Elephant Rock Books
Trade Paperback
From the publisher website:
Since early man carved bison and spears on cave walls, humankind has been telling stories. Today, short personal essays are a mainstay on the airways, the web, and in theaters and bars across the country. This anthology brings the vibrant oral tradition to the page through the work of 2nd Story, a Chicago-based collective of story-makers and story-lovers working to build community through storytelling. We culled through ten years of archived performances to select the twenty-three essays presented in this collection. Each was adapted from the stage to the page.
Critics Are Diggin' It!
“This collection gathers some of the 2nd Story’s best-told, completely true tales. In print, these stories resemble personal essays, yet they have a far looser, more conversational flow, thanks to their oral roots. Most [essays] illuminate a critical juncture in the storyteller’s life, including “Counting Days,” in which Bobby Biedrzycki shares his path to sobriety. And then there are the accounts like “Push Kick Coast,” Ric Walker’s narrative of a night at the skating rink gone tragically wrong, which serves as a haunting reminder that many of our stories end far too soon.”— Patty Wetli, Booklist
This title has been recommended for young adult readers: "This collection will provide teens with an accessible entry point into creative nonfiction." —Patty Wetli, Booklist
"This collection is a gift, and it will linger, so please do take a look, because it just might change your life." —Ben Tanzer, Blogspot
Early Praise
“A whole world retold. Life-saving. Hopeful . . . They really know how to tell a story.”—Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina
"This collection is a gift, and it will linger, so please do take a look, because it just might change your life." —Ben Tanzer
“Funny, compelling, intimate, raw, and always surprising, Briefly Knocked Unconscious By A Low-Flying Duck is storytelling at its absolute best. From porn queens to tooth fairies, blood clots to sobriety, prepare to be awestruck, dumbstruck, thunderstruck, and perhaps struck by low-flying fowl. These are stories you will want to read out loud to your friends.” —Dinty W. Moore, author of The Mindful Writer
“The best part about the stories in this collection isn’t that they’re captivating (though they are). And it isn’t that they’ll bring a tear just as much as they’ll bring a smile (though they will). And it’s not that they’ll introduce you to some of Chicago’s most incredible new writing talent (though that’ll happen too). No, the best part about the stories in this collection is that they are true.” —Dan Sinker, author of The F***ing Epic Twitter Quest of @MayorEmanuel
“These fresh voice-driven narratives will make you laugh and ache. A wonderful collection with the heart of true storytellers.” —Heidi W. Durrow, author of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
“When students see and hear the incredibly gifted storytellers of 2nd Story do their thing and see the impact they have on an audience, they then understand the unassailable beauty of oral history and tradition and see themselves as part of that lineage. To capture the authority of the stories 2nd Story tells is to chronicle our lives, to leave a legacy of our triumphs and struggles, our hopes and heartbreaks.” — Willa Taylor, Director of Education and Community Programs, Goodman Theatre
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