The Gospel according to Lenderman
Indie rocker MJ Lenderman has penned the foreword for a new Penguin Classics edition of Harry Crews’ 1990 novel, Body.
The book, set for release on November 20th, explores the gritty world of female bodybuilding through the late author’s signature lens of dark humour and human ruin.
The Asheville musician and Wednesday member is a known devotee of Crews’ work, previously citing the author as a major creative anchor.
While working on his acclaimed 2022 album Boat Songs, Lenderman immersed himself in Crews’ catalogue, even adopting the writer’s disciplined morning routine to overcome creative blocks.
He has described Body as a “Southern-freak” story rooted in the author’s real-life stint as a trainer and boyfriend to a bodybuilder in the 80s.
The forthcoming edition marks the latest reissue of Crews’ work by the prestigious imprint, further cementing his legacy as one of the South’s most uncompromising voices, now with a crucial endorsement from one of indie rock’s most vital storytellers.
