DIARY OF A MISFIT A Memoir and a Mystery

Author Casey Parks narrates her blend of memoir and historical investigation with a journalist's precision, but the emotion that creeps into her voice reveals just how personal her story is. Parks spent almost 20 years researching Roy, a transgender man who lived in the same Southern town as her grandmother. As she interviews residents about his life, trying to piece together his story, she shares her own story of growing up queer in Louisiana and navigating a complicated relationship with her mother. The book drags at times, but Parks's brisk narration will keep listeners engaged. She lets everything she felt while working on the story--frustration, curiosity, sadness, excitement--come through in her voice, and it adds a welcome depth to the audiobook. L.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]