Genre: Novel
Grade: A-
Notable People: Paul Auster
Title: 4 3 2 1
Review: A very appropriate offering for my 300th (can you believe it) review. Two things override about is book: 1- Auster is one our finest living writers and has produced an amazing body of work (try “The Music of Change”) over the last 30 years and 2- this one is an undertaking. Not only is it almost 900 pages long, but is complicated, VERY complicated. The life story of Archie Ferguson is told in four takes; each chapter is divided up into four separate sections (1.1, 1.2, etc.) that chronicle Archie and his family’s very interesting life in in four totally different, though quite related ways. What I mean is it’s four alternative realities through the same time periods (chapter one with its four components are ages 1-5 for example). It starts during the late 40s and goes through extraordinary detail of the turbulence of the 60s (best narrative I’ve read about the nascent anti-war movement). Very good piece of work, amazing story, vivid characters, But, as I said, not by any means a light read….it has taken me a month..…well worth it. Thanks to David for turning me on to this.