Writer Chris Offutt reports on Twitter:

Yes, it's true. Denis Johnson died yesterday morning. He was at home, peaceful.

— Chris Offutt (@Chris_Offutt) May 26, 2017

Based on the high number of mourning authors on my Twitter feed right now, it's fair to characterize Johnson as a writer's writer — one of the greats, a talent so advanced that it mystifies peers.

Jesus' Son has to be one of the best short story collections of the 20th century, and The Name of the World is a magnificent short novel about grief and loss and people-shaped holes in lives. As news of Johnson's passing spreads, I expect many people to be pulling The Name of the World off their bookshelves tonight.