Paul Auster was a prolific author whose notable works have left a significant mark on contemporary literature. Here’s more about his key writings:
– The New York Trilogy (1987): This series is considered Auster’s signature work, consisting of three stories that blend elements of detective fiction with existentialism1.
– Moon Palace (1989): A novel that follows the life of Marco Stanley Fogg and the various characters he meets in New York City, exploring themes of personal identity and human relationships1.
– The Music of Chance (1990): This book tells the story of Jim Nashe and Jack Pozzi, two men who enter a high-stakes poker game, leading to unexpected consequences1.
– The Book of Illusions (2002): It revolves around a man who loses his family in a plane crash and becomes obsessed with a silent film comedian’s work1.
– The Brooklyn Follies (2005): This novel is about a retired insurance salesman who returns to Brooklyn to die but finds new meaning in life through family and new acquaintances1.
– Invisible (2009): The narrative is split among multiple narrators and spans several decades, focusing on a young poet’s experiences in New York and Paris1.
– Sunset Park (2010): It centers on a group of young people squatting in an abandoned house in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn1.
– Winter Journal (2012): In this autobiographical work, Auster reflects on his life, body, and experiences as he ages1.
– 4 3 2 1 (2017): This novel explores four parallel lives of the same individual, examining how small changes can lead to different paths1.
Auster’s works are known for their complex characters, intricate plots, and the philosophical questions they raise. His books have been translated into over forty languages, reflecting his global reach and influence1. If you’re delving into Auster’s literary contributions, these works are essential reading to understand his impact on modern fiction.
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Siri Hustvedt, born on February 19, 1955, is an American novelist, essayist, and poet. Let’s delve into her life and literary contributions:
– Early Life:
– Siri Hustvedt spent her early years in Northfield, Minnesota, where her father, Lloyd Hustvedt, was a professor of Norwegian language and literature at St. Olaf College.
– Her mother, Ester Vegan, emigrated from Norway when she was 30 years old.
– Siri and her three younger sisters attended local public schools, and their family had strong ties to Norwegian heritage.
– Her extensive reading during a summer visit to Reykjavík, Iceland, particularly Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield,” inspired her decision to pursue literature as a profession1.
– Education and Writing Career:
– Siri Hustvedt graduated from St. Olaf College with a B.A. in history in 1977.
– She moved to New York City in 1978 to study English at Columbia University.
– Her first published work was a poem in The Paris Review.
– She completed her Ph.D. in English at Columbia in 1986, with her dissertation focusing on Charles Dickens and exploring language, identity, and metaphors in his novel “Our Mutual Friend”1.
– Literary Works:
– Hustvedt’s diverse body of work includes:
– Novels: She has written six novels, including the international bestsellers “What I Loved” and “The Summer Without Men.”
– Essays: She has published three collections of essays.
– Non-Fiction: She has authored a work of non-fiction.
– Poetry: She also has a book of poetry.
– Notable novels include “The Blazing World”, which was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and won The Los Angeles Book Prize for fiction3.
– Her writing often delves into themes of perception, identity, and the intersections between art and psychology.
– Personal Life:
– Siri Hustvedt has been married to the acclaimed author Paul Auster since 1982.
– They shared a home in Brooklyn, New York City, where their intellectual and literary discussions thrived, reflecting the vibrant cultural scene of the borough.
– Together, they formed a literary power couple, each contributing significantly to contemporary literature1.
Siri Hustvedt’s exploration of the human mind, gender roles, and the complexities of existence has left an indelible mark on the literary world. Her works continue to resonate with readers across languages and cultures.
J.M. Coetzee, a close friend of Paul Auster, is a distinguished author and academic. Here’s a brief overview of his connection with Auster and his own notable career:
– **Friendship with Paul Auster**:
– J.M. Coetzee and Paul Auster shared a deep literary friendship, which is well-documented in their published correspondence titled “Here and Now: Letters 2008-2011″¹[3]. This collection reveals their discussions on a wide range of topics, from sports to philosophy, reflecting their mutual respect and intellectual camaraderie.
– **J.M. Coetzee’s Background**:
– Born on **February 9, 1940**, in Cape Town, South Africa, Coetzee is renowned for his work as a novelist, essayist, linguist, and translator²[4].
– He won the **Nobel Prize in Literature** in 2003 and is a two-time Booker Prize winner²[4].
– Coetzee’s novels often grapple with the effects of colonization, and he is known for his precise, stark prose and complex themes³[5].
– **Life in Australia**:
– After moving to Australia in 2002, Coetzee became an Australian citizen in 2006²[4].
– He resides in Adelaide, South Australia, and has been a patron of the J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice at the University of Adelaide²[4].
– **Literary Contributions**:
– Coetzee’s most recently published book is “The Pole and Other Stories” (2023)²[4].
– His works, including “Disgrace,” “Life & Times of Michael K,” and “The Childhood of Jesus,” have garnered international acclaim and continue to influence readers and writers worldwide²[4].
