
Denis Johnson's 'Train Dreams' is a novella that delves into the life of Robert Grainier, a day laborer in the Pacific Northwestern US during the early 20th century. The story follows Grainier through various hardships, including the loss of his family in a fire, as he navigates the changing world around him. Johnson's writing style is described as spare, stark, and evocative, capturing the essence of the American West with vivid and detailed imagery.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for Train Dreams include themes of grief, loss of family, and the effects of a devastating fire, which may be distressing to some readers.
From The Publisher:
A New York Times Notable Book
An Esquire Best Book of 2011
A New Yorker Favorite Book of 2011
A Los Angeles Times Favorite Book of 2011
Denis Johnson's Train Dreams is an epic in miniature, one of his most evocative and poignant fictions. It is the story of Robert Grainier, a day laborer in the American West at the start of the twentieth century-an ordinary man in extraordinary times. Buffeted by the loss of his family, Grainer struggles to make sense of this strange new world. As his story unfolds, we witness both his shocking personal defeats and the radical changes that transform America in his lifetime. Suffused with the history and landscapes of the American West, this novella by the National Book Award-winning author of Tree of Smoke captures the disappearance of a distinctly American way of life.
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About the Author:
Denis Johnson (1949-2017) is the author of eight novels, one novella, one book of short stories, three collections of poetry, two collections of plays, and one book of reportage. His novel Tree of Smoke won the 2007 National Book Award.
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