The Literary World Says Goodbye To Denis Johnson
Massively influential and widely adored author Denis Johnson died Wednesday at the age of 67. He is best known for his collection Jesus’ Son, a book that has been passed hand to hand among young writers like a secret password since its publication in 1999.
Johnson has the aura of a cult author, and he would be described as such, were he not so thoroughly celebrated: he’s the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Whiting Award; in 2007, he won the National Book Award for Tree of Smoke, and in 2012 was a Pulitzer finalist for Train Dreams, my own personal favorite of his work. He never stopped writing, either; Random House will be publishing his new short story collection, The Largesse of the Sea Maiden, in early 2018.
Today, writers, editors, and readers have been mourning his death by sharing not only their sadness and memories, but also their favorite lines and selections from his work—which is probably the best way to remember him. Honestly, Twitter has never been so good. If you do nothing else, read Denis Johnson today. Start with the below, or follow Johnson’s lead and forge your own path.
Will probably just be tweeting Denis Johnson poems all day. pic.twitter.com/hsopdf9LxB
Originally published in Literary Hub.
