The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories

An Amazon Best Book of January 2018: In this posthumous collection, Denis Johnson’s narrators are often confined to one place as they relate their stories—a couch, the kitchen table, or even prison. Yet images tumble forward, and humor bubbles, and his characters speak out about their hopes and limitations, and some kind of alchemy takes place that can only be achieved by the best writers. You feel like they’ve taken you on a journey, even if you never left their minimum space. Johnson’s characters all have faults, about which they are at least semi-aware. Some of them are criminals, and even more are addicts. But all of them are deeply human, and you will probably recognize a little of yourself in these stories, even if no one else would make that connection. There are lines you’ll want to underline. Memories and emotions will be stirred. This is a great collection for Johnson to go out on. --Chris Schluep, Amazon Book Review