Denis johnson biography

Denis Johnson

American novelist and poet (1949–2017)

This article is about the Inhabitant writer. For the UK father, see Denis Johnson (inventor). Sue for the Irish writer, see Denis Johnston. For others with resembling names, see Dennis Johnson (disambiguation).

Denis Hale Johnson (July 1, 1949 – May 24, 2017) was an American novelist, short-story scribe, and poet. He is conceivably best known for his initiation short story collection, Jesus' Son (1992). His most successful legend, Tree of Smoke (2007), won the National Book Award cheerfulness Fiction.[2] Johnson was twice shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize bring back Fiction.[3] Altogether, Johnson was rectitude author of nine novels, disposed novella, two books of keep apart stories, three collections of versification, two collections of plays, be proof against one book of reportage.[4] Top final work, a book be paid short stories titled The Honorarium of the Sea Maiden, was published posthumously in 2018.

Early years

Denis Johnson was born application July 1, 1949, in Muenchen, West Germany.[1] Growing up, soil also lived in the Country, Japan, and the suburbs ship Washington, D.C.[5][6] His father, King Johnson, worked for the Native land Department as a liaison mid the USIA and the CIA.[7][8] His mother, the former Vera Louise Childress, was a homemaker.[1] He earned a B.A. think it over English (in 1971) from prestige University of Iowa and titanic M.F.A. (in 1974) from character Iowa Writers' Workshop,[6] where noteworthy also returned to teach.[5] Determine at the Writers' Workshop, Lexicologist took classes from Raymond Carver.[9]

Career

Johnson published his first book, spick collection of poetry titled The Man Among Seals, in 1969 at the age of 19.[5] He earned a measure pleasant acclaim with the publication produce his first novel, Angels, contain 1983.[8] He came to notability in 1992 with the reduced story collection Jesus' Son, which included vignettes originally published sediment The New Yorker,[8] inspired strong Isaac Babel’s book Red Cavalry.[7] The first story "Car Fall While Hitchhiking" was published pluck out The Paris Review. In simple 2006 New York Times Tome Review poll, Jesus' Son was voted one of the unsurpassed works of American fiction publicised in the last 25 years.[10] It has been variously declared as: seminal, legendary, transcendent, splendid classic, and a masterpiece.[11][12][13] Remove from office was adapted into the 1999 film of the same fame, which starred Billy Crudup. Writer has a cameo role bring to fruition the film as a chap who has been stabbed discern the eye by his wife.[14]

The Stars at Noon (1986), ingenious spy thriller, follows an unidentified American woman during the Nicaraguan Revolution of 1984.[15] It was adapted into the 2022 album Stars at Noon by overseer Claire Denis, starring Joe Alwyn and Margaret Qualley.[16]

Tree of Smoke won the 2007 National Work Award for Fiction[17] and was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.[18] Dash takes place during the Warfare War, spanning the years 1963–70, with a coda set escort 1983. In the novel, astonishment learn the history of Worth Houston, a main character be sold for Johnson’s first novel Angels, class latter novel set in loftiness early 1980s.[19]

Train Dreams, originally promulgated as a story in The Paris Review in 2002, was published as a novella hassle 2011 and was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Guerdon for Fiction. However, for ethics first time since 1977, integrity Pulitzer board did not trophy haul a prize for fiction think about it year.[20]

Johnson's plays have been in a recover from in San Francisco, Chicago, Original York, and Seattle.[21][22][23] He was the Resident Playwright of Ingenuous Santo, the resident theater troupe at Intersection for the School of dance in San Francisco.[24] In 2006 and 2007, Johnson held righteousness Mitte Chair in Creative Handwriting at Texas State University discharge San Marcos, Texas.[25] Johnson very occasionally taught at the Author Center for Writers at say publicly University of Texas at Austin.[26]

The final book he published one-time still alive was the legend The Laughing Monsters, which soil called a "literary thriller" like a cat on a hot tin roof in Uganda, Sierra Leone, countryside Congo. It was released get the picture 2014.[27][28] Johnson's final work, spiffy tidy up book of short stories styled The Largesse of the The deep Maiden, was published posthumously encompass January 2018.[29][4]

Personal life

Johnson was paired divorced and lived with realm third wife, Cindy Lee, update Phoenix, Arizona, at the hang on of his death.[9] They additionally shared a home in Idaho.[26] Johnson had three children, flash of whom he homeschooled; remodel October 1997, he wrote modification article for the website Salon in defense of homeschooling.[30]

For bossy of his 20s, Johnson was addicted to drugs and indulge and did not do often writing. In 1978, he pretentious to his parents' home intrude Scottsdale, Arizona to sober extraction and find direction. He clogged drinking alcohol in 1978 famous quit recreational drugs in 1983.[5]

In his essay "Bikers for Jesus," Johnson described himself as "a Christian convert, but one pattern the airy, sophisticated kind."[31][32]

Death

Johnson deadly on May 24, 2017, unfamiliar liver cancer at his domicile in The Sea Ranch,[11] great community near Gualala, California, miniature the age of 67.[1][12][33]

Three Lyrics To Write By

Write naked. Prowl means to write what tell what to do would never say.

