The Half-Skinned Steer

by Annie Proulx

Short story by Annie Proulx published in The Atlantic November, 1997.

Genres: Short Stories

22 pages, Unknown Binding

First published November 1, 1997

About the author

Edna Annie Proulx (Chinese:安妮 普鲁) is an American journalist and author. Her second novel, The Shipping News (1993), won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for fiction in 1994. Her short story "Brokeback Mountain" was adapted as an Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe Award-winning major motion picture released in 2005. Brokeback Mountain received massive critical acclaim and went on to be nominated for a leading eight Academy Awards, winning three of them. (However, the movie did not win Best Picture, a situation with which Proulx made public her disappointment.) She won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for her first novel, Postcards.

She has written most of her stories and books simply as Annie Proulx, but has also used the names E. Annie Proulx and E.A. Proulx.

Reviews

[Nadia Kay]

read this yesterday while driving across the eastern Wyoming plains. last night i dreamt scenes from Mero’s eyes as a young boy.. saw the old man’s girlfriend with long grey braids and wet eyes transfigure into a crude painting of a mare. in the background i heard music and thunder. gonna stick with me

[RatGrrrl]

Hell of a way to be introduced to a new author, but I am so happy that I caught a random recommendation and then came across a collection in a charity shop the next day!

I truly don't know how to respond to this, but I absolutely loved it.

Such a bizarre, but brilliant approach to language and storytelling that feels like it's simultaneously drawing you in and keeping you at arm's length, which is gloriously disorientating and makes the end seemingly inevitable end remain a question and still have a horrifying impact.

Very excited to read more Proulx!

[Jennifer Cooper]

I didn't enjoy this short story much, it seemed very disjointed and didn't flow very well. I've read many stories that jump between present and past and have no problems following the story, however this one didn't flow well. And I didn't enjoy the story much either.

[Logan Miller]

This reminded me of that "Who's on First" joke and not in a super positive way.

[Liv Bloemhard]

Liked it didn’t love it

[Jan Z]

A cranky, elderly man gets lost on a journey to a Wyoming ranch.

[Freddie Duncan]

Take off your skin /ref

[Ryan]

A very midwestern view on the passage of time, the damnation of forgetting, and discovering who you are in this part of the country. The Midwest is so constrained in places in regard to how you can grow up so when you experience or think of anything outside the norm, it’s all you want to near.

Proulx’ prose is sweet, and she perfectly captures what these ancient midwestern men are like.

Very literary.

[A]

hated this stupid book. i had to read it for class and it was so boring and gross for no reason. would give 0 stars if i could

[Kristi]

Ms. Proulx is superb at creating atmosphere and interesting characters. This story has the reader alternating between humor and disturbing reality. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[elle]

the prose is so pretty but I just couldn't get into it

[John Ollerton]

Wow a retribution that waited or an old man’s guilt and some stupid decisions, a cross country geriatric drive and the unforgiving Wyoming winter.

[SluggishGoblinReads]

An 80-year-old man drives his care to his brother's funeral to meet his family at their old ranch. The story follows his trip and him reminiscing about his past.