Like A Fiery Elephant

Author of The Rotter’s Club, The Closed Circle and The House of Sleep

WINNER OF THE BBC4 SAMUEL JOHNSONPRIZE FOR NON-FICTION, 2005

"All who know Coe’s own work expected something extraordinary. Our expectations are surpassed. This may well be one of the finest literary biographies ever written…As much as possible, Coe lets Johnson’s own words and the words of those who knew him speak here, content to give support in the unobtrusive manner of a fine accompanist…Long after the reading, the impression persists that Coe may have given us that very “representation of the inside of my mind” to which Johnson aspired. And this, of course, both in intent and in execution, whether novel or biography, is the highest art.” -James Sallis, The Boston Globe

“The best literary biography in years…In its artfully fragmented structure, autobiographical inserts,and circular conceits, Like a Fiery Elephantadopts Johnson’s own imperatives (all is chaos, you canonly write about yourself) even while questioning them.” - The Village Voice

“Let me say-flat out and without the usual reviewer’s cavils-that this is a wonderful biography…Coe reveals the multifaceted artist in all his intensity and periodic bellicosity…Perhaps best of all, Coe lays out the threads of Johnson’s life, shows how they may be convincingly knotted together and then chooses to leave them largely ‘untied, untidily.’” -Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World

“A beguiling, brilliant, and all-consuming life of the novelist B.S. Johnson…insanely interesting.”- Newsday

“A virtuoso biography…It’s a testament to the fervor of Coe’s prose that though we know the outcome-nobody will ever appreciate B.S. Johnson enough-we keep turning the pages in the hope that things will turn out differently…Coe assembles the vast materials of this elephantine book with a sorcerer’s giddiness.” - City Pages

“Coe’s performance is exemplary.” - The New York Sun

“A remarkable biography…Thanks to Coe, the novels of B.S. Johnson are going to be read as never before.” - The Memphis Flyer

“Profoundly empathetic…A keen prism into the life and work of a difficult and skeptical man.” - The Star Ledger