"Three Books ..." is a new series in which we invite writers to recommend three great reads on a single theme.

I'm sure there was a mix-up in the cosmic paperwork: I'm a gay guy with a trendy haircut, a ready wit and the same waist size I had in junior high. How did I end up trapped in Deepest Suburbia?

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As a result, I'm a huge fan of books about desperate housewives. Reading stories about smart, funny women who are miscast in their lives is like having a marathon phone call with your best girlfriend — assuming your best girlfriend is hilarious, brilliant and completely honest.

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