John Jodzio discusses and signs Knock Out: Stories

Appearing with Catie DiSabato, Amy Silverberg and Kara Vernor

The work of John Jodzio has already made waves across the literary community. Some readers noticed his nimble blending of humor with painful truths reminded them of George Saunders. His creativity and fresh voice reminded others of Wells Tower's Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. But with his new collection, Jodzio creates a class of his own. Knockout is the unified collection of stories that create flawless portraits of deeply flawed figures on the edge of the American Dream. A recovering drug addict gets tricked into stealing a tiger. A man buys a used sex chair from his neighbor. A woman suffering from agoraphobia raises her son completely indoors. An alcoholic runs a bed and breakfast with the son from his deceased wife's first marriage. These people will admit that their chances have passed them by. These people know they were born on the wrong side of the tracks, and their dreams will remain unreachable, but that doesn't stop them from dreaming. Yet readers won't be fooled by the funny premises -Jodzio steers these stories into deeper places, creating a brilliant examination of those on the fringes of modern life. With its quirky humor, compelling characters, and unexpected sincerity, Knockout by John Jodzio is poised to become his breakout book, drawing a wide readership to this provocative and talented young writer. (Soft Skull Press)

Event date: 
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 - 7:00pm
Event address: 
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Knockout: Stories By John Jodzio Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781593766351
Availability: Usually arrives at our store within 4-7 days
Published: Soft Skull - March 15th, 2016

The Ghost Network: A Novel By Catie Disabato Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781612194349
Availability: Special Order - Please Call the Store to Verify
Published: Melville House - May 5th, 2015