Denis Johnson, a renowned novelist, short story writer, poet, and playwright, was born in Munich, Germany in 1949 and spent his childhood in Tokyo, Manila, and Washington, D.C. due to his father's work with the U.S. State Department.
Growing up, Johnson struggled with substance abuse, starting with alcohol at the age of 14 while living in the Philippines with his family. This led to a later addiction to hard drugs, including heroin, which he documented in his story cycle Jesus' Son.
Johnson published his first book of poetry, The Man Among the Seals, at the age of 20, followed by Inner Weather in 1976. He earned his master's degree from the University of Iowa, where he developed a close relationship with his teacher and fellow heavy drinker, Raymond Carver.
Throughout his life, Johnson's struggles with addiction led to multiple hospitalizations and divorces. However, he continued to write, and his first novel, Angels, was published in 1983 to critical acclaim.
Johnson's subsequent novels, Fiskadoro and The Stars at Noon, also received positive reviews, but it was his third novel, Jesus' Son, that brought him widespread recognition and acclaim. The book was inspired by Johnson's own experiences with addiction and was published in 1992 after he struck a deal with Farrar, Straus & Giroux to pay off his IRS debt.
Johnson's work has been praised for its gritty realism and its ability to capture the struggles of those living on the margins of society. He has been compared to other influential writers such as Charles Bukowski and William S. Burroughs, and his work has inspired a generation of younger writers.
Today, Johnson is the Mitte Chair at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, where he continues to write and teach. Despite his struggles with addiction, Johnson has described himself as an "unconventional Christian" and credits his faith with helping him to overcome his demons.
