The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster

Nathan Glass, a curmudgeonly fifty-nine-year-old retired insurance salesman in recovery from lung cancer, returns to Brooklyn looking for a place to die. The dark premise of Paul Auster’s The Brooklyn Follies belies the humor and surprising mirth Nathan finds upon moving back to his birthplace. Along with his literature-loving, cab-driving nephew Tom and a cast of characters including flamboyant ex-cons, married beauties, a silent nine-year-old, and a lip syncing drag queen, Nathan shows us the joys of modern urban life, the city as a refuge for lost souls, and the rescue a lonely man can feel when he embraces community.

I'm a huge fan of Paul Auster's and was really looking forward to this book. I had just finished an advanced copy of his newest book, "Travels in the Scriptorium," and was amazed as ever. Auster is truly one of the more unique and talented authors writing today.

From what I had heard, this book was going to be the most widely accessable in Auster's catalogue. Our book group verified this assumption as everyone involved enjoyed this book immensely. I'll write more on this discussion soon... in the meantime, what did you think of the book?

One interesting thing I once read about Paul Auster: apparently his books are the second most likely to be stolen from bookstores. I can't find where I read that, I'm still trying to verify it...

And the most frequently stolen author...?

Charles Bukowski.