Body Language

Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction

by Kelly Magee

Largely set in the South, the eleven stories of Body Language guide us into the hidden worlds of the culture wars. The people in these stories belong to the fringes of society, struggling for an identity and a place to belong.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[john]

As before, I find it strange and inappropriate to review a book written by my former Professor. I'll keep things general. She is a wonderful writer and has the unique gift of writing stories that grab the reader by the heartstrings and refuse to let go.

[Richard]

Kelly Magee is a fantastic writer. Literally, and the literally that also doesn’t mean literally. While I must admit to having enjoyed her second collection, The Neighborhood, a tad bit more, Magee brings the speculative into a borderline orbit with the real, so that they both reside in the realm of the borderline and extreme but wonderfully accessible. A writing universe where a trapped tornado kept as a pet proves as familiar as the problems of a gentrifying house in a tough neighborhood. Magee’s characters struggle, of course, with their own internal tornados of sexuality, identity and community, but do so under a kind and capable hand. The opening story is a wonder, as is “Vertical Mile,” a story of round-robin perspectives as different characters have an I’ll-fated meeting in the Grand Canyon. And the final story, “Heat Rises,” is to die for (no, really) as a group of poorly Spring Breakers meet up with the end of the world. Great, great stuff.

[lia]

Winner of the Katherine Anne Porter Prize, this collection of short fiction is not what I was afraid it would be--earnest, semi-good, overworked fiction on similar subjects--the kind of thing that the University of North Texas would give a new writer 1000$ for. Instead it was surprising and disturbing and funny and sad, with many voices being represented--I like it when women can write believable men, women etc..Lots of Ohio here, bomb threats, a pretty nice apocalypse, strange messed up kids, sex workers, queer kids, failed relationships, love & public sex-

[Billie Greer]

Pretty darn good

Her writing intrigues me and she does what a good author does, she leaves you wanting more. She's unusual. You have to be mindful while reading because she's very aware of herself. I hope she has a novel in the abyss , heading towards the light.

[Sonya Huber]

Complex stories that suck you in and that crackle with life.