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Peter Trachtenberg

Peter Trachtenberg is the author of “The Book of Calamities: Five Questions About Suffering and Its Meaning” and “7 Tattoos: A Memoir in the Flesh.” His new book, “Another Insane Devotion: On the Love of Cats and Persons,” is forthcoming in November. He lives in Pittsburgh, where he’s an assistant professor of creative writing.

(<a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-719509p1.html'>Tami Freed</a> via <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/'>Shutterstock</a>)

Halloween 2012: What’s scary?

Jonathan Lethem, Peter Trachtenberg, Jennifer Gilmore, Kate Christensen, Meg Wolitzer, Julie Klam

(<a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-56417p1.html'>Lagui</a> via <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/'>Shutterstock</a>)

Real-life body-snatchers

Peter Trachtenberg

Entangled

Peter Trachtenberg