Denis Johnson (1949–2017)

The cancer of war.
Spreading like a plague from its epicentre, gorging on flesh, derailing minds, torturing emotions - only the strongest survive and then just barely.
An all pervading turmoil unbound by time or distance.
Entirely artificial, entirely human.

Tree of Smoke follows several characters in the Vietnam war, expertly leading the reader through its horrors from both sides of the engagement. Family, love, hopelessness, revenge, survival, purpose are all major themes, as they struggle with what truths they find in the choices they make. Anyone who has read 2666 by Robert Bolaño, should recall the chapter about the deaths. The saturated, desensitising prose so relentless to become paradoxically impressive. Tree of Smoke achieves something similar. What Denis Johnson has done here is capture war in all its atrocity.

I have now read five novels by Johnson and this is (so far) the jewel in the crown, despite its low 3.5 rating on goodreads, unsurprising, for two reasons:

1. War is a heavy subject matter which I doubt is every reader's idea of a 'good read' (I empathise of course and need time between books of this nature but war is so entwined in the human condition (sadly) that the subject leads to some of the very best writing - Birdsong, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Slaughterhouse 5, Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, War and Peace and of course, Catch-22)

2. I read parts of Tree of Smoke and listened to parts on audiobook, which was read amazingly by the actor Will Patton (of which I include a link to an excerpt below). Patton's handling of voice differentiation for the dialogues between characters was sublime and really improved the clarity and dynamics of their interactions, which my own reading in my head couldn't replicate (instead leading to confusion and rereadings). Johnson is such a skilful writer of dialogue - he knows exactly what other people would say that the characters sound like real people. Complimented by Patton's reading, the effect is very powerful. I wonder if people who solely read the book appreciated this element in the same way?

This book is a work of art, cementing Johnson in modern literature as one of its greatest writers (in my humble opinion). Although he is now lost to us, I'm thankful there are so many more of his offerings I have left to read. Jesus' son is apparently his arguable best - it will have to be one hell of a book to surmount what Tree of Smoke achieves. It is another symbol, in addition to the other important books previously mentioned, of why people should read, not war.

Will Patton reading Tree of Smoke:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDOGebqZr8… (more)

This is my fourth Denis Johnson (after Train Dreams, Fiskadoro and The Name of the World) and was read in tribute to his life after his recent passing. It's also my J on an alphabetical list by author surname I've got going on!

I continue to be beguiled with how well Johnson writes in all manner of genres and 'Nobody Move' furthered this impressive versatility with its distinctly noir feel. Although only scoring it a 3 out of 5, it is a very good 3 and an accomplished story which is incredibly readable. Consequently, it's a quick read but an engaging one and as others have commented, it could've handled being longer.

Nobody Moves centres on the coming together of 4 principle characters and how their lives temporarily ricochet off each other's in gritty Bakersfield, California. Similar to the sitcom 'Will and Grace', none of the protagonists are particularly good people, yet, how much damage they do to each other and themselves makes for an intriguing tale. They are well rounded and believable, each growing with the story and their experiences, each holding out under their respective burdens be they framed embezzlement, being hunted by a notorious criminal, loneliness or a bullet wound to the leg.

The strength of this novel is particularly the dialogue, in which Johnson is a master: the exchanges between the four characters are rich and real and it is very much as if you are there with them, living their emotions and thoughts. A good mark for me of a book's success is if I 'miss' (finding out about) the characters after the story is finished. And I did. I wanted to know more, I wanted to follow them a little longer. A very good 3 out of 5!… (more)