“In her debut memoir, Jaquira Díaz mines her experiences growing up in Puerto Rico and Miami, grappling with traumas both personal and international, and over time converts them into something approaching hope and self-assurance. For years, Díaz has dazzled in shorter formats—stories, essays, etc.—and her entrée into longer lengths is very welcome.” —The Millions (Most Anticipated: The Great Second-Half 2019 Book Preview)

“A dynamic examination of the power of persistence.” —Time (Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2019)

“[A] compelling debut. A must-read memoir on vulnerability, courage, and everything in between from a standout writer.” —Library Journal Starred Review

“[A] strong debut . . . gripping . . . Díaz’s empowering book wonderfully portrays the female struggle and the patterns of family dysfunction.” —Publishers Weekly

"This hard-hitting memoir-in-essays adeptly captures how the wounds of youth can remain long into adulthood.The author survived a foulmouthed, chain-smoking mother described as“small but scared of nothing” while trying to avoid becoming her Lothario father, a “keeper of secrets, teller of tales” who gave her—and now readers— the gift of words." — Oprah Magazine 33 Must-Read Books of Fall 2019

Jaquira Díaz was born in Puerto Rico. Her work has been published in Rolling Stone, the Guardian, the Fader, and T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and has been included in The Best American Essays 2016. She lives in Miami Beach with her partner, the writer Lars Horn.