.

He shares his frustrations with Auggie, who offers him a possible solution:

“If you buy me lunch, my friend, I’ll tell you the best Christmas story you ever heard. And I guarantee that every word of it is true.”

ISOL is the illustrator to this quirky-charming, unconventional Christmas story. His illustrations may not appeal to everyone, but I enjoyed the rich colours and the charm they added to this story, they reminded me a bit of Maurice Sendak’s illustrations, but perhaps slightly more eccentric.

At only 48 pages, this is a quick enough read, but the story which includes a lost wallet, a shoplifter and a blind grandmother, well, that will stay with you longer.

A lovely story.

[Jessaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas in July

I had ordered Auggie Wren’s Christmas Story a couple of weeks ago, and it was going to be one of my Christmas reads, for you see I not only collect Christmas stories, but I have three German feather trees up all year in my bedrooms along with some wooden Santas. I love Christmas. When Christmas comes we have a large tree and my husband climbs up into the attic to get our green and red Christmas boxes down, and then we really decorate.

I put the book away, but then I noticed that Hallmark channel was showing Christmas movies and have for a while. My husband remarked upon it, mentioning how they were having Christmas in July. It was then that I thought of another Christmas in July, and I thought to read this beautifully illustrated book whose pictures I wish to live in, because I love quaint little towns. Here is a picture of Brooklyn, N.Y. where this book is set:



Perhaps one of these buildings is Auggie Cigar/magazine store.

One day when Auggie was in his shop, a teenager came in to shoplift. He wasn’t stealing cigars for gifts, no, he was taking magazines. Auggie came after him so he ran out of the store, dropping his wallet in the process. Auggie picked up his wallet and instead of giving it to the police, he saved it, and he must have thought about it for a long time. Then on Christmas day he thought to take it over to the address in the wallet. A sweet Christmas story begins, and I should not say, begins, because the entire story is sweet, it is giving, and it is a book that I will read every year along with Truman Capote’s Christmas Memory, and One Christmas, and then A Christmas Cup of Tea.

But I have another story.

Years ago one of my friends and I used to go to Julian, California, because we loved the quaint town in the mountains where they grew apple trees and had cafes like Granny’s Kitchen where on one snowy Christmas season we sat at a table near their wood stove eating a piece of apple pie.

We also used to have apple pie at another café, The Julian Pie Co. whose pies are sold all over San Diego Co. They also made apple cider cake donuts that we couldn’t resist.

Next we would walk over to The Old Julian Bookstore. You, the reader, know what fun it is to walk into an old bookstore and browse for hours.

This day in July, my friend I decided to have Italian food. We walked into Romano’s and sat down at one of their window tables. The waitress began telling us a story that I will never forget. The Episcopal Church is next door to them, right up the hill, and one day in July, the priest came in to have lunch and a few glasses of wine. Then he went back up the hill to his church, and shortly thereafter the church bells rang out Christmas music that could be heard all over town. What a wonderful priest, I thought. We should have gone up the hill to meet him. What a nice gift to give to the town’s people.

The Old Julian Bookstore


The Julian Pie Company

[Pakinam · Rating 3 out of 5]

كريسماس لأوجي رين..قصة قصيرة لبول أوستر نشرت صباح كريسماس 1990 في جريدة النيويورك تايمز و أصبحت لاحقاً سيناريو لفيلم دخان الذي صدر عام ١٩٩٥..

قصة قصيرة..يمكن الإنتهاء منها في عشر دقائق بسيطة ولكن مكتوبة حلو ..
القصة مترجمة و متوفرة علي موقع كتب مملة لمن يريد قراءتها..

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

My beloved has a firm rule about Christmas and I appreciate the logic. Give Thanksgiving its due and then think/act as the “official” Christmas season begins. Our library of Christmas books (thanks in part to me) expands slightly every year. This book is one of the new ones.

Auster is an engaging author and this short tale with its wonderfully imagined illustrations is no exception. Without revealing too much of the plot, this is a two-part tale. One part is the relationship between the “author” and Auggie Wren and the other is the tale that Augie relates.

The nexus of these two parts is when Auggie persuades the author to look at his photo albums and this gives Auster the opportunity to comment as follows:

“I picked up another album. I was no longer bored, no longer puzzled as I had been at first. Auggie was photographing time, I realized, both natural time and human time and he was doing it by planting himself in one tiny corner of the world and willing it to be his own, by standing guard in the space he had chosen for himself.”

