The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster

The “New York Trilogy“ is an excellent introduction to the work of Paul Auster. As the name suggests, the book is a collection of three short stories set in New York, each of which has some form of detective work as the central element. However, anybody expecting a trio of tales along the lines of Agatha Christie is in for a large shock. The first story in the book – “City of Glass” – introduces many of the themes that run through all of Auster’s work. A man, Quinn, is awoken one night by a phone call from someone who believes he is a detective named Paul Auster of the Auster Detective Agency. However, as with many of ...  Read the complete review

I came across this book on the recommendation of a friend who knows I like crime fiction, yet from very early on, I was aware that this was something very different about this book. What initially seems to be a straightforward detective story soon becomes a confusing read, so that identities begin to merge together and then separate again. Despite this, Auster writes in such a way that his make compelling reading and at no point did I feel like throwing the book away in disgust. I think it is necessary to understand a little of Paul Auster’s background and beliefs in order to grasp the concept behind this book. Auster is well-known for his postmodernist ...  Read the complete review

Paul Auster's 'New York Trilogy' contains three detective stories with a very postmodern twist. Taking elements from traditional detective fiction, Auster turns the genre on its head by leaving both reader and detective confused. As the title clearly indicates, the three stories are set in New York and we are fed bizarre and increasingly perplexing clues as each grows more mysterious. The first of the three stories sticks most in my mind, following a bizarre trail that seems to be leading to the tower of Babel! With doppelgangers and a character called Paul Auster I was gripped read it in one sitting! The characters and ...  Read the complete review

It was one of those books you pick almost at random: recommended by Waterstones, feeling adventurous. I expected a more-or-less conventional detective story - but as Deany writes in his superb review, that's not exactly what you get. All set to write a review, I logged onto DooYoo... and then found Deany's op. So rather than try to repeat Deany's content, here my take on it, in acrostic version instead... Q uestion: U npick a man, I solate him from his world: is he N ullified, a N amed nonentity? I s Black White? S eek the man, A uster hints, U nder the trappings. S earch. T hink. E njoy. ...  Read the complete review