A History of Scars by Laura Lee

An American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book, Laura Lee's debut memoir-in-essays is a vulnerable and intensely visceral exploration of queer, immigrant identity. Weaving together fragments of memory, Lee examines the bodily and emotional scars left by trauma, severe mental illness, and a complicated family dynamic. Through the grounding lenses of rock climbing, cooking, and the grief of her mother's early-onset Alzheimer's, Lee charts her journey as a queer Korean American navigating non-normative desire, isolation, and domestic friction. The collection stands as an intimate record of survival, unpacking how a marginalized body processes pain and seeks cohesion in the aftermath of trauma.