Summary

Phillip Kohout and Russell attend one of Jack’s book readings in Chapter 21. Phillip recounts his life as a rising literary celebrity after the reading is over. He reminisces about how he enjoyed cocaine because it made him feel normal. He then goes on to talk about the lying necessitated by cocaine use and how good he was at lying right after his first book was published. It is revealed that Russell participated in an intervention back then to get Kohout off drugs.

Phillip explains that he broke his contract with Russell to publish his second book because he knew he could get more money from another publisher. He also details the failure of that book as being obviously disingenuous about redemption after drug addiction. The chapter ends with Kohout leaving with a fan who recognizes him as Jack sits down at the...