This "natural history" of the face unravels the surprising mysteries of one of the most familiar sights in everyday life, exploring the face's anatomy, its singularity, its ability to communicate, and its beauty.

Part Chinese, part American, with green eyes and red hair, Maibelle Chung always felt like the outsider growing up in New York's Chinatown. Now, at 28, she returns, confronting memories she has tried to forget, stripping away layers of illusion to expose the bare bones of her past--and her future.