American · 1947–2024
Paul Auster wrote novels about chance, identity, and New York. "The New York Trilogy" (1987) brought postmodern detective fiction to American readers; "4 3 2 1" (2017), shortlisted for the Booker Prize, follows four parallel lives of the same character. Auster's prose is spare; his plots are labyrinthine. He also wrote memoir, poetry, and screenplays. He was married to writer Siri Hustvedt. He died in 2024.