Paul Auster, Acclaimed American Author of The New York Trilogy, Dies at 77

Paul Auster, a prolific and influential American author, passed away at the age of 77 due to complications from lung cancer. Known for his highly stylized, quirkily riddlesome postmodernist fiction, Auster's literary style was characterized by his exploration of themes such as coincidence, chance, and fate, often featuring protagonists who were writers themselves.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1947, Auster's writing journey began at a young age when he missed out on getting an autograph from his baseball hero, Willie Mays, due to a lack of a pencil. This experience instilled in him a habit of carrying a pencil everywhere, which eventually led him to become a writer. An encounter with a boy getting struck by lightning and dying instantly during a summer camp hike at the age of 14 left a profound impact on Auster, shaping his fascination with chance and its role in his fiction.

Auster's breakthrough came with the 1985 publication of City of Glass, the first novel in his New York trilogy. These books, classified as mystery stories, were used by Auster to explore existential questions about identity. His detectives in these novels were not just chasing their eccentric quarry but were also grappling with the Big Questions, such as the implications of authorship and the enigmas of epistemology.

Throughout his career, Auster published numerous novels, including Moon Palace (1989), The Music of Chance (1990), The Book of Illusions (2002), and Oracle Night (2003). He also ventured into film, writing the screenplay for Smoke, directed by Wayne Wang, for which he won the Independent Spirit award for best first screenplay in 1995.

Auster's work was celebrated in Europe more than in his native United States, with the New York magazine describing him as "merely a bestselling author" in the US but a "rock star" in Paris. In 1981, Auster met Siri Hustvedt and they married the following year. They had a daughter, Sophie, who became a singer and actor. Auster's 1992 novel, Leviathan, features a character named Iris Vegan, who is the heroine of Hustvedt's first novel, The Blindfold.

Auster is survived by Hustvedt, their daughter Sophie Auster, his sister Janet Auster, and a grandson. His final novel, Baumgartner, about a widowed septuagenarian writer, was published in October.

Throughout his life, Auster's work captivated readers with its unique narrative voice and exploration of themes such as identity, chance, and fate. His passing marks the end of an era in American literature, leaving behind a rich body of work that will continue to inspire and engage readers for generations to come.