76:
152:, a memoir of his life in Chadron. The narrative follows two arcs. One follows Ballantine's personal life, including his decision to settle in Chadron, his marriage to Cristina, a Mexican woman, and Tom, their autistic son. According to Ballantine, his marriage to Cristina was difficult in its early years, and the couple would sometimes fight. However, once Cristina's proficiency with English improved to the point that she could appreciate Ballantine's sense of humor, the relationship improved as well.
168:—unfounded rumors had circulated within the community that Haataja might have been gay, a possibility which was rejected by the official investigation. Although the investigation was inconclusive, the county sheriff and other law enforcement officers privately considered Haataja's death to be a suicide, for multiple reasons: no
172:
other than
Haataja's was found at the scene, no signs of foul play were found, and although Haataja's legs and body were bound to the tree, his hands were free. Further, Haataja suffered from depression and had previously attempted suicide. Despite these details, Ballantine and others who had known
126:
as a "funny memoir and 'true crime' mashup by one of the country's best vagabond raconteurs" and by Cheryl
Strayed as "his best book ever", the memoir follows Ballantine's interest in the disappearance of a professor from the town of Chadron, Nebraska.
163:
until the spring of 2007, when his body was found badly burned and tied to a tree on a ranch property south of the college. The nature of
Haataja's death led Ballantine and other Chadron residents to believe that it was a homicide, possibly a
240:
both feature the fictional Edgar
Donahoe as he makes his way from Southern California to the Caribbean. Publishers Weekly noted that "It's impossible not to be charmed by the narrator of Poe Ballantine's comic and sparklingly intelligent
365:
Although
Ballantine acknowledged in an author's note that he had used "fictive techniques" and changed selected names throughout the memoir, he also underlined that the details specific to Haataja's case were factually accurate.
256:
these themes, alongside his expressive self-awareness, are expanded as
Ballantine sets down roots in Chadron, Nebraska and begins to investigate the disappearance of a local professor.
173:
Haataja rejected the possibility of suicide, noting that he was happy and well-liked in the community, and that the manner of his death was inconsistent with his personality.
874:
869:
64:’s Book of the Year. The odd jobs, eccentric characters, boarding houses, buses, and beer that populate Ballantine’s work often draw comparisons to the life and work of
155:
The second arc concerns the disappearance and death of Steven
Haataja (pronounced hah-de-yah), a mathematician who had been hired in 2006 as a professor at
894:
889:
348:. Haataja's professional work included his doctoral dissertation and an article (posthumously) co-authored with his doctoral advisors, both dealing with
859:
884:
879:
829:
824:
854:
569:
131:
and the true crime circumstances that surround its creation are also the subject of a documentary of the same name by filmmaker Dave
Jannetta.
505:
459:
899:
864:
834:
720:
839:
75:
746:
567:
Donsig, Allan P.; Haataja, Steven P.; Meakin, John C. (2011). "Amalgams of
Inverse Semigroups and C*-Algebras".
795:
409:
159:. In December 2006, after having lived in Chadron for a few months, Haataja disappeared. He was listed as a
849:
553:
156:
248:
Ballantine's other works include short stories and creative nonfiction essays, as well as his memoir,
844:
430:
604:
596:
578:
52:
760:
501:
455:
349:
135:
588:
345:
65:
23:
83:
One of
Ballantine’s short stories, "The Blue Devils of Blue River Avenue", was included in
772:
111:
107:. He has guest blogged for PowellsBooks.Blog and Marion Roach Smith's "Writing Lessons."
810:
99:
2013. Ballantine's essays and short stories have also appeared in the Coal City Review,
160:
119:
176:
The memoir was later adapted as a documentary film, treating the same subject matter.
818:
800:
388:
100:
805:
699:
608:
252:. Much of his work features themes of American alienation and lives in transit. In
104:
69:
724:
225:
91:
2006. His essay "Free Rent at the Totalitarian Hotel" (originally published in
592:
353:
165:
39:
686:"Love and Terror on The Howling Plains of Nowhere (documentary film website)"
685:
27:
600:
476:
35:
583:
74:
47:
43:
790:
323:
454:. Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts. pp. Introduction.
169:
87:
1998; one of his essays, "501 Minutes to Christ", appeared in
320:
Premiered at the Hot Docs International Film Festival in 2014
344:
Haataja was an algebraist, a mathematician specializing in
452:"Intro" Love & Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
550:
Amalgamation of Inverse Semigroups and Operator Algebras
138:
with his wife Cristina and their son Thomas Francisco.
721:""501 Minutes to Christ" Powell's Original Essay Post"
265:
Nominations for the Pushcart Prize and O. Henry Prize.
