Archibald Ferguson is the youthful hero of Paul Auster's latest novel, appearing in it four times—in four intricately woven variations of his life, all based on the question: What if? In this way, Auster crafts a grand, epic portrait of the second half of the 20th century in America, filled with adventure, love, struggles for life, and the blows of an unpredictable fate. "4 3 2 1" is a fascinating, overwhelming thought experiment and a highlight of Auster's work. The magnum opus of one of the greatest contemporary American writers.