Anatomy Lessons: A Memoir in Body Parts

Anatomy Lessons: A Memoir in Body Parts is an original collection of essays that explore the personal history of the author through various meditations on the systems of the body. By juxtaposing definitions of anatomical elements taken from Gray's Anatomy with the story of a family that is falling apart, the systems of the body become guideposts toward self-discovery. Essays on breast cancer, bulimia, and bones, for example, explore ideas of desires, misplaced ambition, and the bonds that are particular to family. Collectively, these essays form a body of work that pays homage to the mysterious and beautiful languages of medicine and literature by a narrator in search of her own original voice.