Overview

"Tree of Smoke-the name given to a ""psy op"" that might or might not be hypothetical and might or might not be officially sanctioned-is Denis Johnson's most gripping, visionary and ambitious work to date. Set in south-east Asia and the US, and spanning two decades, it ostensibly tells the story of Skip Sands, a CIA spy who may or may not be engaged in psychological operations against the Viet Cong-but also takes the reader on a surreal yet vivid journey, dipping in and out of characters lives to reveal fundamental truths at the heart of the human condition."

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9780330449212

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Reviews

Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and Tree of Smoke is a tremendous book. --The New York Times Book Review <br> The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. --Jonathan Franzen I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece. -- The Miami Herald <br> It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake. -- The Washington Post Book World <br> Tree of Smoke is a masterpiece of language and depth. -- San Francisco Chronicle <br> Johnson has captured the zeitgeist of American experience as surely as Twain, Hemingway, or Ellison. -- New York Post <br> Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied. -- Chicago Tribune Johnson has written his War and Peace, -- Harper's Magazine <br>

Once Johnson gets his hooks into you it takes about two sentences . . . p retty much impossible to stop reading. David Gates, The New York Times Book Review An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. Vince Passaro, Newsday Denis Johnson has delivered his masterpiece. Chris Offutt The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. Jonathan Franzen Prose of amazing power and stylishness. Philip Roth Once Johnson gets his hooks into you- it takes about two sentences it's . . . pretty much impossible to stop reading. David Gates, The New York Times Book Review. An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. Vince Passaro, Newsday Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and Tree of Smoke is a tremendous book. --The New York Times Book Review The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. --Jonathan Franzen I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece. -- The Miami Herald It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake. -- The Washington Post Book World Tree of Smoke is a masterpiece of language and depth. -- San Francisco Chronicle Johnson has captured the zeitgeist of American experience as surely as Twain, Hemingway, or Ellison. -- New York Post Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied. -- Chicago Tribune Johnson has written his War and Peace, -- Harper's Magazine I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece. -- The Miami Herald It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake. -- The Washington Post Book World Damn impressive, a layered, rich, sweaty accomplishment of massive proportions. -- Entertainment Weekly Tree of Smoke is a Vietnam war novel almost without peer, in which 'the abyss is alive.' Johnson . . . has written the best work of his career, an existential tour de force. -- The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) Good morning and please listen to me: Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and Tree of Smoke is a tremendous book. --The New York Times Book Review (cover review) Johnson's power of empathy is a beam that radiates and cannot be modulated. It's helplessly total. . . . Johnson has written his War and Peace, -- Harper's Magazine Gorgeous prose . . . a heartbreaking portrait of war. -- Outside Tree of Smoke is a brilliant pillar of fire. . . . Haunting, tragic, and humane. -- Men's Vogue Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied. -- Chicago Tribune An epic, wrenching new novel . . . delivers a beautifully layered, insightful, and visceral montage of stories. -- The Seattle Times Denis Johnson has delivered his masterpiece. --Chris Offutt The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. --Jonathan Franzen Prose of amazing power and stylishness. --Philip Roth Once Johnson gets his hooks into you--it takes about two sentences--it's . . . pretty much impossible to stop reading. --David Gates, The New York Times Book Review An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. --Vince Passaro, Newsday

