Book Review
Aug. 31st, 2022 12:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Book of Illusions
Paul Auster
This novel is told from the point of view of David, an academic who serendipitously discovers the work of an obscure silent film comedian, Hector Mann, while grieving the tragic loss of his wife and children. Hector disappeared in 1929 and is presumed dead, but after David publishes his book on Hector, he receives a series of communications alleging that Hector is still alive, living in New Mexico, and would like to meet him. David thus learns the truth about Mann's disappearance and later life and bears witness to the final tragedies of his story.
The Book of Illusions was very engrossing, even if the framing of the narration was a little distancing. I think that may have been part of the point, though: that knowing the story of someone's life isn't the same as really knowing them or their life. Auster also makes beautiful and subtle use of parallels between Hector's life, his films, and David's experiences to bring out his themes and points. Both Hector's and David's stories illuminate how loss and love shape a life for good or ill, and what is meaningful about creating art even when that art is ephemeral or ultimately destroyed. There's also a running thread about illusions and the role they play in both life and art.
I desperately wish the films described in the book were real, because Auster is almost as good assovay when it comes to writing about film.
Paul Auster
This novel is told from the point of view of David, an academic who serendipitously discovers the work of an obscure silent film comedian, Hector Mann, while grieving the tragic loss of his wife and children. Hector disappeared in 1929 and is presumed dead, but after David publishes his book on Hector, he receives a series of communications alleging that Hector is still alive, living in New Mexico, and would like to meet him. David thus learns the truth about Mann's disappearance and later life and bears witness to the final tragedies of his story.
The Book of Illusions was very engrossing, even if the framing of the narration was a little distancing. I think that may have been part of the point, though: that knowing the story of someone's life isn't the same as really knowing them or their life. Auster also makes beautiful and subtle use of parallels between Hector's life, his films, and David's experiences to bring out his themes and points. Both Hector's and David's stories illuminate how loss and love shape a life for good or ill, and what is meaningful about creating art even when that art is ephemeral or ultimately destroyed. There's also a running thread about illusions and the role they play in both life and art.
I desperately wish the films described in the book were real, because Auster is almost as good as
sovay when it comes to writing about film.