315:Love & Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
311:Love & Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
250:Love & Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
213:Love & Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
116:Love & Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
799:PowellsBooks.Blog Author Archive: Poe Ballantine
498:Love and Terror on The Howling Plains of Nowhere
150:Love and Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
143:Love and Terror on the Howling Plains of Nowhere
410:"How to Explore Self Knowledge Through Memoir"
79:Poe Ballantine, author photo by Dave Jannetta
8:
747:"Rumpus Book Club Chat with Poe Ballantine"
745:Edited by Lauren O'Neal (18 October 2013).
875:21st-century American short story writers
870:20th-century American short story writers
582:
379:
337:
768:
758:
570:Indiana University Mathematics Journal
794:Marion Roach Smith's Writing Lessons
7:
408:Ballantine, Poe (22 October 2013).
294:Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire
238:Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire
219:Guidelines For Mountain Lion Safety
198:Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire
112:Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts
58:Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire
895:21st-century American male writers
890:20th-century American male writers
14:
860:American male short story writers
270:Father Junipero Admonishes a Bird
282:His essays have appeared in the
885:21st-century American essayists
880:20th-century American essayists
830:21st-century American novelists
825:20th-century American novelists
286:series in 2006 and 2013 and in
275:Winner of a Pushcart Prize for
268:Winner of a Pushcart Prize for
114:published Ballantine's memoir,
1:
855:People from Chadron, Nebraska
675:Ballantine 2013, pp. 295-301.
657:Ballantine 2013, pp. 295-301.
630:Ballantine 2013, pp. 205-212.
520:Ballantine 2013, pp. 119-123.
477:"Love & Terror the Movie"
313:dir. Dave Jannetta, based on
277:Secrets Deep in Tiger Forests
148:In 2013 Ballantine published
122:. Praised by Bruce Jacobs in
548:Haataja, Steven P. (2006).
288:Best American Short Stories
260:Nominations and recognition
186:Things I Like About America
85:Best American Short Stories
916:
200:(2006) fiction, sequel to
50:, many of which appear in
804:Nebraska Writers’ Center
593:10.1512/iumj.2011.60.4255
648:Ballantine 2013, p. 278.
639:Ballantine 2013, p. 131.
621:Ballantine 2013, p. 317.
529:Ballantine 2013, p. 195.
496:Ballantine, Poe (2013).
450:Ballantine, Poe (2013).
215:(2013) nonfiction/memoir
209:(2007) nonfiction/essays
188:(2002) nonfiction/essays
134:Poe Ballantine lives in
118:with an introduction by
900:Novelists from Colorado
865:American male essayists
835:American male novelists
809:Denver West Word Blurb
666:Ballantine 2013, p. 86.
538:Ballantine 2013, p. 62.
554:University of Nebraska
80:
324:www.loveandterror.com
207:501 Minutes to Christ
157:Chadron State College
78:
42:writer known for his
300:’s Book of the Year.
284:Best American Essays
97:Best American Essays
89:Best American Essays
56:. His second novel,
840:Writers from Denver
700:"Publishers Weekly"
389:"PowellsBooks.Blog"
243:God Clobbers Us All
234:God Clobbers Us All
202:God Clobbers Us All
192:God Clobbers Us All
46:and especially his
771:has generic name (
350:inverse semigroups
81:
719:Ballantine, Poe.
431:"Shelf Awareness"
387:Ballantine, Poe.
298:Foreword Magazine
254:Love & Terror
136:Chadron, Nebraska
129:Love & Terror
62:Foreword Magazine
907:
789:Hawthorne Books
777:
776:
770:
766:
764:
756:
754:
753:
742:
736:
735:
733:
732:
723:. Archived from
716:
710:
709:
707:
706:
696:
690:
689:
682:
676:
673:
667:
664:
658:
655:
649:
646:
640:
637:
631:
628:
622:
619:
613:
612:
586:
577:(4): 1059–1076.
564:
558:
557:
545:
539:
536:
530:
527:
521:
518:
512:
511:
493:
487:
486:
484:
483:
475:Jannetta, Dave.
472:
466:
465:
447:
441:
440:
438:
437:
426:
420:
419:
417:
416:
405:
399:
398:
396:
395:
384:
367:
363:
357:
346:abstract algebra
342:
105:Atlantic Monthly
66:Charles Bukowski
24:Denver, Colorado
915:
914:
910:
909:
908:
906:
905:
904:
815:
814:
786:
781:
780:
767:
757:
751:
749:
744:
743:
739:
730:
728:
718:
717:
713:
704:
702:
698:
697:
693:
684:
683:
679:
674:
670:
665:
661:
656:
652:
647:
643:
638:
634:
629:
625:
620:
616:
566:
565:
561:
547:
546:
542:
537:
533:
528:
524:
519:
515:
508:
495:
494:
490:
481:
479:
474:
473:
469:
462:
449:
448:
444:
435:
433:
429:Jacobs, Bruce.
