The Best American Short Stories 2012 Quotes

“we read fiction to satisfy a more basic need—to imagine our way into other lives, to explore characters and situations that tell us something new about the world, and maybe about ourselves, or to remind us of something important that we may have forgotten.”
― Tom Perrotta, The Best American Short Stories 2012

“Here’s why at the Jesus beds they can only talk about all the stupid shit they’ve done—because that’s all they are now, all they’re ever gonna be, a twitching bunch of memories and mistakes. Regrets. Jesus, Bit thinks. I should’ve had the decency to go when Julie did.”
― Tom Perrotta, The Best American Short Stories 2012

“And later, of course, she got too busy. She asks Royce if he heard anything from Grace, ever. “No. No. Why should I?” “I just thought.” “No.” “I thought you might have looked her up later on.” “Not a good idea.” She has disappointed him. Prying. Trying to get at some spot of live regret right under the ribs. A woman.”
― Tom Perrotta, The Best American Short Stories 2012

“ever since the development of the spine, the individual had become paramount, the group disregarded. Ghiselle was only following the downhill path of her species.”
― Tom Perrotta, The Best American Short Stories 2012