“I want to talk about happiness and well-being, about those rare, unexpected moments when the voice in your head goes silent and you feel at one with the world.” Thus begins a pivotal chapter in Paul Auster's new book, The Brooklyn Follies, which is about learning to find those moments, along with peace of mind and a level of spiritual comfort.

The novel details the intersecting lives of Nathan Glass, a life insurance salesman turned retiree; his nephew Tom, an ex-PhD candidate/cab driver turned store clerk; and Harry Brightman, a scheming rascal turned bookstore owner.

Nathan, a divorcee, finds himself in Brooklyn, which somebody recommended as a good, quiet place to die. Having been diagnosed with cancer, Nathan has given up hope on living, and not even a full-recovery seems to provide him with a spark of joie de vivre. His health may be improving, but his marriage is a bust, his daughter won't speak to him, and he's long ago lost touch with anyone else who's meant anything to him.

Before long, things begin to turn around. He finds a project for himself (the creation of “The Book of Human Follies”). He falls for an unattainable waitress at a neighborhood diner. He reunites with Tom, his favorite family member. Their relationship is rekindled and evolves into a bond that carries them through an adventure that is sometimes tragic and sometimes uplifting. A man who once could find no reason to live rediscovers his own importance and, ultimately, his own happiness.

The Brooklyn Follies is heartwarming, inspiring, and a great read. Auster has delivered a novel that perfectly marches the line between cynicism and schmaltz. It's a genuine, sap-free, unpredictable book filled with living, breathing characters and moments you can feel pass as you turn the pages. It's filled with twists and turns, but none are so surprising as the writer's ability tackle spiritual wandering in an entertaining, down-to-earth, and human way.