"""Denis Johnson has delivered his masterpiece. Chris Offutt ""The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's."" Jonathan Franzen ""Prose of amazing power and stylishness."" Philip Roth Once Johnson gets his hooks into you- it takes about two sentences it's . . . pretty much impossible to stop reading. David Gates, The New York Times Book Review. An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. Vince Passaro, Newsday Once Johnson gets his hooks into you it takes about two sentences . . . p retty much impossible to stop reading. David Gates, ""The New York Times Book Review An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. Vince Passaro, ""Newsday"" ""Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and ""Tree of Smoke ""is a tremendous book.""""--The New York Times Book Review """"The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's.""--Jonathan Franzen"""" ""I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece.""--""The Miami Herald """"It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake.""--""The Washington Post Book World """"""Tree of Smoke"" is a masterpiece of language and depth.""--""San Francisco Chronicle """"Johnson has captured the zeitgeist of American experience as surely as Twain, Hemingway, or Ellison.""--""New York Post"" ""Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied.""--""Chicago Tribune"""" """"""Johnson has written his ""War and Peace,""""--""Harper's Magazine"""" ""I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece.""--""The Miami Herald """"It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake.""--""The Washington Post Book World """"Damn impressive, a layered, rich, sweaty accomplishment of massive proportions.""--""Entertainment Weekly """"""Tree of Smoke"" is a Vietnam war novel almost without peer, in which 'the abyss is alive.' Johnson . . . has written the best work of his career, an existential tour de force.""--""The Plain Dealer"" (Cleveland) ""Good morning and please listen to me: Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and ""Tree of Smoke ""is a tremendous book.""""--The New York Times Book Review ""(cover review) ""Johnson's power of empathy is a beam that radiates and cannot be modulated. It's helplessly total. . . . Johnson has written his ""War and Peace,""""--""Harper's Magazine """"Gorgeous prose . . . a heartbreaking portrait of war.""--""Outside """"""Tree of Smoke ""is a brilliant pillar of fire. . . . Haunting, tragic, and humane.""--""Men's Vogue """"Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied.""--""Chicago Tribune """"An epic, wrenching new novel . . . delivers a beautifully layered, insightful, and visceral montage of stories.""--""The Seattle Times"" ""Denis Johnson has delivered his masterpiece."" --Chris Offutt ""The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's."" --Jonathan Franzen ""Prose of amazing power and stylishness."" --Philip Roth ""Once Johnson gets his hooks into you--it takes about two sentences--it's . . . pretty much impossible to stop reading."" --David Gates, ""The New York Times Book Review """"An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world."" --Vince Passaro, ""Newsday"""

Once Johnson gets his hooks into you it takes about two sentences . . . p retty much impossible to stop reading. David Gates, The New York Times Book Review An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. Vince Passaro, Newsday Denis Johnson has delivered his masterpiece. Chris Offutt The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. Jonathan Franzen Prose of amazing power and stylishness. Philip Roth Once Johnson gets his hooks into you- it takes about two sentences it's . . . pretty much impossible to stop reading. David Gates, The New York Times Book Review. An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. Vince Passaro, Newsday Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and Tree of Smoke is a tremendous book. --The New York Times Book Review The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. --Jonathan Franzen I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece. -- The Miami Herald It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake. -- The Washington Post Book World Tree of Smoke is a masterpiece of language and depth. -- San Francisco Chronicle Johnson has captured the zeitgeist of American experience as surely as Twain, Hemingway, or Ellison. -- New York Post Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied. -- Chicago Tribune Johnson has written his War and Peace, -- Harper's Magazine I can't be sure that there's been a better American novel published in the past ten years. It is a masterpiece. -- The Miami Herald It will . . . get inside your head like the war it is describing--mystifying, horrifying, mesmerizing. [Johnson] has written a book that by the end wraps around you as tightly as a snake. -- The Washington Post Book World Damn impressive, a layered, rich, sweaty accomplishment of massive proportions. -- Entertainment Weekly Tree of Smoke is a Vietnam war novel almost without peer, in which 'the abyss is alive.' Johnson . . . has written the best work of his career, an existential tour de force. -- The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) Good morning and please listen to me: Denis Johnson is a true American artist, and Tree of Smoke is a tremendous book. --The New York Times Book Review (cover review) Johnson's power of empathy is a beam that radiates and cannot be modulated. It's helplessly total. . . . Johnson has written his War and Peace, -- Harper's Magazine Gorgeous prose . . . a heartbreaking portrait of war. -- Outside Tree of Smoke is a brilliant pillar of fire. . . . Haunting, tragic, and humane. -- Men's Vogue Opens a window onto a world of mystery, war, and intrigue whose importance in the (usually) unwritten history of our republic can't be denied. -- Chicago Tribune An epic, wrenching new novel . . . delivers a beautifully layered, insightful, and visceral montage of stories. -- The Seattle Times Denis Johnson has delivered his masterpiece. --Chris Offutt The God I want to believe in has a voice and a sense of humor like Denis Johnson's. --Jonathan Franzen Prose of amazing power and stylishness. --Philip Roth Once Johnson gets his hooks into you--it takes about two sentences--it's . . . pretty much impossible to stop reading. --David Gates, The New York Times Book Review An amazingly talented writer . . . We can hear Twain in his biting irony, Whitman in his erotic excess, not a little of Dashiell Hammett too in the hard sentences he throws back at his gouged, wounded world. --Vince Passaro, Newsday

Author Information

Denis Johnson is the author of several novels, including Already Dead (published by Picador), Resuscitation of a Hanged Man, Fiskadoro, The Stars at Noon, Angels and The Name of the World, a collection of short stories, Jesus' Son, and four volumes of poetry. He lives in northern Idaho.

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