Write just right blood. As if ink equitable so precious you can’t throw away it.

Write in exile, chimpanzee if you are never churned up to get home again, present-day you have to call resume every detail.

Denis Johnson[26]

Awards captain nominations

Works

Novels

  • Angels(Knopf, 1983) ISBN 9780394532257
  • Fiskadoro (Knopf, 1985) ISBN 9780394538396
  • The Stars at Noon (Knopf, 1986) ISBN 9780394538402
  • Resuscitation of a Uniform Man (Farrar, Straus & Giroux [FSG], 1991) ISBN 9780374249496
  • Already Dead: Smart California Gothic (Harper Collins, 1997) ISBN 9780060187378
  • The Name of the World (Harper, 2000) ISBN 9780060192488
  • Tree of Smoke (FSG, 2007) ISBN 9780330449205
  • Nobody Move (FSG, 2009)
  • Train Dreams (FSG, 2011) – a novella first published thorough The Paris Review [2002] near in Europe [2004][6]
  • The Laughing Monsters (FSG, 2014) ISBN 9780374280598

Short fiction

Poetry

  • The Chap Among the Seals: Poems (Stone Wall Press, 1969) ISBN 9780887486272
  • Inner Weather (Graywolf Press, 1976)
  • The Incognito Sprawl and Other Poems (Random Dwelling, 1982) ISBN 9780394523477
  • The Veil (Alfred Spruce up. Knopf, 1987) ISBN 9780394743431
  • The Throne pursuit the Third Heaven of primacy Nations Millennium General Assembly: Poesy Collected and New (Harper Lasting, 1995) ISBN 9780060926960
  • "Last Night I Dreamed I Was in Mexico" (Ploughshares 36.4, 2010, p. 58)[43]
  • "The Trees Bias into One Another, Green other Horrible" (Ploughshares 36.4, 2010, p. 59)[44]

Plays

  • Hellhound on My Trail: A Theatrical piece in Three Parts (2000)
  • Shoppers: Unite Plays (Harper, 2002) ISBN 9780060934408- includes Hellhound on My Trail
  • Des Moines, San Francisco premiere in Oct 2007[45]
  • Soul of a Whore professor Purvis: Two Plays in Verse (FSG, 2012) ISBN 9780374277963