The story is short, small, and satisfying….not too “sweet.” As is usual for Auster, you may find your after-thoughts starting at a portion of this story and then heading off in different directions. That’s one of my criteria for a high rating. 4.5*

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems like such a straightforward little tale. A writer is asked to write a Christmas story for a New York newspaper, but he has no idea what to write. His friend offers to tell him a true story about himself and what ensues is a story that pulled me in immediately. It pulls in the writer as well…and right to the last paragraph it just seems like a sweet Christmas tale. But then it ends and you are left with a million questions about right and wrong, time and its passage, truth and lies. It is, in fact, a very unChristmasy Christmas story, but it leaves you with the same kind of feeling you experience when reading O’Henry, and that is high praise indeed.

Oh, and the illustrations are magnificent. I am enjoying the art in my Christmas reads this year as much as the text.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique and utterly charming Christmas story told within a Christmas story first published in 1990. With delightful artwork and an unusual little thought-provoking plot, I loved this little fable. I was lucky enough to find a library copy online which is a beautiful little book. Highly recommended, especially if you can find a hard copy.

[Connie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you buy me lunch, my friend, I’ll tell you the best Christmas story you ever heard. And I guarantee that every word of it is true.”

Paul Auster has written a contemporary Christmas story that should not be missed. In spite of the quote above, it leaves the reader wondering how much of it is true. Augie Wren is a great character with a warm heart and a sparkle in his eyes.

[°•.Melina°•. · Rating 4 out of 5]

واقعا پل استر هیچوقت ناامید نمیکنه حتی تو ده صفحه. قربونش بشم.

[Aitor Castrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mañana y mañana y mañana ―susurró―. El tiempo se desliza con paso mezquino.
Entonces entendí que él sabía perfectamente lo que estaba haciendo.

Quería leer algo navideño en el día de Navidad y quizá he leído la historia navideña menos navideña que he leído nunca. Pero me ha gustado.

Paul Auster nunca defrauda y en esta ocasión consigue mucho (ser muy original) con muy poco (el relato es muy breve).

[Somormujo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5

[Haytham ⚜️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

مجموعة قصصية من اختيار المترجمة يجمعها أنها من الأدب الأمريكي الحديث، لم يعجبني غير ثلاث قصص فقط من مجموع تسع قصص:

•پول أوستر، قصة أوجي رين.
•ريتشارد فورد، الأب والدراجة الهوائية.
•مخاوف السيدة أورلاندو، ليديا ديڤيز. (زوجة پول أوستر السابقة)

"لا تخبرها بناتها بالكثير، لأنهن يعلمن بأنها ستجد شيئًا مشؤومًا فيما يقلنه لها. وعندما يخبرنها بالقليل، تخشى من أن هناك خطبًا ما يتعلق إما بصحتهن أو بحياتهن الزوجية".

[Giorgi Khaindrava · Rating 5 out of 5]

ეს მოთხრობა ძალიან, ძალიან მიყვარს და ის იშვიათი გამონაკლისია, რომელიც რამდენჯერმე მაქვს წაკითხული. ჩემს თავს დავპირდი, რომ ყოველ ახალ წელს წავიკითხავ ამ მოთხრობას და ყოველ შობას ვნახავ "It's a wonderful life"-ს. ეს ორი ნაწარმოები ძალიან ჰგავს ერთმანეთს, რადგან წამყვანი თემა ორივეში იმედი და სიკეთეა, ამ ორი დღესასწაულის ჯადოსნურობაც ხომ მეტწილად ამაშია.

[Annet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely story, great writing, beautiful visuals.

Thanks Cheri for reminding me of this book which I read already some years ago. Need to reread, maybe next year. Quite an extraordinary book from Paul Auster, not his usual cup of tea.

[Joshua Gonsalves · Rating 3 out of 5]

From this brief Christmas tale, the brilliant film Smoke derives, and if you have not seen that beautiful masterpiece of drama and comedy, I beg you to seek it out as soon as possible. Auster somehow started his sort of dip into the cinematic form with what I believe to be one of the greatest movies ever made, so check that one out! This story is told at the end of the film by the character Auggie Wren, played wonderfully by Harvey Keitel, and is a nearly word by word clone of that which was originally written down. Without the presence of these wonderful performances, there is a certain emptiness here that is completely filled up in the film, which sounds like it would be more fitting than it is. However, this story is still something of a must read, particularly for big fans of Auster's work as well as those who just want to read an excellent shory story that is unsentimental but still heartfelt like nothing else you have ever before.

