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Denis Johnson
Posted on 4/16/26 at 9:19 am
Posted on 4/16/26 at 9:19 am
Watched Train Dreams on Netflix last year and thought it was the best movie of the year. It was based on a novella from Denis Johnson. Did some digging and it sounds like hes got some real solid non-fiction works. Fans of Cormac like him alot. Went to B&N and picked up Angels, Fiskadoro, Jesus' Son and Tree of Smoke. Anybody read any of his stuff and have any favorites?
This post was edited on 4/16/26 at 9:50 am
3
Posted on 4/16/26 at 9:44 am to cfish140
Jesus' Son is sort of his breakout and best known work. It's excellent, but you need a stomach for drug abuse and crime. Tree of Smoke is great.
Posted on 4/16/26 at 9:49 am to hogfly
I actually picked that one up as well forgot to include it. I've seen alot of youtube book people recommend it.
Posted on 4/24/26 at 11:52 am to hogfly
Just finished his debut novel "Angels". It was fantastic. Jesus' son up next.
Posted on 5/26/26 at 10:58 am to cfish140
Read so far:
Angels
Jesus’ Son
Fiskadoro
200 pages into Tree of Smoke
Angels was great although depressing
Jesus’ Son was good but, IMO, overrated considering the hype. Most of the stories just feel like weird fever dreams with no explanation as to what’s really going on. Some were good, coherent short stories though. I liked the one with the 2 hospital workers.
Fiskadoro is a tough one. The first 3rd of it I thought “ok this is a pretty damn interesting premise”, then the middle 3rd was like “ok this is really boring nothing is really happening”, then the last 3rd was “ok this is one that requires some thought and reflection after finishing kinda like Blood Meridian”. The plot dosent really go anywhere, but it’s definitely got a deep theme of religion, past/present, and man’s natural instincts in a post apocalyptic setting. Can’t say I loved it or that it was a very fun read but it’s very thought provoking.
Tree of Smoke, at least through 200 pages, is a masterpiece so far. I can’t put it down. It feels like the “War and Peace” novel of the Vietnam war. Hope it keeps up the pace.
Angels
Jesus’ Son
Fiskadoro
200 pages into Tree of Smoke
Angels was great although depressing
Jesus’ Son was good but, IMO, overrated considering the hype. Most of the stories just feel like weird fever dreams with no explanation as to what’s really going on. Some were good, coherent short stories though. I liked the one with the 2 hospital workers.
Fiskadoro is a tough one. The first 3rd of it I thought “ok this is a pretty damn interesting premise”, then the middle 3rd was like “ok this is really boring nothing is really happening”, then the last 3rd was “ok this is one that requires some thought and reflection after finishing kinda like Blood Meridian”. The plot dosent really go anywhere, but it’s definitely got a deep theme of religion, past/present, and man’s natural instincts in a post apocalyptic setting. Can’t say I loved it or that it was a very fun read but it’s very thought provoking.
Tree of Smoke, at least through 200 pages, is a masterpiece so far. I can’t put it down. It feels like the “War and Peace” novel of the Vietnam war. Hope it keeps up the pace.
Posted on 5/26/26 at 6:25 pm to cfish140
I’ve read everything he ever wrote.
Formally, Tree of Smoke is his masterpiece.
That said, Already Dead is the one for me.
Deep dive into Northern California /weed culture/mentally deranged Vietnam vets/affable hitmen.
That one is severely slept on.
Resuscitation of a Hanged Man quality, tho not sure he fully sticks the landing. Trani culture in Provincetown. He really dove into little milieus/microcultures.
DJ a real one
Formally, Tree of Smoke is his masterpiece.
That said, Already Dead is the one for me.
Deep dive into Northern California /weed culture/mentally deranged Vietnam vets/affable hitmen.
That one is severely slept on.
Resuscitation of a Hanged Man quality, tho not sure he fully sticks the landing. Trani culture in Provincetown. He really dove into little milieus/microcultures.
DJ a real one
This post was edited on 5/26/26 at 6:41 pm
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