Ep-76 Jesus’ Son (1992 short story collection)

Denis Johnson’s landmark short story collection Jesus’
Son tells the story of a drug-addict searching for meaning
and purpose in life. The book’s erratic, surreal style lends
itself to a truly memorable read as the narrator (F**khead)
recounts the story of his life filled with robbery, sex, murder,
and more. He struggles throughout, hitting rock bottom over and
over again before landing on a path of possible recovery.

Stories Covered: Car Crash While Hitchhiking, Two Men, Out on
Bail, Dundun, Work, Emergency, Dirty Wedding, The Other Man,
Happy Hour, Steady Hands at Seattle General, Beverly Home.

Topics: how autobiographical is the book, the search for meaning,
potential meanings behind the title of the book, Luke talks about
his own car accident, Georgie’s desire to be heroic, Luke &
James’s trip to Seattle, FH wanting to be saved by the women in
his life, and the disconnect between the broken and the
well-adjusted of this world.


Join us next week for Jesus’ Son the film directed by Alison
Maclean and starring Billy Crudup, Samantha Horton, Jack Black,
Michael Shannon, Denis Leary, Holly Hunter, and Dennis Hopper!


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Music: "2 Legit" By Jay Man


Buy:Jesus’ Son

Denis Johnson Interview #1(Yale)
Denis Johnson Interview #2(Longreads)