[ατζινάβωτο φέγι. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Μια υπέροχη σύντομη ιστορία μακριά απο το παραδοσιακό χριστουγεννιάτικο πνεύμα, μια ιστορία για το πως να διηγείσαι μια ιστορία. Κι αν την πιστεύεις τότε είναι αληθινή.

Αν θέλετε να σας την σιγοψυθυρίσει και εσάς στο αυτί ο Auster( με την βραχνή και αισθησιακή φωνή του) πατήστε εδώ

[NatalieWithAnE · Rating 5 out of 5]

მადლობა პოლ ოსტერს წლის მყუდრო დასაწყისისთვის

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Patricia Ayuste · Rating 3 out of 5]

💭«¿Quieres un cuento de Navidad? Te daré uno. Pero tienes que prometerme que creerás que es verdad».

📚 Nueva York, años noventa. Un escritor que recibe un encargo del periódico donde trabaja para escribir un cuento de navidad, se siente frustrado y sin ideas para salir airoso. Hasta que conoce la historia que Auggie tiene que contarle.

🔝 Puntos fuertes:
- Misterio que genera la obra desde su inicio.
- Lectura breve que se lee con agilidad y sin darse cuenta.
- Las emociones que los personajes y los hechos provocan en el lector.
- Retrato reconocible de Nueva York que logra sumergir al lector en la historia desde el principio.
- La lograda caracterización de los personajes.
- Originalidad del relato.

[Shaimaa شيماء · Rating 3 out of 5]

"أوجي كان يصور الزمن؛ كل من الزمن الطبيعي والزمن البشري، وكان يفعل ذلك بأن يتمركز في ركن واحد صغير من العالم ويريد أن يكون ملكه".

لكل منا هوايات غريبة، هوس ربما لا يعلم به
أحد، شيء يشعرنا بالتفرد والمتعة الخالصة.

مترجمة بعنوان كريسماس على موقع كتب مملة

[Luka Zviadauri · Rating 5 out of 5]

ეს ძალიან ლამაზი მოთხრობა "მარტო სახლშის" მსგავსად დაიდებს ბინას ჩემს ყოველწლიურ ტრადიციებში

P.S. ფილმიც უმაგრესია

[Yousra · Rating 2 out of 5]

كنت على وشك التقييم بنجمتين ثم الانصراف عن الكتاب ... إلا أنني وجدت أن كل قراء هذا الكتاب قد اكتفوا بالتقييم دون إضافة مراجعات، فقررت أن شيئا من الإيضاح بالنسبة لتقييمي قد يكون مفيدا

هي مجموعة قصصية لا أعلم على أي أساس تم اختيار قصصها باستثناء الرابط بين ليديا دايفيس وبول أوستر فقد كانا زوجين في وقت سابق، أما باقي المؤلفين فلا يجمعهم رابط ... ولا أجواء القصص كذلك ولا أزمنة القصص، ولا أدري لماذا اختارت المترجمة قصتين لدوروثي باركر ولا لماذا اختارت التعريف ببعض المؤلفين في هوامش الكتاب والبعض الآخر لا ... علما بأنني لم استطع العثور على معلومات عن الكاتب چيمس آتلي لا بالعربية ولا بالإنجليزية!

من هذه المجموعة والمكونة من ٩ قصص أحببت فقط
* قصة أوجي رين عن عيد الميلاد لـ بول أوستر
* ترتيب بالأبيض والأسود لـ دوروثي باركر
* مخاوف السيدة أورلاندو لـ ليديا ديفيس

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story for adults with illustrations. As christmas stories go it is subtle, no snow or carols but some nice messages about frienship, humility, sharing, passing time and the moral question of whether the truth always matters. I was expecting more of a twist or conclusion at the end but it was a nice story.

[Jack Silbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim book and I go back about four years. I picked it up that summer at a library book sale where I was volunteering--we get a free book as our "payment." And I set the book aside with the intention of reading it on Christmas.

Well, Christmas came and went and I forgot to read the book. So I had to wait for year two. And that Christmas went perfectly. As perfectly as it can go for a single Jew, anyway. On Christmas Eve, I went to the movies and afterward entered a nearby bar which I'd never been in. The mood was so friendly inside, the lighting just right. Christmas movies and football games on the TVs. I sat at a small table, ate, drank, and read Auggie Wren's Christmas Story, which had been tucked in my jacket pocket.

