In 1993, a retired theater professor, storyteller, and sign language actor living in Connecticut named John Basinger started committing all twelve books of John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' to memory. Eight and half years later, he performed the entire poem from memory in a fully staged one-man show. Using interviews, verite rehearsal and preparation footage, and notes and text from Basinger's dog-eared copy of the epic, THUS SPAKE JOHN tells the story of how and why this unique man took on and executed this unique feat.