Baumgartner is a novel about a man in his 70s, whose life has always been defined by his relationship with his much loved wife Anna. Anna has died a few years before the book opens, but Baumgartner is struggling to move on with his life. Finely observed as always with Auster, this is a short, meditative novel, rich with compassion, sadness and optimism. It also boasts a typically Auster cryptic ending.