what new yorkers are reading on the subway


Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The New York Trilogy

Manhattan Bound 5 Train, Nevins St. stop
Josh was reading a book packed like a modern noir classic: The New York Trilogy (detective novels for intellectuals), written by Paul Auster, illustrated by Art Spiegelman, with an introduction by Luc Sante. He saw it in a book store and told his girlfriend about it. She happens to work for Penguin, who publishes this "Classic Deluxe Edition." I confessed to Josh that while I loved all three books when I read them 20 years ago, I had a harder time remembering the plot than I did the joyful perplexity of following his characters through the novels. "I don't know how to describe it (the first of the trilogy, City of Glass). "It's one man losing himself in someone else. He's someone else trying to be someone else. Josh is in his first year studying physical therapy at NYU. Part of his training is to work with severely injured patients at SUNY Downstate hospital in Brooklyn. He just finished Candide, also a "Classic Deluxe Edition," which was illustrated with stick figures.

1 comment:

Meg said...

I love to read detective novels, and yet have never heard of the trilogy. I know what my next present from my hubby is going to be!!! Sounds like a great read!
Thanks for the Blog, I think it will be useful for all ages everywhere!!