Books by Denis Johnson
“Train Dreams is set in the American West at the start of the 20th century, and it’s about a man called Robert Grainier, a railroad worker. It’s his life, more or less from the beginning until the end, although it does jump around in time. The edition I have is only 116 pages—so he covers a whole life, and a huge amount of social change over that period, in a very short novel. The whole novella is a masterpiece of intensity, despite it covering so many years.” Read more...
Claire Fuller, Novelist
Jesus’ Son
by Denis Johnson
What I love about Denis’s fiction is the way it’s populated by people who are marginal. His characters are like truants from life
Interviews where books by Denis Johnson were recommended
Jim Shepard recommends his favourite Short Stories
The American writer shares his favourite collections, and tells us why short stories are like guerrilla warfare and perfect for the Twitter generation.
The Best Novellas, recommended by Claire Fuller
The acclaimed novelist Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground, recommends five of the best novellas: short works of fiction that offer the power and intensity of a novel in little more than 100 pages. From an epic-in-miniature set in the American West to an infamous story of bestial love, these books offer short, sharp shocks of fiction that can be enjoyed over a single evening.
The Best Books of Landscape Writing, recommended by Dan Richards
Good writing offers readers an invitation to explore and engage with the world around them, says Dan Richards—author of Outpost and Climbing Days—as he recommends five brilliant books that exemplify the skill of landscape writing.
