“[A] stunning work of memoir and reportage…. Delving deep into ideas of sexuality, identity, otherness, and love, Diary of a Misfit is a must-read.” —Sarah Neilson, Them
“A beautifully written and deeply reported epic about what it means to be Southern, what it means to be queer, what it means to belong to a family. Casey Parks is a tender, brilliant storyteller. I was haunted and moved by this account of the different Americas she inhabits.” —Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble
“Parks’ engrossing book is an excavation—emotional, familial, spiritual, and perhaps above all else, regional. The Louisiana she can’t leave behind–and one mysterious inhabitant in particular—haunt her early adulthood as she grapples with what it means to be a daughter, a writer, an outlier, and, in her own way, a believer.” —Ariel Levy, author of The Rules Do Not Apply
“Parks’ work of self-investigation is a fascinating, engrossing tale about identity and belonging” —Booklist (starred review)
“A tantalizing blend of personal history and reportage…. A brilliantly rendered and complex portrait of Southern life alongside a tender exploration of queer belonging. Parks’s writing is a marvel to witness.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
