News (Early 2002)
Paul Auster's new novel 'The Book of Illusions' was out in hardcover in the US on Friday 23rd August 2002. It won't be out in the UK until Monday 7th October 2002 and the paperback version won't be out until Monday 7th April 2003. However, David Davies has e-mailed me to say that 'despite your news pages stating that The Book of Illusions is not out in the UK until October 7th, I actually bought a copy at a Waterstone's in central London this past Wednesday (Aug 28th).'
Faber & Faber also confirmed that Paul Auster won't be visiting the UK for a book signing for 'The Book of Illusions'.
Regular contributor Brian McGuirk has e-mailed me to say that "I saw in Harper's magazine that Paul Auster, Siri Hustvedt, and Lydia Davis have all contributed pieces to the book 110 Stories: New York Writes After September 11. I have not had a chance to look at the book, but it is available from Amazon."
As an aside Claus Søgaard wrote to say that 'there is a small underground danish band called Kitty Wu. I've listened to Kitty Wu for some years now, but I didn't have the slightest idea that they were named
after a character in a Paul Auster book ('Moon Palace').' Whilst we are on a musical theme Michelle M Ellis has just e-mailed to say 'i don't know if you realized but gavin rossdale of bush is a huge paul auster fan and he uses several quotes and lines from his work in the songs he writes for bush.'. Emli Bendixen also reliably informed me some time ago that Shirley Manson from Garbage is a huge Paul Auster fan.
Paul Auster is on the Board of Directors for The Sonic Memorial Project. This nationwide public broadcasting collaboration involves numerous individuals and organizations that have come together to create The Sonic Memorial Project. Together they are gathering sound and producing stories that will chronicle the lives as well as the loss of this chapter of American history. These stories will be broadcast as a series on public radio throughout 2002 with Sonic Memorial specials airing the week of Wednesday 11th September 2002.
Paul Auster will be signing copies of his book 'The Book of Illusions' at the following events:
Olsson's, 1200 F St, NW, Washington, DC, Friday 13th September 2002 - 7:00
Harvard Bookstore, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA, Wednesday 18th September 2002 - 6:00
92nd Street Y, New York, NY, Monday 23rd September 2002
New Yorker Book Festival, Booth Signing, New York, NY, Friday 27th September 2002
LAPL, 630 West 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA, Tuesday 1st October 2002
Keplers, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA, Wednesday 2nd October 2002 - 7:30
Booksmith (SF Public Library), 1644 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA, Thursday 3rd October 2002 - 7:00
Elliott Bay, 101 S Main Street, Seattle, WA, Friday 4th October 2002 - 7:30
Ruminator, 1648 Grand Ave, St. Paul, MN, Monday 7th October 2002 - 8:30
Seminary Co-op (Breasted Hall), 1301 E 57th Street, Chicago, IL, Tuesday 8th October 2002 - 7:00
Harry Schwartz, 2559 N. Downer Ave, Milwaukee, WI, Wednesday 9th October 2002 - 7:00
Madison Book Festival, Madison, WI, Thursday 10th October 2002
Beth Elohim Synagogue, New York, NY, Monday 28th October 2002
Queens College, New York, NY, Tuesday 12th November 2002
Paul Auster will be attending a Harvard Book Store Event concerning his book 'The Book of Illusions' at the Sackler Museum, 485 Broadway, Cambridge, USA on Wednesday 18th September 2002. Tickets will be available in the store 4 weeks before the event. (Thanks to Stuart Poole for this information)
Writers Oliver Sacks and Joan Didion, radio personality Sarah Vowell, poet/novelist Paul Auster, and both Miss Manners and The Ethicist are among the writers, performers, artists, and historians appearing in diverse and compelling public programs at The New York Public Library this fall. Paul Auster and Jackie Lydon (aka National Story Project) will be appearing there on Wednesday 30th October 2002.
Old News
John Andre Aasen e-mailed me to say that "Paul Auster is coming to Oslo on Wednesday 21st August 2002 to talk about his new book. Siri Hustvedt will also be coming. On the same day, there is to be arranged a miniature film festival, showing the films Auster has been involved in. This is arranged by Filmport Apparently, Paul Auster will be attending this festival too...Norwegians can follow this link for the original news on this.
John also e-mailed a little later to say that "I have further info about Auster in Oslo, if it is of interest. The news article was just a teaser, apparently. Auster and Siri Hustvedt will actually come to Oslo on Monday 19th August 2002, and spend a few days there. The film festival is on the 21st, and he will talk about his book the following day. I believe further information will be in the media in the weeks to come, as well as on Aschehoug's website."
By the way, John says "a Norwegian translation of "The Book Of Illusions" has been released by Aschehoug. The English version will also be available in Norway on Tuesday 15th August 2002."
Henrik Bengtsson has e-mailed to say that "Paul Auster is holding a lecture in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday 24th August 2002 on his new book, which, by the way, is excellent!"
