What We Fed to the Manticore
Book description
Longlisted for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection, Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Fiction. Finalist for the 2023 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.
A Ms. Magazine, Bustle, Publishers Weekly, Chicago Review of Books, Debutiful, and ALTA Journal Best Book of September…
Why read it?
2 authors picked What We Fed to the Manticore as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
An original, shatteringly beautiful book of stories told from the perspective of animals, all of which are dealing with climate disaster, war, the threat of extinction, or some other existential pain.
To put it simply, this book changed me, and pushed me to consider, in a different light, the mess humankind has made of our planet, that we share with all living beings. It made me think, cry, smile, and feel the greatest tenderness and compassion for the animals—a donkey, a white bear, a dog that tried to protect his friend the rhino from a poacher.
The soft, empathetic writing…
I live and breathe nonfiction about animals. Every now and then, I get smacked in the face by a book like this, a book that reminds me just how powerful fiction can be.
In these short stories, Kolluri takes on the perspective of animals from real-life news items, like when a zookeeper painted his donkey to look like a zebra, or when the zoo in Gaza was destroyed by Israeli bombs in 2014, and embodies their minds and spirits.
In nonfiction about animals, writers work hard to avoid anthropomorphizing the creatures they write about, but in fiction, Kolluri embraces it,…
Want books like What We Fed to the Manticore?
Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like What We Fed to the Manticore.
Browse books like What We Fed to the Manticore
5 book lists we think you will like!
Interested in animals, Andrew Carnegie, and environmentalism?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about animals, Andrew Carnegie, and environmentalism.