Winner of the Academy Award (2004) from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, Porter is the author of three short story collections: The Kentucky Stories, Lithuania, and Touch Wood (Turtle Point, 2002); two novels: Eelgrass and Resident Aliens; and two nonfiction books on William Shakespeare. He has won Pushcart Prizes, NEA/PEN Syndicated Fiction awards, and fellowships from the NEA.