The friendship between Auster and Coetzee represents a meeting of two literary minds, both of whom have significantly impacted modern literature with their unique and powerful voices.
Paul Auster from Brooklyn New York died of cancer 1st May 2024: He was one of the greatest writers of the USA, and the loss is very very sad: My thoughts are with his wife and daughter and friends like Coetzee (living in Australia) and his readers.
More here soon, and LINKS will follow in honour of this great author …
Written by Peter H Bloecker
Last update 01 May 2024
Last not least: Paul Auster wanted to become a film Director. He was a very shy boy …writing became his passion, and he started with a poem.
Listen to the Zeit Podcast
Alles gesagt
as well …(2 great hours explaining the USA and more).
Watch on YouTube
Paul Auster was a fan of Samuel Beckett!
Waiting for Godot is a renowned play by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett.
- Plot Summary:
- The play opens with two bedraggled acquaintances, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), meeting near a leafless tree. Estragon shares his recent troubles, including spending the previous night lying in a ditch and being beaten by anonymous assailants.
- The duo engages in various discussions while awaiting a man named Godot, although they are uncertain if they have ever met him or if he will even arrive.
- An imperious traveler named Pozzo, along with his silent slave Lucky, arrives. Pozzo forces Lucky to carry heavy bags and physically punishes him. Lucky performs a sudden dance and monologue, mixing academic-sounding phrases with nonsense.
- After Pozzo and Lucky leave, a boy arrives as a messenger from Godot. He informs Vladimir that Godot will not come tonight but will surely arrive tomorrow.
- Act II repeats the waiting scene. Pozzo is now blind, and Lucky is dumb. The boy reappears, insisting he did not speak to Vladimir the day before.
- The play ends with Vladimir and Estragon still waiting, neither leaving nor moving.
- Significance:
- Waiting for Godot is considered a groundbreaking work in drama and the Theatre of the Absurd. It challenges traditional theatrical conventions and explores existential themes.
- The play’s repetitive structure, absurd dialogues, and unresolved waiting create a unique theatrical experience.
- Legacy:
- In a poll conducted by the British Royal National Theatre, Waiting for Godot was voted the “most significant English-language play of the 20th century”.
- Its impact on theater and literature remains profound, making it a timeless and thought-provoking piece.
If you’re interested in existential themes, this play is definitely worth exploring! 😊🎭
(1) Waiting for Godot – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_for_Godot.
(2) Waiting for Godot: Full Play Summary | SparkNotes. https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/godot/summary/.
(3) Waiting for Godot | Summary, Characters, & Facts | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Waiting-for-Godot.
(4) Waiting for Godot | British Literature Wiki – WordPress at UD. https://sites.udel.edu/britlitwiki/waiting-for-godot/.
(5) en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_for_Godot.
Carpe Diem!
Last one … pls do not smoke!
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Alice Munro, often hailed as the Master of the Short Story, was a Canadian author renowned for her finely tuned storytelling. Her narratives were marked by clarity and psychological insight, focusing on the mundane but poignant details of everyday life. Munro’s work is characterized by its open-endedness, leaving readers with a sense of ongoing life beyond the stories themselves.
Munro’s writing career spanned several decades, during which she published numerous short story collections that garnered critical acclaim. Her stories often explored the complexities of human relationships and the subtle dramas of domestic life, set against the backdrop of her native Ontario.
In 2013, Alice Munro was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, with the Swedish Academy recognizing her as a “master of the contemporary short story”⁶. She was the first Canadian and the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize exclusively for short fiction.
Sadly, Alice Munro passed away on May 13, 2024, at the age of 92¹²³. Her legacy continues to influence writers and readers alike, and her profound contributions to literature will be remembered for generations to come. Her stories remain a testament to the power of the short story form to capture the essence of human experience.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 18/05/2024
(1) Alice Munro | Biography, Works, & Facts | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alice-Munro.
(2) Alice Munro, Master of Short Story, Dies at 92. https://au.news.yahoo.com/alice-munro-master-short-story-170157542.html.
(3) Alice Munro, Canadian Nobel Prize-winning author and short story master, dead at 92. https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/alice-munro-canadian-nobel-prize-winning-author-and-short-story-master-dead-at-92/ar-BB1moNWU.
(4) Alice Munro, Nobel Prize-winner widely held to be the master of the modern short story – obituary. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/alice-munro-nobel-prize-winner-widely-held-to-be-the-master-of-the-modern-short-story-obituary/ar-BB1mnAPM.
(5) Alice Munro, Canadian Nobel Prize-winning author and short story master …. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-15/alice-munro-nobel-prize-winning-author-dead-at-92/103848642.
(6) Alice Munro, master of the short story | To The Best Of Our Knowledge. https://www.ttbook.org/interview/alice-munro-master-short-story.
(7) undefined. https://podcast.wpr.org/tbk/tbk060129b3.mp3.
(8) Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/alice-munro-accepts-the-2004-giller-prize-for-her-news-photo/165290861.
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