Outi Makinen e-mailed me to say "In Finland Paul Auster´s New York -trilogy just came out in paperback, under the paperback brandname LOISTO. For the first time in Finland all three parts of the trilogy were published together in one book!"
And staying with Finland I have dicovered that three films scripted by Paul Auster: warm-hearted humour in a Brooklyn tobacco shop, the love story of a jazz saxophonist and an actress against a vibrant New York backdrop are to be shown at the Helsinki Festival. (Harvey Keitel is the star in Smoke, Blue in the Face and Lulu on the Bridge.) Auster will be visiting the Evening with Living Poets at the Huvila Festival Tent on Monday 26th August 2002. He will auster introduce 'Lulu on the Bridge' at the Andorra on Sunday 25th August 2002. Here is the line up:
Thu 22.8. at 19.00: Smoke / Orion
Fri 23.8. at 17.00: Blue in the Face / Orion
Sat 24.8. at 17.00: Blue in the Face / Orion
Sat 24.8. at 18.30: Lulu on the Bridge / Andorra
Sun 25.8. at 16.00: Lulu on the Bridge / Andorra
Sun 25.8. at 18.00: Smoke / Orion
Sun 25.8. at 18.30: Lulu on the Bridge / Andorra
Tue 27.8. at 18.30: Lulu on the Bridge / Andorra
Klaus Nolting has written to inform me that "The German edition of "The Book of Illusions", "Das Buch der Illusionen", is out now, published by Rowohlt, Reinbek. I'm a bit afraid to read it..."
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Brian McGuirk has e-mailed me to say that "Advanced Reader's copies of The Book of Illusions are for sale on many internet sites throughout the US. I couldn't wait until September to read the book so I bought one of these copies. I purchased mine from an auction on Amazon.com but I'm sure eBay and half.com will have copies as well. There were several for sale where I purchased my copy and the going rate seems to be about 15 US dollars. Not exactly the most ethical solution to the long wait, but if you're counting the days until the novel comes out this may prove to be some relief if you can handle buying a book that says NOT FOR SALE across it's cover." |
On Wednesday 26th June 2002 at 7:00pm Wollman Auditorium at The Cooper Union, 51 Astor Place, between 3rd and 4th Avenues, Paul Auster took part in a PEN Writers' Forum which was moderated by Leonard Lopate. It was called Secret Sharers: Writers Reveal Their Favorite Overlooked Writers. Admission was $5 for PEN members and students; $10 for non-members.
Jessica Reed has kindly e-mailed me to say "Paul Auster is the subject of a TV show tonight on France 2 in France, at 10:40. [2nd June 2002] Bernard Pivot will interview him, i think. I'll try to watch it and tell you more about it, if i can." Jessica has since written to say "Pivot interviewed Auster at his home, in Brooklyn. It has a great decoration...with paintings and pics on what seemed to be a piano. So anyways, Auster talked about his trips to France, how he moved there when he was 18 for a few months, and then again circa 24 yrs old.Pivot asked him what were the elements he prefered/disliked most in both the European/American culture:He said that he liked the EU culture because we take time to live, and appreciate these little moments in life that make the world around us beautiful...simpel things like eating, dreaming, smoking, drinking. Time has a real value.He prefers the US because, ironically, a lot is happening at the same time, and you can feel a real energy going on, everywhere and anywhere, and that's what's kinda missing in France. When asked if the Statue of Liberty still knows french (cos as well know it's a gift for the american people from the french gvt), he said yes, of course, she knows a lot of languages. He also mentionned Toqueville, as a man who's respected in the states because he had an 'avant guardsite' vision of what the american mentality/people would be like."
Henrik Bengtsson e-mailed to say that "The Danish edition of "The Book of Illusions" can be ordered via the Internet by typing the book's English title "Illusionernes bog" at www.ibooks.dk. The book costs DKK 298. I was also informed by a Swedish bookstore that the book will be available in German in June."
Paul Auster featured at the 2002 Book Sense Reading Room at BEA. The Reading Room (Room 1E12) was scheduled for Saturday 4th May 2002 from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The Reading Room provides a relaxed, intimate environment to hear celebrated writers read from their recent works.
Emiliano Canal wrote to say that he has "made a web page about paul auster's conference in argentina - it's in spanish though - there are some pics" here.