Reading it, I experienced the magical "shock of recognition." This story was recreated in the great movie Smoke! A cigar store, a robbery, a blind old woman on Christmas. And as the movie ends, we hear the beautiful Tom Waits song, "Innocent When You Dream." It's just about perfect, and reading this book was like visiting with a dear old friend.

While I sat in the bar, I got a text message out of the blue from, well, a dear old friend. Asking if I had New Year's plans. I didn't... and now I did. It was a Christmas Eve for the ages.

I reviewed the book on some rival online site, and was pleased that I had a new holiday tradition. I like traditions.

Except, year three, I had concert tickets on Christmas Eve. So, no movie, no bar, no Auggie.

Which brings us to this year. I was worried; the bar and movie theater had both been badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The bar had finally reopened but we were still waiting for the theater. But on December 21, the theater did at last reopen. As it got dark, I walked up there, book again in pocket. A string of Christmas lights was on at the bar, across the way. Everything was set.

As I walked out of the theater, a light snow was falling. This couldn't be more perfect. Except... now the lights were off at the bar. Where do I go now? And this snow is kind of annoying. I'll need a hat or an umbrella or something if I'm going to be walking farther. I dropped into the Rite Aid and rooted through the umbrella rack. No, no, too expensive, I have three umbrellas at home, half a mile away. No, I'm just going to get wet.

I headed to the town's main drag. An awful lot of places are closed on Christmas Eve. After several blocks, I found a spot where I'd had some happy times with friends in years gone by. They were open, and the kitchen was open, and that was good enough for me. No Guinness on tap; I was having a holiday craving for a Guinness. Oh well, I'll manage.

The mood was... acceptable. Not perfect, but perfection is hard to recreate. I sat at the bar, ate, drank, and read Auggie Wren's Christmas Story. And it was brilliant all over again. It's short, real short, but the illustrations make you slow down and let it all sink in. It's like a picture book for grown ups. And the light was pretty dim so i couldn't make out all the details in the illustrations. But that seemed to fit this story of an old blind woman and the gentle lies we tell each other and tell ourselves to get from one day to another.

I didn't get any New Year's text messages while I read the book, but nobody expects lightning to strike twice. It was OK. The food was real good, the beer was flowing, and I was so happy to spend a little more time with Auggie Wren. I imagine I'll see him next year too.

[Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

“ Even at their best, Christmas stories were no more than wish fulfillment dreams, fairy tales for adults, and I’d be damned if I’d ever allowed myself to write something like that”.

The author, Paul Auster, is asked to write a Christmas short story. He is stumped about what to write, but his friend, Auggie Wren, tells him he has the perfect one for him. So Auggie recounts the story of one Christmas, when he was returning a found wallet, he ended up spending Christmas with a blind woman.

A sweet story that is not a conventional Christmas story. I totally enjoyed it!

Many thanks to my GR friend Cheri, whose review prompted me to read this book.

This book marks the first of my Christmas reads for this year.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy read, but it’s kind of a pointless story. Basically, the author is asked to write a story about Christmas for the New York Times and doesn’t know what to write, so his friend tells him a story about Christmas, and he isn’t sure whether or not it is true

[Sandro Krtv · Rating 5 out of 5]

როგორ შეიძლება ახალი წლის დღეებმა ოგი რენის გარეშე ჩაიაროს

[Anna Pardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021: Aquest és el meu Auster. I què bé llegir-lo en aquests dies tristos per reconciliar-me amb ell després de la difícil experiència del seu últim llibre. M'encanta. Gràcies, Paul ❤️

2024: Avui has marxat, Paul. Quin homenatge millor que llegir-te? 💔

[Choco Con Churros · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Qué cuentín tan guapo! (Y tan corto). Me dejó buen sabor.
Reto 2022.

[Tatevik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas mood officially on!



And I started to take out the Christmas books I had in mind for this year!



This is a short story read by the author. I have never read Paul Auster, so this was a good introduction. He reminds me of Truman Capote. I might want to read his other works too!
Any recommendations?

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick read of a Christmas story. The "fictional" author in Auster's story wants to write an unsentimental Christmas tale. Auster succeeded with a story that could only take place in New York City, Brooklyn to be exact. While it is unsentimental, it portrays the spirit of giving, even if in a slightly off-kilter way. Originally published in The New York Times op-ed page, this hardcover has delightfully modernistic, colorful illustrations by Argentine artist Isol.