In this debut work by New York Times-bestselling author Paul Auster (The New York Trilogy), The Invention of Solitude, a memoir, established Auster’s reputation as a major new voice in American writing. His moving and personal meditation on fatherhood is split into two stylistically separate sections. In the first, Auster reflects on the memories of his father who was a distant, undemonstrative, and cold man who died an untimely death. As he sifts through his Father’s things, Auster uncovers a sixty-year-old murder mystery that sheds light on his father’s elusive character. In the second section, the perspective shifts and Auster begins to reflect on his own identity as a father by adopting the voice of a narrator, "A." Through a mosaic of images, coincidences, and associations "A," contemplates his separation from his son, his dying grandfather, turning the story into a self-conscious reflection on the process of writing.

PAUL AUSTER

This is Auster’s eighteenth novel, and his first novel since the bestselling, Booker-shortlisted 4 3 2 1. Walter Donohue acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Caspian Dennis at Abner Stein on behalf of Carol Mann at the Carol Mann Agency. In addition, Carol’s team have sold rights in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Greek, German and other territories. US and Canadian rights were sold to Morgan Entrekin at Grove. Baumgartner will publish simultaneously in the US and the UK on 7 November 2023. Rowohlt will also publish the German language edition in November.