An old man awakens, disoriented, in an unfamiliar chamber. With no memory of who he is or how he has arrived there, he pores over the relics on the desk, examining the circumstances of his confinement and searching his own hazy mind for clues.
Determining that he is locked in, the man—identified only as Mr. Blank—begins reading a manuscript he finds on the desk, the story of another prisoner, set in an alternate world the man doesn't recognize. Nevertheless, the pages seem to have been left for him, along with a haunting set of photographs. As the day passes, various characters call on the man in his cell—vaguely familiar people, some who seem to resent him for crimes he can't remember—and each brings frustrating hints of his identity and his past. All the while an overhead camera clicks and clicks, recording his movements, and a microphone records every sound in the room. Someone is watching.
Both chilling and poignant, Travels in the Scriptorium is vintage Paul Auster: mysterious texts, fluid identities, a hidden past, and, somewhere, an obscure tormentor. And yet, as we discover during one day in the life of Mr. Blank, his world is not so different from our own.
Download and start listening now!
"This is a quick afternoon read, well worth it though. Pure Auster, a dark, claustrophobic microcosm with a sinister big brother looking over your shoulder feel. He creates the same sense of desolation and isolation that he did in his "Country of Lost Things""
— Fred (4 out of 5 stars)
" Mixed feelings about this one. I've developed a pretty severe non-sexual mancrush on Paul Auster lately, and this book was certainly pleasurable to read, but ultimately a little thinner than I expected. "
— Mike, 2/10/2014" Short, but the size seems to me to be a problem with this one. I found the writing interesting at points but the plot was too minimal -- it can be summed up in a few words and it didn't really provide much beyond that "punch line". If the story was longer, with some interesting plotting, or shorter, it would work better. And don't read any reviews beforehand! And yes, it has an interesting picture on the cover! "
— Jay, 12/13/2013" I was quite disappointed by this novel...it reminds me of The Trial by Kafka...only not quite as good. I think Auster has tried to break away from his usual style and try something different, which I think is wonderful - but it hasn't quite worked. "
— Gemma, 12/5/2013" Wow. Wow wow wow Paul frickin Auster. Read this in one sitting and now I can't stop thinking about it. Horrifying and beautiful. Super tight writing, too. Now to read the New York Trilogy. "
— Ethan, 12/1/2013" I love Paul A., but I had to force myself to finish this one. Every time I read a new novel of his, I can never forget how much I loved Oracle Night. "
— Nika, 11/26/2013" Quick read. I haven't yet decided whether this is obnoxious in a delightful or irritating way. It does, however, include the only joke about a man going into a bar that I have ever found even slightly humorous, and for that I believe it deserves some points. "
— Dawn, 11/3/2013" Read my review of Man in the Dark: A Novel by the same author. The story is not connected but my previous review is similar to to this one. "
— Johnny, 11/1/2013" okay, hey weird. wish he'd wrapped it up just a little clearer, but... "
— martha, 10/28/2013" Strikingly precise and wonderful prose, but I felt a little duped at the end. "
— Cardee, 7/29/2013" 150p- 10-04-2008 "
— Michael, 4/29/2013" It is my understanding that the way to enjoy this book by Paul Auster is to have previously read and enjoyed other books by Paul Auster. As this was my unfortunate introduction to the author, I believe I'll pass. "
— Jaime, 1/2/2013Paul Auster (1947–2024) wrote bestselling novels in The New York Trilogy and many other critically acclaimed novels. He has been awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature, the Prix Médicis Étranger, the Independent Spirit Award, and the Premio Napoli. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His work has been translated into more than forty languages.
Dick Hill was one of the most awarded narrators in the business. We was named by AudioFile magazine as a Golden Voice and also as a Voice of the Century. He earned several of the prestigious annua Audie Awards for Best Narration and thirty-four AudioFile Earphones Awards. In addition to narrating, he both acted in and wrote for the theater. He passed away in 2022.