The Language of Elk by Benjamin Percy

Great writing, great stories..by BJStarr

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August 06, 2009: more 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 too, "Refresh, Refresh", its excellent

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

Strong read from a talented writerby Mitchell_Waldman

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May 17, 2009: 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!

I Also Recommend: The Museum Guard, Legends of the Fall, A Face in the Moon, Poachers, Controlled Burn.