Luminous, passionate, expansive, an emotional tour de force, Sunset Park follows the hopes and fears of a cast of unforgettable characters brought together by the mysterious Miles Heller during the dark months of the 2008 economic collapse.
An enigmatic young man employed as a trash-out worker in southern Florida obsessively photographing thousands of abandoned objects left behind by the evicted families.
A group of young people squatting in an apartment in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
The Hospital for Broken Things, which specializes in repairing the artifacts of a vanished world.
William Wyler's 1946 classic The Best Years of Our Lives.
A celebrated actress preparing to return to Broadway.
An independent publisher desperately trying to save his business and his marriage.
These are just some of the elements Auster magically weaves together in this immensely moving novel about contemporary America and its ghosts. Sunset Park is a surprising departure that confirms Paul Auster as one of our greatest living writers.
©2010 Paul Auster (P)2010 Macmillan Audio
"With a plot that encompasses war in the Middle East, economic recession and the perils of the publishing industry, a contemporary vitality distinguishes the latest from the veteran author…. Sure to please Auster fans and likely to attract new readers as well." (Kirkus, Starred Review)
"Passionately literary… every element is saturated with implication as each wounded, questing character's story illuminates our tragic flaws and profound need for connection, coherence, and beauty. In a time of daunting crises and change, Auster reminds us of lasting things, of love, art, and ‘the miraculous strangeness of being alive.'" (Donna Seaman, Booklist, Starred Review)
"Auster deftly balances minute details that evoke New York City, post-financial meltdown, with marvelously drawn characters bruised but unbowed by life's vicissitudes. He has an impressive array of literary nominations to his credit, but this should be the novel that brings him a broader readership." (Sally Bissell, Library Journal, Starred Review)
"Lovely book"
I love Paul Auster and his beautiful writing. This was as lyrical as his others though I was less satisfied with the ending. The journey through his characters lives was truly a pleasure to be taken on. Just sorry he seemed to run out of steam at the end. Beautiful reading too by Paul Auster!
"Not disappointing"
I recommend this book because of its insight into people and the human condition. Moving and illuminating, if not always happy and hopeful. The sense of truth beneath the book is rare and liberating.
Weaving together many well-developed characters.
Auster is a fine interpreter of his own book. His reading colors the words and sentences you might not feel if you just read it.
The ending is not disappointing, but I found myself at a loss. So I listened to that last 90 minutes again, more carefully. Major things happen fast, sometimes even off-stage, but in the end, everything is tied up without loss of verisimilitude. This is a great accomplishment for an author who is trying to deliver felt life. Auster is serious. I look forward to another.
"The author forgot to write an ending!"
This started off as a great book. I couldn't put it down. then it just stopped - caboom! No real ending - seems he got tired of writing.
"let down ending, like as in; "clunk""
Great character development, interesting relationships, just didn't go deep enough---or the ending would not have been such a let down. Needed more dare!
I am a voracious reader with fairly eclectic taste. I like both fiction and non-fiction, biography, history and current events. I like well written mysteries and suspense and I love 19th and 20th century classical literature as well as modern fiction. My favorite author is Philip Roth but I also love Trollope, Hardy, Jonathan Franzen, Jane Austen and Edith Wharton. My favorite biographer is Robert Caro.
"Strong character portraits, good narration"
This is not a long book and the narration by the author is strong enough to pass muster with a listener who usually prefers professional narrators. The book conveys a moment in time when the economy is doing badly and people's lives and things are being held together tenously by strained relationships. It is a somewhat depressing book weighted down by disillustion and disappointment, much of which seems constructed to feel unavoidable. The characters are interesting and well portrayed, but though the book is satisfactory from a literary perspective, very well written and tied together neatly, it leaves an unsatisfied malaise that results from an ending with no return to any sort of harmonious state. You leave without any feeling of hope.
"No happy ending but good book"
Great author and even better as a Narrator. However i am want my fiction to end happy. I know that it doesn't happen in the real world but i live in the real world where bad things happen to good people all the time. My books are meant to help me escape all the injustices of the the world.