The celebrated author of The New York Trilogy, The Book of Illusions and Invisible presents here a highly personal collection of essays, prefaces and occasional pieces written for magazines and newspapers. Ranging in subject from Walter Raleigh to Kafka; Hawthorne to the high-wire artist Philippe Petit; conceptual artist Sophie Calle to Auster's own Olympia typewriter; the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers to his beloved New York City itself, Auster displays all his customary flair, wit and insight. Including several of his major works – important books in their own right, such as Hand to Mouth and The Invention of Solitude – this collection demonstrates and reaffirms the pre-eminent position Paul Auster holds in contemporary literature and criticism.