I would categorize this latest work from prolific author, Paul Auster, a coming of old age story. Maybe the beginning of a new genre…

The book’s beginning is somewhat deceiving. As the story opens, we meet an older man, widowed ten years in a semi crisis state. He’s noticing he’s somewhat forgetful. He’s a bit panicked because the housekeeper he has relied on since his wife’s death has had a personal emergency and doesn’t know when she’ll be back. A rookie meter reader comes to the house and Baumgartner takes him down the poorly lit basement stairs and has a bad fall. He struggles with the injury without help. 

So starts the story. My impression was that this was going to be about a doddering man on his way down.

But the Baumgartner we meet at first is not who we come to love. He is elderly, yes, but only in his early 70s. He is still a prolific writer, working on one project after another, while he tries to figure out how to move forward without his Anna. She was his everything: soul mate, lover, confidant, best friend, and colleague.

Written almost in stream of consciousness, Baumgartner moves us through his life in no particular order. We learn of  his marriage to Anna in all its stages, both through her written work and their experiences together. We learn about his past—his family relationships, his upbringing.

He also weaves us through his hopes for the future with the new relationships he is forming. He begins a romantic relationship and In his mind she may be his next act. He fantasizes about marrying again. When pulled in a new direction, he finds renewed energy and optimism that may enable him to craft a life, different but fulfilling nonetheless.

I found it interesting because in the hands of a seasoned writer like Paul Auster, there is no room for boredom. He keeps us interested in Baumgartner’s meandering thoughts and actions by giving the reader just enough of one experience before moving on and then seamlessly backtracking.

That being said, I think this book’s main appeal is for a specific, narrow audience. One who might be interested in reading about a privileged man who has the resources to figure out what’s next, either despite of or because of his advancing age. A future that might not be so bad after all.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Grove Press for the privilege of reading this in advance of this week’s publication.