Brooklyn Follies CD [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Paul Auster (Author, Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2006

Nathan Glass has come to Brooklyn to die. Divorced, retired, estranged from his only daughter, the former life insurance salesman seeks only solitude and anonymity. Then Glass encounters his long-lost nephew, Tom Wood, who is working in a local bookstore -- a far cry from the brilliant academic career Tom had begun when Nathan saw him last. Tom's boss is the colorful and charismatic Harry Brightman -- aka Harry Dunkel -- once the owner of a Chicago art gallery, whom fate has also brought to the "ancient kingdom of Brooklyn, New York." Through Tom and Harry, Nathan's world gradually broadens to include a new circle of acquaintances -- not to mention a stray relative or two -- and leads him to a reckoning with his past.

With The Brooklyn Follies, the always astonishing Paul Auster has written what is undoubtedly his warmest, most exuberant novel, a moving, unforgettable hymn to the glories and mysteries of ordinary human life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Auster is the bestselling author of Oracle Night, The Book of Illusions, and Timbuktu. I Thought My Father Was God, the NPR National Story Project anthology, which he edited, was also a national bestseller. His work has been translated into thirty languages. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

From AudioFile

As always, Auster can't help being incredibly smart even when he's writing plot-driven fiction, nor can he avoid being funny, sad, wise, or goofy, often in the same sentence. Having this story in Auster's own warm, gravelly voice is a great plus. His reading isn't perfect, any more than his characters are, but it is deeply engaging. The setup: Nathan Glass, sick, divorced, and estranged from his daughter, moves to Brooklyn to die, only to find himself back in the swim when he runs across a favorite nephew similarly floundering in a Brooklyn backwater who seems to need avuncular support. Technical difficulties: The recording's sound level is annoyingly low. Otherwise, enormous fun. B.G. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio CD: 64 pages
• Publisher: HarperAudio; Unabridged edition (January 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060838787
• ISBN-13: 978-0060838782
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,567,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AUTHOR'S READING: THE PERFECT VOICE, February 20, 2006

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brooklyn Follies CD (Audio CD)

New Jersey born Brooklyn based Paul Auster has given us memorable poetry, golden short stories, and bestselling novels, including Oracle Night, The Book of Illusions and Timbuktu.
He sets his latest novel in his chosen home, Brooklyn, and introduces Nathan Glass, a very ordinary man who helps us to see the extraordinariness of life.

Nathan is 59 years old, at one time he was a life insurance salesman, and he has returned to Brooklyn to die. He's divorced, and has no contact with his only child. All Nathan wants is to be left alone; he doesn't want to be bothered and he won't bother anyone.

However, it's not long before he meets his nephew, Tom Wood, whom he hasn't seen in years. Tom now works in a bookstore owned by Harry Brightman. It is through Tom and Harry that Nathan is drawn into the world and meets new people in the Park Slope neighborhood.

At times, it doesn't sound as if Nathan or his friends think much of life; in fact, they say the world stinks. We hear Harry saying that they try to avoid the world. To this Tom replies, "We're right in the thick of it, whether we like it or not. It's all around us, and every time I lift my head and take a good look at it, I'm filled with disgust. Sadness and disgust. You'd think World War Two would have settled things, at least for a couple of hundred years. But we're still hacking each other to pieces, aren't we? We still hate each other as much as we ever did."

However, listen as the story evolves as does Nathan.

From the stuff of everyday life Auster has fashioned a hopeful, uplifting story. Hearing it read in his voice is a joy as he segues between the voices of Nathan, Tom and Harry during their dinner table conversations. Auster's voice is deep, his accent Eastern - a perfect fit.

- Gail Cooke

5.0 out of 5 stars Weaving reality, June 28, 2010

By 

Nagagirl (Southeast Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brooklyn Follies CD (Audio CD)

Paul Auster first came to my attention with an NPR series of
true stories collected from ordinary people, I Thought My Father
Was God, another excellent book.

If you like Anne Tyler's books but like a gritty twist this will
delight you. I hope Mr Auster takes good care of his health and
lives a long prolific writing life.