I have read many of Auster's novels, and have found them all to be of a high quality in both content and style. But who is the man behind the books? Auster opens his life to the reader by focusing on his body and the impact certain occurrences and incidents have had on it. The book is also unconventional in terms of its structure- it is not chronological, and is often divided into parts- there are no chapters- based on certain themes, such as addresses where Auster has lived, or the women he has loved, or the relationship between him and his parents. Particularly poignant is the section examining his mother's death, and the aftermath in which particular relatives seem ready to taunt him. This is an honest, "warts-and-all" glimpse of a literary giant, an honesty which is both frightening and refreshing. Auster looks to points in his life which have shaped him, and others in which events and the ageing process have overwhelmed him- the panic attacks, the sleepless nights, etc. There are segments which will make the reader laugh at situations in which Auster finds himself, and others in which you will have a lump in your throat. Some sections will have your pulse racing, such as reading about a car crash he had in 2002, and others which will leave you craving homely comforts, such as his description of winter retreats to Minnesota to spend Christmas with his in-laws. I have already bought my copy of his next autobiographical piece- "Report From the Interior"...