“I was looking for a quiet place to die.”
So starts Paul Auster’s latest commentary on our ironic lives. The Brooklyn Follies follows the unlikely protagonist Nathan Glass, an undistinguished man of 59 years who has recently separated from his wife and wants nothing more than to return to his place of birth to fade into the vast canvas of a complex city. This dream is short lived, as he soon becomes involved in the tragically misguided lives around him, including his resigned nephew Tom, a desperate book dealing art forger, Harry, and a stubbornly silent little girl with a strange and mysterious past, Lucy.
These odd characters commence to bring color, light, and life to Nathan’s previously dreary existence. In turn, they also flood his simple life with their problems. Unifying (and titling) the book is the main character’s latest endeavor, a project to document every peculiarity, idiocy, and anecdote that he encounters in his genuinely unique life. The novel dances effortlessly from one tale to another, less concerned with a central point than with maintaining the clever and humorous tone of a middle aged fool.
While the novel is sometimes lacking in direction, it still plows forwards, savoring the inspiring moments and escaping the painfully awkward. Most importantly, its never a difficult read, as it retains its humorous narration. The false authenticity of the stories that Nathan/Auster chooses to share with his audience are clear evidence of his earlier work on the NPR story corps project; he’s read enough stories from real people to effectively fake them.
Ultimately, it’s an excellent read. The novel is poignant; hilarious at times and painfully honest at others, and never fails to remind the reader of the rare curiosity that is their own life.
- Read (some of) it at Google Books.
- Borrow it from Montgomery County Public Libraries.
- Buy it on Amazon.
Read it. It’ll make you laugh.
No comments:
Post a Comment