Samurai Widow Explained

Samurai Widow
Author:Judith Jacklin Belushi
Country:United States
Language:English
Subject:John Belushi
Judith Jacklin Belushi
Genre:Memoir
Autobiography
Publisher:Carroll & Graf
Release Date:1990
Media Type:Print (Hardback)
Pages:427 (Hardback)
Isbn:0-88184-575-2
Dewey:792.7/028/092 B 20
Congress:PN2287.B423 B44 1990
Oclc:21229051

Samurai Widow (1990, Carroll & Graf) is a memoir by Judith Jacklin Belushi, the wife of comedian John Belushi. Belushi wrote Samurai Widow in response to the negative portrayal of John in the 1984 Bob Woodward book, Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi and its subsequent film adaptation in 1989.[1] [2]

The book is a loose telling of Judith's life with John, her grief after his death, and her struggle to move on with life. The contents are based around the extensive journals kept by the author after her husband's death,[3] and a majority of the journal entries appear in the book as they were originally written. The book's title comes from one of Belushi's most famous Saturday Night Live (SNL) characters, a samurai who would have a different job each appearance (e.g. baker, lawyer, hotel manager).[4] The character was known as Samurai Futaba.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Belushi, Judith Jacklin. Samurai Widow. January 7, 1993. .
  2. Web site: John Belushi's Wife Says Late Comedy Legend Was a 'Woman's Libber'. Nicholas. White. November 20, 2020.
  3. Web site: "His Materials and His Letters Were Just Sitting in Boxes in the Basement of Her House": R.J. Cutler on Belushi at DOC NYC | Filmmaker Magazine. Lauren. Wissot. November 13, 2020.
  4. Web site: 2006 interview with Judy Belushi, widow of John Belushi.. Epstein. Dwayne. October 6, 2015.
  5. News: Barra. Allen. That Nameless Stranger, Half a Century Later. 8 July 2021. Wall Street Journal, (paywall). 17 August 2010.