Kurt Johnson

Kurt Johnson is the author of Las Vegas Turnaround and The Barrens.

Having spent the 1980s as a manager of Las Vegas nightclubs, Kurt Johnson knows a thing or two about what happens in Sin City after dark, and his debut novel, Las Vegas Turnaround explores the scene as Johnson knew it back in the day. His writing is characterized by a straight-shooting style that unflinchingly plunges into the seedy side of Vegas.

Kurt Johnson wrote the novel The Barrens based on his daughter Ellie’s epic canoe journey through the Barren Lands of Sub Arctic Canada. The novel is also based on Ellie’s life growing up and coming out as a lesbian. The Barrens is the winner of the 2023 Minnesota Book Award for novel and short story.