Benjamin Percy

Short Biography

 Benjamin Percy was raised in the high desert of Central Oregon. He is the author of a novel, The Wilding (Graywolf, 2009), and two books of stories, Refresh, Refresh (Graywolf, 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, the Paris Review, the Chicago Tribune, Glimmer Train, and Best American Short Stories. His honors include a Whiting Award, the Plimpton Prize and a Pushcart Prize. His work has been translated into French (Albin Michel), Italian (Random House Italy) and German (Random House Germany), as well as published in the UK (Jonathan Cape -- Random House UK).

Filmmaker James Ponsoldt adapted Refresh, Refresh into a screenplay, which won the Lynn Auerbach Award from the Sundance Institute and a "fast track" fellowship from the LA Film Festival; filming will begin in the spring of 2009. Refresh, Refresh is also being adapted into a graphic novel, written and illustrated by Danica Navgordoff at First, Second Books.  

 In addition to writing regularly for Esquire, Ben is juggling several novel manuscripts and hammering out an original screenplay.

Office/Office Hours

• office:  325 Ross

• office hours: Tuesday (2-3:30); Wednesday (1-2); Thursday (2-3:30); and by appointment.

• office phone:  (515) 294-5654

• email:  bpercy@iastate.edu

• personal website:  www.benjaminpercy.com

Interests

•   The short story, the novella, the novel
•   Creative nonfiction and magazine writing
•   Screenwriting
•   Literature of the American West; War Literature; Environmental Writing

Selected Publications

•   The Wilding (Graywolf, 2009)
•   Refresh, Refresh (Graywolf, 2007)
•   The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon, 2006)

Degrees

•   MFA, Southern Illinois University 
•   BA, Brown University