Picture a Los Angeles storyteller who spins tales where squids fall in love and dodos ponder identity—meet Ben Loory! With a knack for blending the whimsical with the profound, Loory’s short stories invite readers into worlds where the ordinary turns extraordinary. His unique, spare style has earned him a devoted following and a place among contemporary literature’s most imaginative voices.
The Making of Ben Loory
Born on July 11, 1971, in Dover, New Jersey, Ben Loory grew up in a book-filled home, thanks to his English teacher parents. Without a TV, young Ben devoured Aesop’s fables and dreamed of magical worlds. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1993 with a degree in Visual & Environmental Studies and later earned an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Initially a screenwriter working with luminaries like Jodie Foster, Loory found his true calling at 34, crafting short stories after a creative writing class sparked his passion for prose.
Ben Loory’s Unforgettable Stories
Loory’s debut collection, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day (Penguin, 2011), is a treasure trove of postmodern fables. From a duck questioning existence to a man grappling with a mysterious TV, these tales are both witty and haunting, earning praise from Ray Bradbury himself: “This guy can write!” His follow-up, Tales of Falling and Flying (Penguin, 2017), dives deeper into fantasy, with stories like a squid’s cosmic love story, named one of Esquire’s 50 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Loory also penned a charming children’s book, The Baseball Player and the Walrus (2015), about an unlikely friendship. His spare, propulsive style—free of excess adjectives or named characters—creates emotional depth, making each tale feel like a dream you can’t shake.
Loory’s stories have graced over 100 publications, including The New Yorker, Tin House, and BOMB Magazine, and have been performed on NPR’s This American Life and Selected Shorts. His work often explores longing, belonging, and transformation, wrapped in a fabulist logic that feels like an animated Twilight Zone. Whether it’s a dance adaptation of “The Cape” or a musical piece inspired by “The Duck,” Loory’s tales resonate across mediums.
Why Ben Loory Matters
Ben Loory’s impact lies in his ability to make the absurd feel deeply human. His stories, often under 1,000 words, pack emotional punches that linger, inspiring readers and writers to embrace imagination over realism. As a teacher at UCLA Extension and Chapman University, Loory mentors aspiring authors, with students publishing in top journals and winning awards like the Dell Award. His work, translated into languages like Japanese and Arabic, continues to captivate global audiences, proving that small stories can cast big shadows.
- Birth Date: July 11, 1971
- Key Works: Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day, Tales of Falling and Flying, The Baseball Player and the Walrus
- Awards: Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection, Esquire’s 50 Best Fantasy Books
Snag Tales of Falling and Flying and dive into Ben Loory’s whimsical, heart-tugging world of fables!