‘New York Trilogy’ author Paul Auster passes away aged 77

From the 1970s onwards, Auster penned over 30 works, spanning memoirs, novels, and poetry
In frame: Paul Auster
In frame: Paul AusterAP
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Prolific author and filmmaker Paul Auster, whose inventive narratives like The New York Trilogy captivated readers worldwide, passed away on Tuesday at his Brooklyn home. He was 77. Auster’s wife, Siri Hustvedt, confirmed the news, sharing their decades of rich conversations would be deeply missed. Yet, his voice lives on in over 40 translated languages, a testament to the enduring power of his stories.

In frame: Paul Auster
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From the 1970s onwards, Auster penned over 30 works, spanning memoirs, novels, and poetry. Though not a mainstream bestseller in the US, his cosmopolitan outlook and introspective style garnered international acclaim. He was decorated by the French government and shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize.

A master of postmodernism, Auster wove together history, politics, and philosophical quests, often blurring the lines between reality and fiction. The New York Trilogy exemplifies this, a detective saga where identities shift and a private eye named Paul Auster emerges as a protagonist.

His magnum opus, the 2017 novel 4 3 2 1, explored the lives of four identical boys named Archibald Ferguson, each navigating a different path in the post-WWII era.

Auster wasn’t just a wordsmith; he dabbled in film too. Collaborations with director Wayne Wang birthed acclaimed movies like Smoke and Blue in the Face, both set in a Brooklyn cigar shop. He even ventured into directing, with Lulu on the Bridge and The Inner Life of Martin Frost among his credits.

Despite shunning email and clinging to his typewriter, Auster found a unique connection with actors. “There’s a similarity between writing fiction and acting,” he once remarked.

Auster’s personal life was marked by both joy and tragedy. He married Hustvedt in 1982 and had two children. The death of his son, Daniel, in 2022, deeply affected him. Though Auster never spoke publicly about it, his writings often explored themes of parenthood and loss.

Born in Newark, Auster’s middle-class upbringing was a complex tapestry of his parents’ contrasting personalities. He found solace in literature, escaping into the worlds crafted by Joyce and Poe.

In frame: Paul Auster
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Early in his career, Auster faced struggles, taking on odd jobs to survive. Yet, his determination never wavered. “My only ambition had been to write,” he once stated. His journey may have been arduous, but Paul Auster, the man who chose storytelling as his life’s purpose, leaves behind a rich literary legacy.

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