Dog's Life
Paul Auster, Timbuktu, 1998
This is a really disappointing novel. It starts off well enough, with its road movie type story told through the eyes of a dog, Mr Bones, who faithfully follows around schizophrenic poet Willie. They are in Baltimore searching for Willie's English teacher, the only person to ever believe in his writing talents when he was young. Willie seems to be based on the artist Henry Darger, but that connection is never fully explored. Mr Bones learned language but can't speak, thanks to the limitations of being a dog. Mr Bones uses this skill to tell his story like a rambling Beat poet (perhaps from growing up with Willie), but he doesn't have the amphetamine to inject his adventures with excitement or the brains to see beyond the sidewalks and suburbs he ends up in. Mr Bones can tell, but he can't show. Mr Bones can name, but he can't describe. Very quickly this short novel loses its point and, sadly, the reader's attention. There's nothing to be learned from it, no memorable characters. A big, ol' "what's the point?"
I'm willing to give Auster another try since this is the first thing I've read by him. Recommendations welcome!