Welcome to Litsy!

The stories in this collection are sometimes intense, other times surreal, and always have a vague fog of depression and drunkenness lingering in the background. The first person protagonists of some of these stories are pretty bad dudes, but you find out late in the story. So this person you had been implicitly trusting suddenly makes you ask yourself: "Who did I really think was telling me this story?"

I have felt pretty meh lately. No ambition. Just doing a whole lot of nothing. And it took me about two weeks to finish 183 paged book. As much as I love this book for its drug themes and culture, I wasn‘t into it. I think it was me, not the book, as strange as that sounds.

Took a good break so I can reset my brain, and this book brings my total count for 2019 at thirty books!! Most I‘ve ever read... An incredible feeling. It‘s very small and cute, so I took a side-by-side as my hand for reference

Just finished reading this collection of short stories. It was quite good, I used to like reading about darker things, and I haven't in a while, so I enjoyed this.
Slowly making my way through the books I won last year from Picador books.

Reading some short stories and sipping tea. It's been a long day.

Starting this for the plane trip home from our San Francisco weekend! It was recommended and lent to me by my former department chair at school. #planereads #SanFrancisco #teachersoflitsy

Beautiful writing about troubled people in often terrible situations. The stories are somewhat interrelated, with some places and characters recurring, but each stands on each own. Taken together, they present a world of difficult times in which hope and redemption always remain possible. Highly recommended.

I see reading as an ultimate form of voyeurism, you can experience the darkest side of humanity while staying safe in your home. This was a book of short stories of heroin and alcohol addiction. Their morals simply weren't there because of their addiction, which made it a hard listen. The prose was written poetically and was delivered on point by the narrator. The subject matter was tough but was so beautifully written that I couldn't get enough.

Starting this next on #audible

A bit of the old decorum and decay. A mobius strip for U.S. and the addict alike.
#highforthis #aprella
@Reviewsbylola @Mdargusch @emilyhaldi @Cinfhen

This is an odd quote, but it‘s the first thing that came to mind for #sudden because some friends and I were slightly obsessed with the cinematic adaptation of Johnson‘s book in college, and “Will you forget about this (fill in the blank) all of a sudden?” became a commonly quoted phrase amongst our posse, the 828.

#QuotsyMarch18

It's a new Denis Johnson story, people! ❤️

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/23/strangler-bob/amp

What a great collection of stories into the life of an addict! A short read and I recommend checking out.

Just finished this collection this morning. We ride along with the floaty passing of time with an addict through country homes, bars, hospitals, crime scenes and missteps. Each story is achingly raw and beautiful, and I found myself floored more than once at his moments of clarity. There's a reason Denis Johnson is so beloved, and there's a reason this collection in particular has a 100% rating on here.

#anditsaugust #day9 - #quickreads

Finally got an opportunity to post a review of this.

A terrific collection of loosely connected short stories, with great sense of mood, grim yet memorable characters, and a deep undercurrent of humor.

Unlike any short stories that I've ever read before! Drugs, alcohol, debauchery!

These mesmeric, disjointed stories of addicts and deadbeats—stories shot through with violence and hilarity and brief bursts of grace—add up to just about the best shock short fiction has ever given me. I got hooked on the light sparking up and off pretty much every page; there's only one fix: an astonishing number of re-readings.

#morningreads

Sorry I have not been active lately!! Moving and traveling has been so busy. We went to Green Apple in San Francisco and I got these great deals! And some cute cards for my #litsypenpals! 😁😁📚

Powerful. Moving. Heart crushing. A must read collection, especially for anyone who has been touched by addiction or rock bottom - where many of these characters are. I will return to it again and again. Excellent #tinybook binding as well. Highly, highly recommend!

My bookfairy came with my #bookmail! Thank you, kind neighbor, for putting it on my doorstep. (It got delivered to the wrong person yesterday.) Crisis averted!

This tiny copy of Jesus's Son is really interesting. It does remind me of the pocket drug handbooks doctors carry, and it is about addiction. Positive reviews from @shawnmooney @BookishFeminist @rachellayown @McShelfington @Redwritinghood I'm excited! 👇🏻

Holy fuck. I've been writing Denis Johnson off for years as just another mediocre white dude author because I didn't know any better. But damn, this collection of stories is one of the best I've ever read. There's some powerful stuff in here dealing with drug addiction & relationships told with gripping storytelling. There's beauty and power in the precise imagery of his sentences. Overall, it's a stunning collection about the human condition.

Sad to say I only just heard about this author while listening to a podcast discuss his recent passing. It was suggested to start with this collection of short stories. I came to the end and thought " That's it? There's no more stories?" Denis Johnson's writing is real; real human, real emotion, real life- his writing is honest and open. Enjoyed these stories. Quote from "Happy Hour"- p.82 "You've got to have a destination."

Denis Johnson was a master at the short story. The prose is spare and direct and very effective at conveying the struggles his characters face and showing how they, nevertheless, still maintain hope. These stories deal with a working-class despair, poverty and drug addiction. The last story in the collection seems to point to some redemption, although it's not complete. Highly recommended.

#junetunz day 13 - #scars

Was hoping to have this book finished today, but had other stuff going on during my break and didn't find the time.

Will you believe me when I say there was kindness in his heart?

I've seen a lot of people reading this collection lately and remembered that I have this teeny-tiny pocket version that I've never read! Time to remedy that.

I have to confess that I hadn't heard of Denis Johnson before he recently passed away. Now I'm going to have to read everything he's ever written because this book was amazing!

#TeaserTuesday

"Jesus!" is right!

I am still knee deep in Denis Johnson, feeling like this might be one of those benders where I read everything by an author - is there a name for that?

#bookintomovie for #splashintosummerreads

Some books that became movies and movies adapted from books.

These stories are incredible so far! No fooling…

‼️

My May stats!

When Denis Johnson died last week I learned how revered he was by many writers and I realized I needed to read his work. And WHOA, this book is AMAZING. I now need to read his entire body of work.

I was so so sad to hear about Denis Johnsons's death. No one wrote like him - Train Dreams haunts me almost weekly and Emergency is my all time favorite short story.