'The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories' by Denis Johnson is a collection of five stories that delve into themes of memories, aging, dying, personal failures, mortality, relationships, addiction, and the randomness of beauty and existence. The stories are described as masculine, tender, whimsical, and full of highly controlled mania and eloquence. Johnson's writing is praised for its magical language, deep sadness mixed with hope, and its ability to reveal dark truths of human lives.

Characters:

Characters are portrayed as flawed and complex individuals, navigating themes of regret, addiction, and mortality, often within a male-centric narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is characterized by elegance, humor, and underlying poignancy, often blending conversational tones with deep reflections.

Plot/Storyline:

The stories delve into mortality, memory, and the complexities of human relationships, often through the lens of flawed individuals facing life's challenges.

Setting:

Settings range from urban landscapes to rehabilitation and prison environments, accentuating the characters' struggles with their realities.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, with some stories moving quickly through events and others savoring emotional depth and character introspection.

The lunch with Tom Ellis took place a couple of years ago. I don’t suppose he ever wrote the play; it was just a notion he was telling me about. It came to mind today because this afternoon I attended...

Notes:

Denis Johnson was born in 1949 and died in May 2017.

He won the National Book Award for his novel 'Tree of Smoke' in 2007.

His earlier collection 'Jesus Son' is a cult classic in contemporary literature.

The title story in 'The Largesse of the Sea Maiden' was first published in The New Yorker in 2014.

The collection includes five stories, showing a range of themes focused on mortality and flawed humanity.

Bill Whitman, the protagonist in the title story, reflects on his shrinking future and memories of the past.

The collection captures a blend of humor and pathos, revealing the author's distinctive writing style.

One story involves a character in rehab who writes letters to various people from his past, including old friends and even the Pope.

Many stories touch on themes of regret, addiction, and the human condition.

Johnson's prose is celebrated for its elegance and emotional depth, often juxtaposing humor with serious themes.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of addiction, death, mental health struggles, and existential contemplation.

From The Publisher:

Twenty-five years after Jesus' Son, a haunting new collection of short stories on mortality and transcendence, from National Book Award winner and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Denis Johnson

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Dwight Garner, The New York Times

Maureen Corrigan, NPR's Fresh Air

Chicago Tribune

Newsday

New York

AV Club

Publishers Weekly

"Ranks with the best fiction published by any American writer during this short century."-New York

"A posthumous masterpiece."-Entertainment Weekly

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review

The Washington Post

NPR

The Boston Globe

New York Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

Bloomberg

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden is the long-awaited new story collection from Denis Johnson. Written in the luminous prose that made him one of the most beloved and important writers of his generation, this collection finds Johnson in new territory, contemplating the ghosts of the past and the elusive and unexpected ways the mysteries of the universe assert themselves.

Finished shortly before Johnson's death, this collection is the last word from a writer whose work will live on for many years to come.

Praise for The Largesse of the Sea Maiden

"An instant classic."-Newsday

"Exceptional luminosity . . . hits a powerful vein."-The New York Times Book Review

"Grace and oblivion are inextricably yoked in these transcendent stories. . . . [Johnson's] gift is to extract the beauty in all that brokenness."-The Wall Street Journal

"Nobody ever wrote like Denis Johnson. Nobody ever came close. . . . We're just left with this miraculous book, these perfect stories, the last words from one of the world's greatest writers."-NPR

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About the Author:

Denis Johnson was the author of nine novels, one novella, two books of short stories, five collections of poetry, two collections of plays, and one book of reportage. Among other honors, his novel Tree of Smoke won the 2007 National…

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The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories

Denis Johnson