US novelist Paul Auster dies aged 77

Born in neighbouring New Jersey, Auster became a literary icon in New York during the 1980s with works like 'The New York Trilogy', which put a philosophical twist on the detective genre. Photo: AFP

Paul Auster, the prolific American author whose noirish works include The New York Trilogy, has died aged 77 after complications from lung cancer, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Auster died at his home in Brooklyn, New York, the newspaper said, citing a friend of the novelist.

Auster's diagnosis with cancer was first announced last year by his wife and fellow author Siri Hustvedt.

Born in neighbouring New Jersey, Auster became a literary icon in New York during the 1980s with works like The New York Trilogy, which put a philosophical twist on the detective genre.

He was also a screenwriter and wrote the screenplay for the hip film Smoke, which portrayed the lost souls who frequent a Brooklyn tobacco shop.

Auster's often existentialist novels were also hugely popular in Europe.

His other major works included Moon Palace, The Book Of Illusions and The Brooklyn Follies. - AFP