Chihaya, Sarah

A compelling exploration of the intersection between reading, mental health, and identity, this gently narrated memoir is recommended as a first purchase for all nonfiction audio collections.

Vulnerable yet acerbic, this moving interrogation of the stories that helped Chihaya survive in a predominantly white environment validates the real and raw ways in which books shape people’s internal and external identities in personal, political, psychological, and social ways.

A truly innovative approach to understanding the author-reader connection made all the more compelling for having one of the 20th century’s ­greatest literary works at its core.­