A Visit from the Goon Squad

About “A Visit from the Goon Squad”

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan is a novel composed of interwoven narratives that follow Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, a troubled young woman he employs. The story explores their lives and the lives of others connected to them over many years, across locations including New York, San Francisco, Naples, and Africa. Sasha is introduced in her mid-thirties, dealing with a history of stealing and personal turmoil, while Bennie is shown at the low point of his life, later revisited in his younger years as a member of San Francisco's punk scene. The novel also features other characters, such as Bennie's mentor Lou Kline and Sasha's uncle, whose stories intersect with the main characters. Egan examines themes of time, music, survival, and the human desire for redemption through a range of narrative styles.