The Last Days of John Budgen Jr (Chapter One), by P. J. Druecke and Claire Readig, is the first installment in a serialized story that is distributed free (in hardcopy) in stores and news shelves etc. around the Midwest. It's an interesting project from a brilliant public space innovator, so it's exciting for PGP to be able to participate on the occasion of the release of the third chapter. As that is being distributed physically, I'm pleased to introduce the first chapter in digital form as part of This PDF Chapbook.
The story chronicles the life of John Budgen. Swooping through time, from the point we meet him in his middle age and back through the detailing of his odd history, we are introduced to Budgen as a blogger, a serious, melancholy man who is trying to deal with the passing of his mother by confronting his strange -- and strangely not-so-strange -- family history. The writing moves through excerpts of Budgen's blog and meticulous biographical details. Druecke's prose incorporates powerful and subtle storytelling elements which, in this chapter, build slowly to foreshadow Budgen's death. This is no spoiler: the effect of this chapter's resolution can only be known by giving it a read.
More on Paul Druecke:
A Social Event Archive
The Cool White Cube
Wikipedia ("His work is best understood within the context of conceptual art.")
Like everything in This PDF Chapbook, The Last Days of John Budgen, Jr can be read online or in hardcopy. However, this edition is not formatted for home printing. To have a copy mailed to you, use the ordering system at Publishing Genius. Chapters one and two are available ($4 for one, $7 for both, as always).
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