Paul Auster's Hand to Mouth: A Chronicle of Early Failure is a fascinating and often funny memoir about his early years as a writer struggling to be published, and to make enough money to survive.
This is the story of a young man's struggle to stay afloat. By turns poignant and comic, Paul Auster's memoir is essentially an autobiographical essay about money--and what it means not to have it. From one odd job to the next, from one failed scheme to another, Auster investigates his own stubborn compulsion to make art and describes his ingenious, often far-fetched attempts to survive on next to nothing. From the streets of New York City and Paris to the rural roads of upstate New York, the author treats us to a series of remarkable adventures and unforgettable cast of characters while examining what it means to be a writer.
"Required, inspiring reading for Auster-holics and aspiring writers." --Kirkus Reviews
Industry Reviews
Delightful...A gracious and humane tale...One can only marvel at Auster's artistry--The Boston Sunday Globe "The Boston Sunday Globe " "Delightful...A gracious and humane tale...One can only marvel at Auster's artistry" --The Boston Sunday Globe, The Boston Sunday Globe
"Auster writes in a voice so clear, so mesmerizing, and so profound...[he] is unafraid of his own power, precisely because he has acknowledged humiliation's alchemy, its way of letting words vibrate at whatever weird, golden velocity they wish, Hand to Mouth vibrates...beautiful." --Wayne Koestenbaum, Bookforum
"Required, inspiring reading for Auster-holics and aspiring writers." --Kirkus Reviews
"An engaging account of his early attempts to stay afloat as a writer...with a colorful cast of sharply etched characters who he meets along the way." --Chicago Tribune
"As a cautionary tale for writers, this is a superb book." --Publishers Weekly Delightful...A gracious and humane tale...One can only marvel at Auster's artistry The Boston Sunday Globe, "The Boston Sunday Globe"
Auster writes in a voice so clear, so mesmerizing, and so profound...[he] is unafraid of his own power, precisely because he has acknowledged humiliation's alchemy, its way of letting words vibrate at whatever weird, golden velocity they wish, "Hand to Mouth "vibrates...beautiful. "Wayne Koestenbaum, Bookforum"
Required, inspiring reading for Auster-holics and aspiring writers. "Kirkus Reviews"
An engaging account of his early attempts to stay afloat as a writer...with a colorful cast of sharply etched characters who he meets along the way. "Chicago Tribune"
As a cautionary tale for writers, this is a superb book. "Publishers Weekly"" "Delightful...A gracious and humane tale...One can only marvel at Auster's artistry. --T"he Boston Sunday Globe"
"Auster writes in a voice so clear, so mesmerizing, and so profound...[he] is unafraid of his own power, precisely because he has acknowledged humiliation's alchemy, its way of letting words vibrate at whatever weird, golden velocity they wish, "Hand to Mouth "vibrates...beautiful." --Wayne Koestenbaum, "Bookforum"
"Required, inspiring reading for Auster-holics and aspiring writers." --"Kirkus Reviews"
"An engaging account of his early attempts to stay afloat as a writer...with a colorful cast of sharply etched characters who he meets along the way." --"Chicago Tribune"
"As a cautionary tale for writers, this is a superb book." --"Publishers Weekly" "Delightful...A gracious and humane tale...One can only marvel at Auster's artistry. -T"he Boston Sunday Globe"
"Auster writes in a voice so clear, so mesmerizing, and so profound...[he] is unafraid of his own power, precisely because he has acknowledged humiliation's alchemy, its way of letting words vibrate at whatever weird, golden velocity they wish, "Hand to Mouth "vibrates...beautiful." -Wayne Koestenbaum, "Bookforum"
"Required, inspiring reading for Auster-holics and aspiring writers." -"Kirkus Reviews"
"An engaging account of his early attempts to stay afloat as a writer...with a colorful cast of sharply etched characters who he meets along the way." -"Chicago Tribune"
"As a cautionary tale for writers, this is a superb book." -"Publishers Weekly" " Delightful...A gracious and humane tale...One can only marvel at Auster' s artistry. -- T"he Boston Sunday Globe"
" Auster writes in a voice so clear, so mesmerizing, and so profound...[he] is unafraid of his own power, precisely because he has acknowledged humiliation' s alchemy, its way of letting words vibrate at whatever weird, golden velocity they wish, "Hand to Mouth "vibrates...beautiful." -- Wayne Koestenbaum, "Bookforum"
" Required, inspiring reading for Auster-holics and aspiring writers." -- "Kirkus Reviews"
" An engaging account of his early attempts to stay afloat as a writer...with a colorful cast of sharply etched characters who he meets along the way." -- "Chicago Tribune"
" As a cautionary tale for writers, this is a superb book." -- "Publishers Weekly"
