Imperfect: How Our Bodies Shape the People We Become

by Lee Kofman

By the time she was eleven and living in the Soviet Union, Lee Kofman had undergone several major operations on both a defective heart and injuries sustained in a bus accident. Her body harbours a constellation of disfiguring scars that have shaped her sense of self and her view of the world. But it wasn't until she moved to Israel and later to Australia that she came to think these markings weren't badges of honour to flaunt but were, in fact, imperfections that needed to be hidden away.In a captivating mix of memoir and cultural critique, Kofman casts a questioning eye on the myths surrounding our conception of physical perfection and what it's like to live in a body that deviates from the norm. She reveals the subtle ways we are all influenced by the bodies we inhabit, whether our differences are pronounced or noticeable only to ourselves. She talks to people of all shapes, sizes and configurations and takes a hard look at the way media and culture tell us how bodies should and shouldn't be.Illuminating, confronting and deeply personal, Imperfect challenges us all to consider how we exist in the world and how our bodies shape the people we become.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

410 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2019

About the author

Lee Kofman is the author of 6 books, including the latest, The Writer Laid Bare, as well as creative nonfiction works Imperfect (2019, Affirm Press), which was shortlisted for Nib Literary Award and The Dangerous Bride (2014, Melbourne University Press), editor of Split: True stories of leaving, loss & new beginnings (2019, Ventura Press), an anthology of personal essays longlisted for ABIA 2020 and co-editor of Rebellious Daughters (2016, Ventura Press), an anthology of prominent Australian memoirists. Her short works have been widely published in Australia, UK, Scotland, Israel, Canada and US, including in Best Australian Stories, Best Australian Essays, Griffith Review, Malahat Review and Creative Nonfiction. . Her blog was a finalist for Best Australian Blogs 2014.
Lee has been mentoring writers and teaching creative writing courses since 2003. Her blog about creative processes The Writing Life was a finalist for Best Australian Blogs 2014.
More at www.leekofman.com.au
You can also follow her on Twitter @LeeKofman or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lee-Kofman-3...

Reviews

[Kate Cuthbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy Lee's writing style and grace, but in the personal examination of how her scars have affected her life and outlook, I feel that she stretched too broadly, casting too wide a net. While seeking to make connections and develop empathy for others is a necessary activity, I remain unconvinced that there is universality of experience found in a scarred body or Marfan's syndrome or a fat body. I was most engaged in the stories of Lee herself and how her scars affected her choices and direction, but would have preferred to read the first hand experiences of the people she interviewed, rather than hearing about their 'imperfections' through Lee's filter.

[Vmpeters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating to read. Not only is the writing stunning - brutally honest and endearing as the author takes you on the challenging journey of her body - the book has the power to change your perspective about all physical differences. What is it like to live inside a body that differs so much from others? I now feel I have some idea. An important book for our superficial time.

[Gabriella Kelly-Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I related to Imperfect because of the many disfiguring scars on my body from surgery. It gets to the heart of our society's obsession with perfection and gives reassurance to anyone whose body deviates from our society's ideal of beauty. I like the way Lee Kofman has combined her personal story with a cultural critique. She has masterfully written a hybrid book that seamlessly integrates memoir and a comment on 21st century society.