FURTHER JOY

In eleven expertly crafted stories, John Brandon gives us a stunning assortment of men and women at the edge of possibility—gamblers and psychics, wanderers and priests, all of them on the verge of finding out what they can get away with, and what they can’t. Ranging from haunted deserts to alligator-filled swamps, these are stories of foul luck and strange visitations, delivered with deadpan humor by an unforgettable voice.

The New York Times praised Brandon’s last novel for a style that combined Elmore Leonard and Charles Portis, and now Brandon brings that same darkly American artistry to his very first story collection, demonstrating once again that he belongs in the top ranks of contemporary writers.

Praise for Further Joy:

“An impressive collection, cleareyed and penetrating.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“John Brandon’s debut short story collection Further Joy is darkly entertaining, the stories poignant and remarkably accessible.”
—Largehearted Boy

“Beautifully crafted stories”
—Tampa Bay Times

“With his subtle portrayals of anxiety, through characters haunted by failure, Brandon has made a strength out of all those limitations and obstacles.”
—Creative Loafing Tampa

“Brandon’s command of resonant frustration and fear is precise. These are stories abounding with images and situations that tap into emotional and economic anxieties, and do so with style.”
—Minneapolis StarTribune

“Brandon has continued to hone his ear for the poetry of American talk.”
—Boston Globe