The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
"The Book of Illusions" by Paul Auster is a novel that explores themes of loss, identity, and the search for meaning through the lens of cinema. The story follows David Zimmer, a college professor who, after the tragic death of his wife and children in a plane crash, spirals into a deep depression marked by alcohol abuse. His life takes a turn when he discovers a silent film clip featuring the enigmatic comedian Hector Mann, whose work rekindles his ability to laugh and eventually leads him to investigate Mann's mysterious past.
Mann, known for his distinctive moustache and white suit, created a mere twelve short films before vanishing in 1928. As Zimmer delves into Mann's life, he learns of the complex relationships and tragedies that shaped the comedian's existence. The narrative unfolds with Zimmer's journey to New Mexico to meet Mann, only to encounter a series of dramatic events that culminate in profound personal losses.
The novel weaves together elements of film history and biography, highlighting the ephemeral nature of art and memory. It reflects on the human desire for connection and the impact of unresolved guilt, ultimately leading to a poignant exploration of mortality and legacy. "The Book of Illusions" invites readers to contemplate the illusions that shape our lives and the stories we tell ourselves.
On this Page
The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
First published: 2002
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Narrative
Time of plot: 1930’s and 1988
Locale: Vermont and New Mexico
Principal characters
David Zimmer , a writerHector Mann , a silent-film comedianFrieda Spelling , Hector’s wifeAlma Grund , Hector’s biographer
The Story:
After his wife and children are killed in a plane crash, college teacher David Zimmer sinks into alcohol-fueled despair. Then, watching television one afternoon, he happens to see a clip from a silent comedy that makes him laugh. It is the first time he has laughed since he was widowed, and, although he does not feel able to resume his former life, he becomes fascinated by the comedian who made him laugh.
The actor in question is Hector Mann, a Latin American (though his origins are murky) who was famous for his moustache and his white suit. Mann made just twelve short films, right at the end of the silent era, before disappearing in mysterious circumstances in December, 1928. By chance, the twelve films he made have just been donated to various film archives in America and Europe, and Zimmer sets out to see them all. The quest quickly turns into a book, the first full-length critical study of Mann’s work, which Zimmer publishes in 1988.
Within weeks of the book’s publication, Zimmer receives a letter implying that Hector Mann is still alive. At first, Zimmer dismisses the letter as some sort of hoax, but eventually he returns home one night to find a young woman, Alma, waiting for him. Zimmer is drunk, soaked from a heavy downpour, and shaken after a minor road accident, and he reacts badly when Alma tries to persuade him to come to New Mexico to meet Hector. At last, she pulls a gun on him, but Zimmer, convinced the gun is unloaded, takes it from her, points it at his own head, and pulls the trigger. Only then does he realize that the gun is fully loaded, but fortunately the safety catch is still on. This sobers him up, and Zimmer and Alma become lovers.
As they fly to New Mexico the next day, Alma tells Zimmer the story of Hector’s life. In Hollywood, he was a famous ladies’ man, but he had one longtime lover, the journalist Brigid O’Fallon. When he met and decided to marry the actress Dolores Saint John, he broke off his relationship with Brigid, not realizing that she was pregnant. Brigid, however, seemed to go insane and confronted Dolores, who shot her, apparently by accident. Hector helped Dolores bury the body, but, overcome by guilt, decided to walk away from the life he had known.
Hector changed his name, shaved off his trademark moustache, and for several years wandered from town to town taking menial jobs—including acting in pornography. He avoided relationships and instead spent his time reading as much as he could in an effort at self-education. Finally, Hector foiled a bank robbery and saved a girl the robber had taken hostage, though he was badly wounded in the process. The girl, Frieda Spelling, was the daughter of a wealthy family and recognized Hector. After she nursed him back to health, the two married. They built their own ranch in New Mexico, and there, following the death of their child, Hector resumed making movies on the condition that they never be seen by anyone else.
Alma is the daughter of Hector’s cameraman. She reveals that Hector is now dying and Frieda is determined to destroy all the films once he has died. Alma, who is writing Hector’s biography, is desperate to have someone else see the films before they are lost forever.
Immediately upon their arrival at the house, Zimmer is taken to meet Hector, who seems in good spirits. During the night, however, Hector dies. The next morning, Alma only has time to show Zimmer one of the films before Frieda starts to burn them. After that, Zimmer is told he must leave. He returns home to Vermont, expecting Alma to follow in a few days. Frieda, however, does not stop at burning just the films; she starts to destroy everything else relating to Hector’s life after Hollywood, including the manuscript of Alma’s biography. Alma reacts by hitting Frieda, who falls, bangs her head, and dies. Alma then commits suicide. Some years later, Zimmer writes the whole story on the condition that it is not published until after his death.
Bibliography
Auster, Paul. Hand to Mouth: A Chronicle of Early Failure. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. An autobiography that is essential for understanding Auster’s fiction and its relationship to his life experience.
Peacock, James. “Carrying the Burden of Representation: Paul Auster’s The Book of Illusions.” Journal of American Studies 40, no. 1 (April, 2006): 53-70. Explores Auster’s self-reflexive representation of representation in a novel that turns out to be the story of its own genesis, as well as an exploration of literary and cinematic representation in general.
Springer, Carsten. A Paul Auster Sourcebook. New York: Peter Lang, 2001. Compendium of information about the author’s life and work.
Varvogli, Aliki. The World That Is the Book: Paul Auster’s Fiction. Liverpool, England: Liverpool University Press, 2001. A study of Auster’s work that places him in the context of earlier American writers.