（布鲁克林的罪恶）Brooklyn Follies Auster

NathanGlasshascometoBrooklyntodie.Divorced,estrangedfromhisonlydaughter,theretiredlifeinsurancesalesmanseeksonlysolitudeandanonymity.ThenNathanfindshislong-lostnephew,TomWood,workinginalocalbookstore-afarcryfromthebrilliantacademiccareerhe'dbegunwhenNathansawhimlast.Tom'sbossisthecharismaticHarryBrightman,whomfatehasalsobroughttothe"ancientkingdomofBrooklyn,NewYork."ThroughTomandHarry,Nathan'sworldgraduallybroadenstoincludeanewsetofacquaintances-nottomentionastrayrelativeortwo-andleadshimtoareckoningwithhispast.AmongthemanytwistsinthedeliciousplotareascaminvolvingaforgeryofthefirstpageofTheScarletLetter,adisturbingrevelationthattakesplaceinaspermbank,andanimpossible,utopiandreamofaruralrefuge.Meanwhile,thewryandacerbicNathanhasundertakensomethinghecallsTheBookofHumanFolly,inwhichheproposes"tosetdowninthesimplest,clearestlanguagepossibleanaccountofeveryblunder,everypratfall,everyembarrassment,everyidiocy,everyfoible,andeveryinaneactIhadcommittedduringmylongandcheckeredcareerasaman."Butlifetakesoverinstead,andNathan'sdespairissweptawayashefindshimselfmoreandmoreimplicatedinthejoysandsorrowsofothers.TheBrooklynFolliesisPaulAuster'swarmest,mostexuberantnovel,amovingandunforgettablehymntothegloriesandmysteriesofordinaryhumanlife.