<p><span>Full of warmth, terror, and underhanded humor, </span><em>If I Were the Ocean, I''d Carry You Home</em><span>, Pete Hsu''s debut story collection, captures the essence of surviving in a life set adrift. Children and young people navigate a world where the presence of violence and death rear themselves in everyday places: Vegas casinos, birthday parties, church services, and sunny days at the beach. Each story is a meditation on living in a world not made for us-the pervasive fear, the adaptations, the unexpected longings. A gripping and energetic debut, Hsu''s writing beats with the naked rhythms of an unsettled human heart.</span></p>