The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon University Press Series in Fiction) [Paperback]

Benjamin Percy (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Carnegie Mellon Univ Pr; 1 edition (February 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887484549
• ISBN-13: 978-0887484544
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,256,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Benjamin Percy was born in the high desert of Central Oregon. He is the author of a novel, The Wilding (forthcoming from Graywolf Press in 2010), and two books of stories, Refresh, Refresh (Graywolf Press, 2007) and The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon, 2006). His fiction and nonfiction have been read on National Public Radio, performed at Symphony Space, and published by Esquire, Men's Journal, Outside, the Paris Review, Orion, Tin House, Glimmer Train, Ploughshares, and many other magazines and journals. His honors include the Whiting Award, the Plimpton Prize, a Pushcart Prize, and inclusion in Best American Short Stories. His story "Refresh, Refresh" was adapted into a graphic novel -- co-authored by filmmaker James Ponsoldt and illustrated by Eisner-nominated artist Danica Novgorodoff -- that First Second Books (a division of Macmillan) published in 2009. He teaches in the MFA program in creative writing and environment at Iowa State University. You can learn more about him at www.benjaminpercy.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong read from a talented writer, December 21, 2007

By 

Mitchell Waldman ", author of A FACE IN THE ... - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon University Press Series in Fiction) (Paperback)

The Language of Elk, the debut book by writer Benjamin Percy, contains 8 stories about the people and life in a place called Oregon. As the jacket text reads, "The Language of Elk assembles its cast from the mountain towns and low-life taverns and high desert ranches of Oregon -- a state that in isolated pockets remains a still-unfinished place, the frontier."

The stories in this book show us some unique characters and surprising situations. There a man who digs up and steals Native American relics, including the mummified corpse of a dead man, in his living room, a former small town high school football hero trying to find his way in adulthood, the owner of a ranch where soft men come to play cowboy and hunt their own game for a few days, a man who hunts for Sasquatch, a man who work together on a marijuana farm, and a man who falls in love with the bearded lady at a circus that comes to town.

Benjamin Percy is a promising young author who can tell a story and whose descriptions of relationships are very strong. His prose is sharp, right on, his settings strong, and his characters unique and memorable. These are stories that will linger in your mind for a long while after reading them. Overall, this is a strong first book from a talented young man, whose work engages his readers' imaginations and hearts, and will have you wanting for more. This book is highly recommended!


--Mitchell Waldman, author of A Face in the Moon

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable read, June 5, 2006

By 

Santi - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon University Press Series in Fiction) (Paperback)

Percy is blessed with the ability to engage his reader via striking use of similies and metaphors that leave you grinning at his brilliance. His collection of short stories is unlike any you'll ever encounter.

A remarkable read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome short stories...., January 25, 2009

By 

BJ "Brett Starr" (East Peoria, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon University Press Series in Fiction) (Paperback)

more great, clever stories from Benjamin Percy...

"The Language of Elk" has alot of really good stories, unfortunately I was spoiled by reading his new book, "Refresh, Refresh" first. I then found about this book!

This book has eight short stories, all good and very well written in my opinion!

My favorites were:

The Language of Elk
The Colony
Winter's Passing
The Bearded Lady Says Goodnight (this story is outstanding and genius!!!!)

if you read / or have read "The Language of Elk", do yourself a favor and read his new book "Refresh, Refresh", its excellent

more people need to know about Benjamin Percy's writing, I know I'll read anything he writes from now on.....