‘What if we could read our own past, our memories, even our bodies, as if they too were books open to endless interpretation?’

Haunted by her father’s abuse, her complicated dynamic with her disabled mother and the death of her child, Lidia Yuknavitch revisits her past with an author’s gaze. At the age of sixty, her outlook on herself has changed. She wonders differently, remembers differently. She comes to discover that – like any narrative – her memories are open to interpretation, to being reimagined from different perspectives. And as Yuknavitch rewrites and reclaims her early life, she unburdens herself of old wounds and alters her future.

'Reading the Waves dives deep into Yuknavitch’s history with violence and trauma to deliver a resonate message of storytelling’s power to reframe our memories and shape our future. Perfect for readers and writers alike, this memoir is a testament to our ability to learn and heal through the stories we choose to tell.' Chicago Review of Books

‘Electrifying . . . Yuknavitch is a literary renegade.’  Suleika Jaouad

'Yuknavitch is a lighthouse, strobing her insistent truth across any distance. I have learned so much from her about storytelling, survival, and the ways that tenderness and strength are siblings. I’ll read anything she writes.' Melissa Febos

'Stunning, genre-bending self-portrait . . . With a fiercely feminist outlook and moody, evocative prose that never tilts into preciousness, Yuknavitch delivers a gorgeous ode to the grunt work of self-discovery. It’s a major achievement.' Publishers Weekly

ISBN-13: 9781836750338

Weight: 400 g

Format: Paperback

Country of Origin (language): United States

Language: English

Pub Date: 25/06/2026

Page Extent: 224 Pages