A History of Scars - by Laura Lee (Paperback)

About the Book

"In the vein of The Collected Schizophrenias, a genre-bending debut memoir in essays by Laura Lee, exploring a range of topics from caregiving for a parent with early-onset Alzheimer's to stumbling toward intimacy, identity, and sexuality"--

Book Synopsis

From a writer whose work has been called "breathtaking and dazzling" by Roxane Gay, this moving, illuminating, and multifaceted memoir explores, in a series of essays, the emotional scars we carry when dealing with mental and physical illnesses--reminiscent of The Collected Schizophrenias and An Unquiet Mind.

In this stunning debut, Laura Lee weaves unforgettable and eye-opening essays on a variety of taboo topics.

In "History of Scars" and "Aluminum's Erosions," Laura dives head-first into heavier themes revolving around intimacy, sexuality, trauma, mental illness, and the passage of time. In "Poetry of the World," Laura shifts and addresses the grief she feels by being geographically distant from her mother whom, after being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, is relocated to a nursing home in Korea.

Through the vivid imagery of mountain climbing, cooking, studying writing, and growing up Korean American, Lee explores the legacy of trauma on a young queer child of immigrants as she reconciles the disparate pieces of existence that make her whole.

By tapping into her own personal, emotional, and psychological struggles in these powerful and relatable essays, Lee encourages all of us to not be afraid to face our own hardships and inner truths.

Review Quotes

"Lee entrusts readers with much of her self . . . Readers will be moved by Lee's honest writing, particularly regarding mental illness."-- "Booklist"

"Ultimately, what Laura Lee created is a display of raw humanity that is both powerful and vulnerable."-- "Library Journal"

About the Author

Laura Lee is a writer based in Chicago. She holds a BA in comparative literature from New York University and an MFA in creative writing from Purdue University. A History of Scars is her first book.