Who I Was Supposed to Be: Short Stories

Author:  Susan Perabo

Year: 2006

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Pages: 187

Goodreads Synopsis:

Behind every face in Who I Was Supposed to Be is a singular quirk to explore, a peculiarity to celebrate. In Susan Perabo's world, nothing can be taken for granted: here, a retired grocer takes up jewel theft in his twilight years; a data processor squanders her inheritance on one of Princess Diana's gowns; a mugging victim feigns amnesia to win back his wife.

In the tradition of Lorrie Moore, Susan Perabo's slightly off-center lens looks hard at the banal and the bizarre, and at the human condition, where she finds extraordinary magic within the smallest of gestures. Sharply written and overlaid with a mischievous wit, Who I Was Supposed to Be is an unforgettable homage to laughter, love, and wonder.

I had never heard of Susan Perabo before my friend bought this book (although I do imagine her as looking something like Piper Perabo). My friend bought this book at a bookstore while we were out. Of course, the first thing that happened when we got back to the car was I had to go through all her books and see what she bought. This one jumped out at me.  Maybe it was the cute little dog sitting in the car. I don't know. I started reading the first short story in the collection, "Thick as Thieves" and was hooked. I ended up taking the book home and reading it first. I found this collection of stories to be very moving and relevant to me (even the very odd and slightly off-kilter stories).  Perabo's writing drew me in and kept me reading. I would finish one story and move directly to the next.  I just really enjoyed these stories and found them to be gems every one. I need my own copy of this book!