Customer Reviews

It Doesn't Have to Be Me

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Startling and surreal, outrageous and outspoken, Carole Rosenthal's collection of short stories is also hilarious--fun to read, yet serious. I haven't read any collection this rich in a long time.

As Carole Rosenthal exposes the semi-disastrous relations between women and men, one feels as if too bright a light came on over the bathroom mirror: uh-oh, I really do look like that. But exposure of disaster, if sharply poignant, is often comical as well. You can laugh at the sight in the well-lit glass. The sly title, It Doesn't Have To Be Me, also says it IS "me," the ego--everyone's ego--deluding itself the more it tries to rationalize. But delusions secretly recognized and indulged create an absurd triumph of intelligence in these stories. Utterly clear and deadpan in style, right-on in observation, they'll do more for your elusive psyche than an hour with your analyst. Give this book to friends--after all, it doesn't have to be them.

This is a book you should check out if you are interested in stories that are funny, outlandish and filled with trenchant observations about our vulnerabilities--particularly about the gap between what we appear to be on the surface and how we are actually feeling. One of my favorites was "Sweeping the Future Clean"--a story about a newly married woman who clears out her old apartment for her new husband and soon meets a shopping-bag lady, her mirror opposite, wearing the very clothes she has thrown away. Then there is the story about the old college boyfriend which is great too; infact, there are too many good ones to list. Buy or borrow a copy and see what I mean.

These stories offer insight into the ways people interact. Skillfully and vibrantly written, they will appeal to anyone who wonders what lovers, children and parents are really thinking. Rosenthal's insight into the human heart is stunning, and her quirky sense of humor is an added benefit. I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys fine writing, a great sense of humor, and is looking for insight into the ways we live and love.