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I've had quite a lot of information sent to me about Paul Auster's latest novel 'The Book of Illusions' or 'Le Livre Les Illusions'. It has already been published in countries such as France and Denmark but won't be out in the UK and the US until September 2002. Many thanks to all those who have e-mailed me over the last few weeks. Here are some of those e-mails:
"Paul is on the cover of the french magazine 'Lire' (website www.lire.fr), month of May, where there's a very interesting interview. He talks about everything from cinema, religion, to his writing habits, and of course about his last book (that's out in France in May, but i guess it's already out in UK?)" Jessica Reed |
"Paul Austers latest novel "The Book of Illusions" has just been published in Denmark to great reviews. Jacob Junge Skovbo
"Here some information about Paul Auster's new novel: the French translation (called Le Livre des Illusions) is scheduled to be released in France by Actes Sud the 7th of May: this is true because some stores have already started to sell the book: I have bought it Saturday the 4th of May and I have already
read it (it's great !) What is strange is that the book translation seems to be available several months before the release in the original language." Pierre Forstmann
"The french translation of The Book of Illusions is just published : Le Livre des Illusions, Editions Actes Sud. The web site of the french publisher provides two extracts of the book : http:\\www.actes-sud.fr/
I'm looking for original extracts of this book in english or american newspapers - the copyright in the States is 2002, without any other indication... " Jérôme Huc
"Just a quick word to tell you that I've just finished Paul Auster's new book, "Le livre des illusions" wich just came out in french (www.actes-sud.fr) and will be writing a short article in LE SOLEIL about this wonderful piece of work. As a freelance writer (Auster was also the subject of my Master's degree thesis) and book critic, I had the chance to get the manuscipt 4 weeks in advance (release date for Canada: 15-02-02) so you will be able to see the article on Sunday May 12th on http:www.cyberpresse.ca (Québec & Montréal Section Arts) as well as an interview with Auster done by Richard Hétu (La Presse). Well, that's it! I just wanted to tell you that you're gonna be in for a treat next September when the book comes out in its original version (weird but true!)." Antoine Tanguay
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Paul Auster has recently collaborated with artist Jacques de Loustal to produce his first original comic book 'The Day I Disappeared'. Nelly Reifler, Paul Auster's assistant, has told me that "the comic is part of Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly's Little Lit kids' book series, and is in a book with a bunch of other comics." Publishers Weekly call it "a melancholy Kafka-esque noir tale." And School Library Journal tells us that the story involves "a man separated from his physical being [who] must rescue himself from drowning."And finally Amazon summarise the story as "a man who's found he's disappeared". |
Luciano e-mailed me with an itinary of Paul Auster and Siri Hustvedt's visit to Argentina in April 2002:
Thursday 25th April at 4pm - Conferencia de prensa en el Marriott plaza Hotel
Thursday 25th April at 7pm - Conversación con Paul Auster en el Malba
Friday 26th April at 7pm - Firma de ejemplares en Librería El Ateneo, Gran Splendid
Saturday 27th April at 8.30 pm - Conferencia en la Feria del Libro
Saturday 27th April at 9.45pm - Firma de ejemplares en el Stand de Riverside
Sunday 28th April at 12.30pm - Firma de ejemplares en Librería Cúspide del Village Recoleta
Monday 29th April at 3pm - Seminario sobre cine y literatura: OBJETOS INNANIMADOS, EMOCIONES VÍVIDAS. OBSERVACIONES SOBRE LA NARRACIÓN CINEMATOGRÁFICA Traducción simultánea Se entregarán certificados firmados por el autor.
Tuesday 30th April at 6pm - Conferencia en la Feria del Libro
In February and March 2002 an American Drama Group (www.americandramagroup.com) toured Southern Germany with a dramatic adaptation of Moon Palace for schools. Michelle who played Kitty Wu has e-mailed me about the tour:
"We did a five week tour and it was a really good, interesting experience. The adaptation went down very well although the dramaturg had to make some drastic decisions with cutting characters and sections of the novel to make it dramatically interesting for the stage. But I think we kept pretty true to the story in terms of MS's journey. It was difficult though, and the script was workshopped and rewritten many times
during rehearsals! The play was pretty off-the-wall and used physical theatre, had a full original music score, Chinese dance, modern dance and a very minimalist set. Unfortunately, all the reviews are in German so not much help there! Read about 4 Auster novels to prepare for the job." Michelle
In connection with the world premiere of the theatrical performance Hide and Seek, American author Paul Auster visited Copenhagen. He wrote the dialogues of the play, which is a mix of dance, music, and theater. The performance was made in cooperation with the Hebbel Theater in Berlin and ran from the 29th of January 2002 until the 16th of February 2002.
On 11th January 2002 at 8pm Paul Auster took part in 'Arts on the High Wire' at the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. In memory of his 1974 walk between the Twin Towers, Philippe Petit also walked the high wire! Paul Auster wrote the following piece shortly after 'Arts on the High Wire' which was dedicated to September 11th.
With its new exhibition Game Show, opening on 27th May 2001, MASS MoCA presented the first major exhibition to explore how artists have adapted game structures and themes in their work. Game Show also featured a performing arts series that will include events with Philip Glass, Yasuko Yokoshi, Shirin Neshat, and Paul Auster and Sophie Calle, among others.
A book of tributes, The Blind See Only This World: poems for John Wieners, was published in 2000, and included contributions by John Ashbery, Paul Auster, Amiri Baraka and Thom Gunn.