A novel as trompe-l'œil - from the illusionist Enrique Vila-Matas, just in time for Documenta 14. A Catalan writer is invited and asked to be part of the famous contemporary art exhibition, Documenta, held every five years in Kassel. His task is remarkably simple: in a Chinese restaurant, he is to sit at a table every morning for a week, with a sign reading "writer in residence" in front of him, to demonstrate what he understands by art with nothing but his mere presence. As a reward, he is promised the revelation of the "secrets of the universe." From this experimental setup, Enrique Vila-Matas develops a story that gradually departs from conventional logic - a game of fiction and the capabilities of literature and art begins, featuring the great role models: Joseph Roth.