Very much appreciate someone writing a review of the written life of a writer and saying, "Listen. We're all writers here." There's also a fluency here that shows an easy familiarity with how this genre works -- and it's a relief to see someone kinda irked at lazy lit bios like this, cuz it seems there's been a strange flux of em. I recently read a flaccid one about Elmore Leonard, another about Ray Bradbury (I think his wife of half a century was mentioned twice in 400 pages). I get the biographers' enthusiasm is what compels them toward the undertaking, but I guess it's like Sontag says in the camp essay: you should love something a lot but also kinda hate it if you're gonna write something interesting. (You landed this with a perfect choice of closer, btw.)
Haha. Ronald Knox said that you should write biographies about people you love, novels about ones you hate. I do think you’re right about the issue with this DJ bio and others being their biographers surfeit of enthusiasm for their subjects, but in particular re Denis, I just don’t think he wanted a biography written of him. Vs Naipaul collabed with Patrick French on his bio and the result is one of the best books ever. Denis died really suddenly and made no plans for a biographer. It’s a shame, bc he deserves a proper treatment. Thank you for your kind words and for reading my piece so carefully! Cheers
I once read Stefan Zweig's memoir World of Yesteryear and in 350 pages he mentioned either of his wives a total of like three times -- and he and Lotte committed suicide together!
I have so much to say. Grateful for this review. Here’s my question, what would an exquisite biography worthy of DJ’s talent entail? Will someone give me the contract to write it???
Just finished Tree of Smoke (30 min ago), midway thru I got quite sad because I realized I might not ever be able to write descriptions like Johnson does (one ex. “She remembered only sounds, predominantly rending metal-a very vocal idiom of many vowels and grinding consonants, grinding gutturals, magnificent vowels, all the vowels A, E, I, O, U, urgent, bewildered, gigantic”), but as a whole it’s more conventional than Jesus’ Son.
If the language of Jesus’ Son is simple enough to trick us into thinking we could write it, as a whole I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it. That’s why I think it’s been canonized in a way that Tree of Smoke hasn’t.
Nice piece, with which I must quibble twice but only once with any substance. How is it that someone sees writing as "inimitable" yet a sentence later "thinks 'I could do that'"? Am I misunderstanding inimitable?
Richard Brautigan was not a "mediocre prose-poet" he was a fragment of larger genius shot off by some other spirit that broke under the weight of its brilliance. He also was, truly, inimitable. At least I think he was.
Ok, I’ll admit it: Denis Johnson had somehow passed me by before this. But maybe, as you say, that’s no bad thing if I’m coming to Gestures without any expectations? Where would you send a beginner though to read Johnson himself - Jesus’ Son?
No wrong place to start. He goes down easy. You can read Jesus’ Son in an hour or two and then if you’re feeling ambitious, I’d recommend Tree of Smoke. Good summer reading project.
Very much appreciate someone writing a review of the written life of a writer and saying, "Listen. We're all writers here." There's also a fluency here that shows an easy familiarity with how this genre works -- and it's a relief to see someone kinda irked at lazy lit bios like this, cuz it seems there's been a strange flux of em. I recently read a flaccid one about Elmore Leonard, another about Ray Bradbury (I think his wife of half a century was mentioned twice in 400 pages). I get the biographers' enthusiasm is what compels them toward the undertaking, but I guess it's like Sontag says in the camp essay: you should love something a lot but also kinda hate it if you're gonna write something interesting. (You landed this with a perfect choice of closer, btw.)
Haha. Ronald Knox said that you should write biographies about people you love, novels about ones you hate. I do think you’re right about the issue with this DJ bio and others being their biographers surfeit of enthusiasm for their subjects, but in particular re Denis, I just don’t think he wanted a biography written of him. Vs Naipaul collabed with Patrick French on his bio and the result is one of the best books ever. Denis died really suddenly and made no plans for a biographer. It’s a shame, bc he deserves a proper treatment. Thank you for your kind words and for reading my piece so carefully! Cheers
I once read Stefan Zweig's memoir World of Yesteryear and in 350 pages he mentioned either of his wives a total of like three times -- and he and Lotte committed suicide together!
I have so much to say. Grateful for this review. Here’s my question, what would an exquisite biography worthy of DJ’s talent entail? Will someone give me the contract to write it???
Also here’s my top five:
1. Nobody Move (it’s perfect)
2. Jesus’ Son
3. Tree of Smoke
4. Largess of the Sea maiden
5. Fiskadoro
I dunno, his seven-year-old son handing out porn mags sounds wise and delightful.
Just finished Tree of Smoke (30 min ago), midway thru I got quite sad because I realized I might not ever be able to write descriptions like Johnson does (one ex. “She remembered only sounds, predominantly rending metal-a very vocal idiom of many vowels and grinding consonants, grinding gutturals, magnificent vowels, all the vowels A, E, I, O, U, urgent, bewildered, gigantic”), but as a whole it’s more conventional than Jesus’ Son.
If the language of Jesus’ Son is simple enough to trick us into thinking we could write it, as a whole I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it. That’s why I think it’s been canonized in a way that Tree of Smoke hasn’t.
Ah, thank you so much for this! My crush deepens🤘🏽👹 Despite the flaws you point out, I might still pick it up sometime.
Nice piece, with which I must quibble twice but only once with any substance. How is it that someone sees writing as "inimitable" yet a sentence later "thinks 'I could do that'"? Am I misunderstanding inimitable?
Richard Brautigan was not a "mediocre prose-poet" he was a fragment of larger genius shot off by some other spirit that broke under the weight of its brilliance. He also was, truly, inimitable. At least I think he was.
Actually good catch. That’s a typo. It should be imitable. And as for Brautigan, to each their own
He doesn't get as much credit as Parish, Bird or McHale, but he was an important piece of the puzzle....
;-)
Brilliant review. Thanks for writing it ❤️
So you made it prohibitive for yourself to quote Denis Johnson at any exemplary length in this otherwise mildly interesting essay?
Ok, I’ll admit it: Denis Johnson had somehow passed me by before this. But maybe, as you say, that’s no bad thing if I’m coming to Gestures without any expectations? Where would you send a beginner though to read Johnson himself - Jesus’ Son?
No wrong place to start. He goes down easy. You can read Jesus’ Son in an hour or two and then if you’re feeling ambitious, I’d recommend Tree of Smoke. Good summer reading project.
Then read “Nobody move” !’
Great - thank you!