The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster Reviewed by Steve Rudd

One should never underestimate the power of books.

New York-obsessed Paul Auster is back, and he's clearly writing better than ever in light of this astounding novel of epic and forever-surprising proportions. Paul was born back in 1947, and since 1974 he's rightfully become a widely acclaimed writer of novels, screenplays and poetry ... amongst other things. I personally hold Paul's work dear because it was his life-affirming Moon Palace novel that really got me into reading a few years back, in the early months of 2003. After reading Moon Palace and being amazed by its power to move, I've been obsessed with reading ever since - not only Paul's work, but writing of all types, whether that be fictional or non-fictional.

Paul's narration is never ever dull, as it darts off at fantastic tangents to the main narrative thread of the story in frantic bursts of madness. Stories within stories within the main story are commonplace, ensuring that Auster's work is richly textured and consistently engrossing for all sorts of reasons. The Brooklyn Follies follows a man named Nathan who bumps into his nephew Tom after not having seen him for some time. Nathan, coincidentally (and all hardcore fans of Auster will readily testify that coincidence is a common topic in his books), has only just moved into Brooklyn, looking for a quiet place to die.

Once Nathan and Tom are reunited they soon become inseparable, and the plot naturally thickens in style as Tom tells Nathan all about his flamboyant boss... The often shocking plot-twists are mesmerising, and Paul is ever-ready to dispense choice shards of philosophy about life and death. For instance, When you find a man with spirit there's still some hope for the world.

If I'm blatantly honest, Paul Auster is my favourite author full-stop. Ever since first reading Moon Palace a few years ago, I'm still drawn to Paul's fascinating way with words. If you've never read his work before, or if indeed you've never even heard of him, I dare you to take a chance on his writing. The appetite-whetting blurbs to his novels might not fill everybody with awe, but Paul's work should never be judged by its cover. You've got to engage with his muse thought-for-thought to fully appreciate where he is coming from. He might live in NYC, but he writes from the heart with deadly soul.

www.paulauster.co.uk

Reviews, Theatre - Friday 17th February - The Hull Blokes Present Love - A Night Of Comedy, Drama And Passion at Northern Theatre By Jane Foster
	The Hull Blokes are a talented bunch of 13 local, er, blokes! who I have had the pleasure of seeing twice before in their relatively short life. So I thought it was high time to do them justice and write a review. The Blokes have been lucky enough to secure themselves a home in the new Northern Theatre building, which in my opinion is more welcoming and Read more...

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	Published by Hull-based Bitterne Books, the first two titles in this humorous series offer a different take on the modern world that we live in. Part satire, part social comment, they follow the story of AAA Aarbon, a self-confessed seeker of anonymity. AAA Aarbon is described by his editor as being best forgotten for many reasons. Rising To Obscurity charts the absurd Read more...

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	The rain refused to ease as Coleman made his way through Queens Gardens and on towards King Edward Street. He pulled his collar up and hurried his pace... This is a staggeringly enthralling showcase for Hull-based writer Nick Quantrill's unmistakable talent for writing fiction - and crime fiction, to be more precise. He has written a fair few short stories that revolve around crime Read more...

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	The guy in a sharp business suit glowered as if I was mad for laughing out loud while waiting for a flight in Washington Dulles International Airport. No exhibitionist, I rarely laugh out loud. Indeed, I rarely read anything worth laughing about, let alone out loud. But the story about two on-the-run robbers holding a group of Hull factory workers hostage after a fish Read more...

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	It is imperative that you keep your wits about when reading this novel more than with almost any other mighty slab of fiction ever published. If you've never read Phillips' awesome debut novel The Ice Harvest, then there's actually little point whatsoever you even making a beeline for The Walkaway, for this mesmerisingly cool epic crime-drama is the incredible Read more...

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	I have a responsible job and pay my taxes and keep my lawn mowed, but because I dare to be an individual, people whisper about me behind my back. Why is life like this? This epic novel is an absolute masterpiece that is drama-driven and hugely poignant, as it follows a man called John Tollefson as he bumbles through his life over a pronounced period of time, with the Read more...

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	We only live once. I don't think we ever really confront that until it's too late. Understandably shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Lost Souls is not your average mystery-thriller novel, with this engrossing 'whodunnit' focusing on a small-town cop trying to get to the bottom of the mysterious death of a three-year-old girl. The prime suspect is the local football star, Read more...