428:
427:
423:
414:
412:
407:
406:
402:
393:
391:
386:
385:
381:
376:
371:
370:
364:
360:
343:
339:
334:
307:
262:
236:and its sequel
182:
146:
124:Shelf Awareness
17:
16:American writer
12:
11:
5:
913:
911:
903:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
817:
816:
813:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
785:
784:External links
782:
779:
778:
737:
711:
691:
677:
668:
659:
650:
641:
632:
623:
614:
559:
540:
531:
522:
513:
506:
488:
467:
460:
442:
421:
400:
378:
377:
375:
372:
369:
368:
358:
336:
335:
333:
330:
329:
328:
327:
326:
321:
306:
303:
302:
301:
291:
280:
273:
266:
261:
258:
231:
230:
229:(2018) fiction
222:
216:
210:
204:
195:
194:(2004) fiction
189:
181:
178:
161:missing person
145:
140:
120:Cheryl Strayed
22:(born 1955 in
20:Poe Ballantine
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
912:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
850:Living people
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
822:
820:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
787:
783:
774:
762:
748:
741:
738:
727:on 2013-11-05
726:
722:
715:
712:
701:
695:
692:
687:
681:
678:
672:
669:
663:
660:
654:
651:
645:
642:
636:
633:
627:
624:
618:
615:
610:
606:
602:
598:
594:
590:
585:
580:
576:
572:
571:
563:
560:
555:
551:
544:
541:
535:
532:
526:
523:
517:
514:
509:
507:9780983477549
503:
500:. Hawthorne.
499:
492:
489:
478:
471:
468:
463:
461:9780983477549
457:
453:
446:
443:
432:
425:
422:
411:
404:
401:
390:
383:
380:
373:
362:
359:
355:
351:
347:
341:
338:
331:
325:
322:
319:
318:
316:
312:
309:
308:
304:
299:
295:
292:
289:
285:
281:
278:
274:
271:
267:
264:
263:
259:
257:
255:
251:
246:
244:
239:
235:
228:
227:
223:
220:
217:
214:
211:
208:
205:
203:
199:
196:
193:
190:
187:
184:
183:
179:
177:
174:
171:
167:
162:
158:
153:
151:
144:
141:
139:
137:
132:
130:
125:
121:
117:
113:
108:
106:
102:
101:Kenyon Review
98:
94:
90:
86:
77:
73:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
54:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
21:
750:. Retrieved
740:
729:. Retrieved
725:the original
714:
703:. Retrieved
694:
680:
671:
662:
653:
644:
635:
626:
617:
574:
568:
562:
549:
543:
534:
525:
516:
497:
491:
480:. Retrieved
470:
451:
445:
434:. Retrieved
424:
413:. Retrieved
403:
392:. Retrieved
382:
361:
340:
314:
310:
297:
293:
287:
283:
276:
269:
253:
249:
247:
242:
237:
233:
232:
224:
218:
212:
206:
201:
197:
191:
185:
175:
154:
149:
147:
142:
133:
128:
123:
115:
109:
96:
92:
88:
84:
82:
70:Jack Kerouac
61:
57:
51:
32:Edwin Hughes
31:
19:
18:
845:1955 births
769:|last=
354:C*-algebras
819:Categories
752:2013-10-30
731:2013-10-30
705:2013-10-30
482:2013-10-28
436:2013-10-28
415:2013-10-28
394:2013-10-28
374:References
166:hate crime
40:nonfiction
584:1007.1192
226:Whirlaway
95:) opened
26:) is the
761:cite web
609:53995602
601:24903862
290:in 1998.
110:In 2013
28:pen name
552:(PhD).
93:The Sun
53:The Sun
36:fiction
607:
599:
504:
458:
279:(2019)
272:(2016)
221:(2015)
103:, and
60:, won
48:essays
44:novels
605:S2CID
597:JSTOR
579:arXiv
332:Notes
305:Films
180:Books
773:help
502:ISBN
456:ISBN
352:and
296:was
68:and
38:and
34:, a
589:doi
245:."
170:DNA
30:of
821::
765::
763:}}
759:{{
603:.
595:.
587:.
575:60
573:.
317:.
72:.
775:)
755:.
734:.
708:.
688:.
611:.
591::
581::
556:.
510:.
485:.
464:.
439:.
418:.
397:.
356:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
