Briefly Knocked Unconscious by a Low-Flying Duck Stories from 2nd Story

Since early man carved bison and spears on cave walls, humans have been telling oral stories about love, death, hope, and low flying ducks. Today, short personal essays are a mainstay on the airways, the web, and in theaters and bars across the country. This anthology brings the vibrant oral tradition to the page through the work of 2nd Story, a Chicago-based collective of story-makers and story-lovers working to build community through storytelling. 2nd Story hosts monthly events that fuse page, stage, and sound to deliver a unique live literary/theatrical experience. This collection puts those hilarious and heart-wrenching stories right onto your coffee table.

Andrew Reilly is the director of publications at 2nd Story. His writing has appeared in Alarm, the A.V. Club, and Norman Einstein’s Sports & Rocket Science Quarterly. Megan Stielstra teaches writing and performance at Columbia College Chicago and the University of Chicago and is the literary director for 2nd Story. She is the author of Everyone Remain Calm. They both live in Chicago.