The Inner Life Of Martin Frost

It is hard not to notice when art imitates life. This was the case for artist Glenn Thomas when he began to explore the works of novelist Paul Auster. Both men were born in Newark. New Jersey, in the 1940s, and their relationship as collaborators was initiated when Thomas contacted Auster after realizing that the two shared more than just a hometown. Auster's novel The Book of Illusions explores the implications of stories within stories, especially as films. Battling with personal crises, Auster's protagonist David Zimmer falls into the work of the fictional silent film star Hector Mann; The Inner Life of Martin Frost is a long-lost Mann film. The Inner Life of Martin Frost is also this book, which through Thomas's innovative typography and illustrations echoes the vertiglnous plight of Zimmer as he becomes fascinated by this one particular film. Having worked on several films, including a 2007 revamped version of this story, visual cues fit well with Auster's words, making this book an ideal addition to anyone interested in how words and imagery can work together to create new forms of understanding for old stories.