- Published: 15 March 2016
- ISBN: 9781593766351
- Imprint: Catapult
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 208
- RRP: $35.00
Knockout
Stories
- Published: 15 March 2016
- ISBN: 9781593766351
- Imprint: Catapult
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 208
- RRP: $35.00
John Jodzio’s entire collection is tremendously funny and well written, every story inventive and a pleasure to read.” New York Times Book Review It's difficult to write with emotional honesty about the people on the very edge of society, the misfits among misfits. But even when he writes with humor, Jodzio never treats his characters as a joke. He's a compassionate writer who is refreshingly unafraid to take risks, and his book is, well, a knockout.” National Public Radio With Knockout, his third collection of stories, Minneapolis writer John Jodzio proves his devotion to the form Jodzio has a gift for the wacky compelling premise, and deploys a deceptively casual voice calling to mind George Saunders to create screwed-up, deeply sympathetic characters The collection crackles with energy, its tales jolting in unexpected directions.” Minnesota Star Tribune Minneapolis writer John Jodzio creates darkly humorous short stories about people on the fringes.” Minnesota Public Radio Our chronicler of the fundamentally flawed dreamers who exist both at the periphery of society and quietly inside each of us is back with a darkly quirky collection that includes tales of crippling agoraphobics, secondhand sex chair buyers, and a 15-year-old who forms an unlikely alliance with a homeless helium junky.” Mpls.St.Paul Magazine John Jodzio’s short stories are powder kegs of wit, vice, and human frailty Pithy, unrestrained, and entertaining, Jodzio’s prose puts the reader in the headspace of the depraved and managed to evoke empathy for their plights.” Crave Knockout almost seems to good to be true Jodzio's characters are likable for the sheer fact they are so real, so human. This is a writer in top form, and Knockout is aptly titled.” Litreactor John Jodzio is a Minneapolis-based short story writer and literary journal darling with a devout following. His compelling tales couple bizarre circumstances with freakishly flawed characters but are emotionally authentic enough to make you wonder if they might be inspired by real life.” CityPages We like John Jodzio’s short fiction a lot So it’s probably not surprising that we’re eager to read his latest collection ” Vol. 1 Brooklyn In this collection of fiercely funny and often satirical portraits, Jodzio focuses on the quirkiness of everyday people Jodzio’s clean, quick, biting prose demonstrates a firm grasp of storytelling. He grounds the oddness of each narrative with believable human interactions: poignant moments where characters share meaningful connections.” Publishers Weekly A breakout book of short stories that packs a wicked punch These 17 well-crafted tales, most first person, most short, are tight, funny, and bizarreeach is its own absurd world made real Dark, grim, and sardonically funny, Jodzio’s stories stick like gum to the side of your brain and won’t shake loose.” Kirkus Knockout is full of memorable outcasts, underdogs, losers, and oddballs and the wondrously imaginative John Jodzio sets these lonely, alienated souls loose in a darkly absurd world that's simultaneously humorous, perverse, and moving.” J Ryan Stradal, author of the New York Times bestselling Kitchens of the Great Midwest Take a time out to read John Jodzio’s Knockout, you won’t regret it.” Kristen Schaal, co-star of The Last Man on Earth and commentator for The Daily Show Knockout feels like a collection of one's cherished treasures. There's t