I just found out today one of my favorite authors passed away back on April 30th at the age of 77. It came as a shock to me that the renowned writer, Paul Auster, had departed from this world. I first read The New York Trilogy in my mid 20s when I lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Despite not a being a huge fan of detective or mystery fiction, his unique approach to the genre through the trilogy won me over as a fan of his work.

A couple of years later, I read Leviathan and was captivated by its exploration of male friendship and the unsettling revelations it brought about human nature. It was the smoothest and clearest reading experience I’ve ever had as an adult. Next, I read Oracle Night. Among Auster’s works I have read, that novel resonated with me the most, as it masterfully portrayed the themes of chance and coincidences in everyday life.

I purchased The Book of Illusions, Music of Chance, Sunset Park, Travels in the Scriptorium, & Man In the Dark today from my local library bookstore here in San Antonio. I was fortunate to get all those books for six dollars. That was meant to be.

Paul Auster was beloved in France for his body of work and he spoke fluent French. He had a more European influence in his writing style, rather than American. He shares that similarity with another writer I admire, Jonathan Carroll. I truly believe that he is one of the most significant American writers post 1980, leaving an indelible mark on our literary heritage.

Among those he leaves behind are his daughter Sophie and his wife, Siri Hustvedt, who is an acclaimed novelist herself. My deepest condolences to their family and readers who have enjoyed his work. Auster has carved out a unique path in modern fiction and I hope more readers are drawn to his oeuvre. I would recommend The New York Trilogy and Leviathan as entry points to his stories.  Rest in Love, Paul Auster.