In 'Stray', Stephanie Danler reflects with raw honesty on her tumultuous upbringing as the daughter of addicts. Both a testament to the scars of a chaotic childhood and the journey of healing, Danler navigates through her past, exploring her relationships with her mentally impaired, alcoholic mother, and her meth-addicted father. Returning to California after her literary success, she confronts the lurking shadows of her history and seeks to forge a future free of her parents' legacy. This memoir tells Danler's story of survival, the struggle for emotional closure, and the deep human longing for acceptance and personal peace.