New Memoirs Address Trauma and Identity

- Mark Haddon is the author of the award-winning 2003 novel *The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time*, which is narrated by a 15-year-old boy with behavioral difficulties and has been translated into 36 languages. His memoir, *Leaving Home*, details a loveless childhood, mental breakdowns, and is richly illustrated with his own art, photos, and drawings. - Reshona Landfair was known as "Jane Doe" in the R. Kelly trials; her testimony and a videotape made when she was 14 were pivotal in securing his 30-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. Her memoir explores the grooming and abuse she suffered and the failure of family, law enforcement, and the music industry to protect her. - Drew Dixon, who co-authored Landfair's memoir, is a former music executive who also publicly accused hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault, and her story was featured in the documentary *On the Record*. - Lynette D'Amico's *Men I Hate* centers on her experience when her spouse of 20 years, P. Carl, transitioned to a man. - D'Amico's book explores how her partner's transition forced her to question her own identity as a lesbian and re-examine her understanding of marriage, home, and the distinctions between "good" and "bad" men. - The title *Men I Hate* reflects D'Amico's grappling with anger and her evolving relationship with masculinity, set against the backdrop of her traditional Sicilian American upbringing.