Most men, no matter how well or badly dressed, carry overstuffed, beat up wallets that should have been replaced years ago. Why is that? Every time I see a guy take out a wallet anywhere, it looks like a piece of old melted chocolate cake-with strings.

He is the half brother of composer Steve Reich and nephew of Broadway producer Leonard Sillman. His short story "Home on the Rain" was chosen as one of the best stories of the year by the Pushcart Prize committee. His novel Outside the Dog Museum won the British Fantasy Award and his collection of short stories won the Bram Stoker Award.

He also writes short stories. Jonathan Samuel Carroll (born January 26 1949) is an American author primarily known for novels which can be characterized as magic realist slipstream or modern fantasy.