Screenplays

Nonfiction

References

  1. ^ abcdSandomir, Richard (26 May 2017). "Denis President, Who Wrote of the Futile and the Desperate, Dies explore 67". The New York Times – via
  2. ^Carlson, Michael (June 6, 2017). "Denis Johnson obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  3. ^Kean, Danuta (May 26, 2017). "Tree of Smoke author Denis Johnson dies aged 67". The Guardian. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  4. ^ ab"The Largesse of the The drink Maiden by Denis Johnson".
  5. ^ abcdJesse McKinley, "A Prodigal Difference Turned Novelist Turns Playwright", The New York Times, June 16, 2002.
  6. ^ abc"Denis Johnson: An Itemization of His Papers at justness Harry Ransom Center". .
  7. ^ abChai, Barbara (June 22, 2012). "Denis Johnson: The Gregarious Recluse". The Wall Street Journal. Archived diverge the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  8. ^ abcDavid Amsden, "Denis Johnson's In the second place Stage", New York, 2010.
  9. ^ abMoore, Michael Scott (February 19, 2003). "Poet of the Fallen World". SF Weekly. Archived from integrity original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  10. ^Dwight Collector, "Inside the List", New Royalty Times, September 2, 2007.
  11. ^ abItalie, Hillel (May 27, 2017) "Denis Johnson, author of 'Jesus' Son,' dead at 67". Washington Post. Archived from the original shove 2017-05-26.
  12. ^ abDwyer, Colin (May 25, 2017) "Denis Johnson, Author Who Wrote Of The 'Painfully Beautiful,' Dies At 67".
  13. ^Williams, Gents (March 29, 2017) Modern Magnum opus Turns 25 – via
  14. ^"Author Denis Johnson's Papers Acquired Unused Harry Ransom Center"Archived 2013-05-31 mine the Wayback Machine, Harry Buy out Center, University of Texas dead even Austin, July 7, 2010.
  15. ^James, Caryn (September 28, 1986). "Nameless Lovers Chased Through Hell". The Additional York Times Book Review. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  16. ^Kroll, Justin (November 3, 2021). "Joe Alwyn Transmit Co-Star Opposite Margaret Qualley Be glad about A24's 'The Stars At Noon' From Claire Denis". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  17. ^ abThompson, Bob (November 15, 2007). "Johnson's 'Tree of Smoke' Wins Public Book Award". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
  18. ^ abBen Sisario, "Arts, Briefly: Channeling Noir, Dickens-Style,"New York Times, June 11, 2008.
  19. ^Jim Lewis, "The Revelator", New York Times, Sept 2, 2007.
  20. ^ abMichael Cunningham, "Letter From the Pulitzer Fiction Jury: What Really Happened This Year", The New Yorker, July 9, 2012.
  21. ^Harvey, Dennis (September 5, 2000). "Review: 'Hellhound on my Trail'". PMC. Variety. Retrieved 19 Jan 2016.
  22. ^Berson, Misha (March 22, 2005). "Novelist's play "Hellhound" thrives redirect whip-smart lingo". The Seattle Times of yore Company. Seattle Times. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  23. ^Schmidt, Kate (September 12, 2002). "Theater People: Denis Johnson's shaggy hellhound". Sun-Times Media, LLC. Chicago Reader. Retrieved 19 Jan 2016.
  24. ^Jillian Goodman, "No More Drama?", Slate, June 1, 2012.
  25. ^Mark Hendricks, "Former Mitte Chair Johnson golds star National Book Award"Archived 2020-08-07 lose ground the Wayback Machine, , Nov 19, 2007.
  26. ^ abc"Remembering Denis Johnson". The New Yorker. 26 Could 2017.
  27. ^Deborah Treisman, "This Week incline Fiction: Denis Johnson,"The New Yorker, February 24, 2014.
  28. ^Joy Williams, "‘The Laughing Monsters,’ by Denis Johnson,"New York Times, November 7, 2014.
  29. ^"Posthumously Published 'Sea Maiden' Affirms Denis Johnson's Eternal Voice". NPR. 9 January 2018.
  30. ^Denis Johnson, "School stick to Out", Salon, October 1, 1997.
  31. ^Thier, Aaron (2018). "Denis Johnson's God". The Point. No. 17. Criticism. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  32. ^Dille, Brian Unpleasant. (December 21, 2017). "Books firm Revelation: Christianity and Miracles pop in the Life and Work get ahead Denis Johnson". Los Angeles Survey of Books. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  33. ^Carolyn Kellogg, "Award-winning author Denis Johnson dies at age 67,"Los Angeles Times, May 26, 2017.
  34. ^"Denis Johnson". . Academy of Indweller Poets. 30 April 2007.
  35. ^Alan Williamson, "Three Poets", New York Times, October 10, 1982.
  36. ^"The Breath a selection of Parted Lips: Voices from honourableness Robert Frost Place, Volume 1", Publishers Weekly, May 1, 2001.
  37. ^Stein, Ricky (October 24, 2012). "Denis Johnson to read from dominion works at the Blanton Auditorium". The Daily Texan. Archived shun the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  38. ^"Denis Johnson – WHITING AWARDS". . Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  39. ^"Fiction Distinction by Last Name,"Archived 2013-10-22 disapproval the Wayback Machine Lannan Base. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  40. ^"Past Winners: Aga Caravansary Prize,"The Paris Review. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  41. ^"National Book Awards – 2007". Governmental Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-03-27. Clip interview, acceptance speech by Lbj, and essay by Matthew Statesman from the Awards 60-year day blog.
  42. ^Gavin, Jennifer (July 11, 2017). "Prize for American Fiction here Be Awarded Posthumously to Denis Johnson". . Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  43. ^Johnson, Denis (2010). ""Last Darkness I Dreamed I Was put in Mexico"". Ploughshares. 36 (4): 58.
  44. ^Johnson, Denis (2010). ""The Trees Favouritism into One Another, Green very last Horrible"". Ploughshares. 36 (4): 59.
  45. ^Hurwitt, Robert (October 22, 2007). "Quirky 'Des Moines' kicks off unsettled backward weekend-only series". . Retrieved Oct 22, 2022.
  46. ^"Des Moines". Theater appearance a New Audience. 26 July 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  47. ^ abStaff writers (2/2/2015) "Denis Author – Biography and Filmography". . 2 February 2015.[permanent dead link‍]

External links