 The odd jobs, eccentric characters, boarding houses, buses, and beer that populate Ballantine’s work often draw comparisons to the life and work of Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac.One of Ballantine’s short stories, "The Blue Devils of Blue River Avenue", was included in "Best American Short Stories" 1998 and one of his essays, "501 Minutes to Christ", appeared in "Best American Essays" 2006.His essay "Free Rent at the Totalitarian Hotel" (originally published in "The Sun") opened "Best American Essays" 2013.