Crying in H Mart: A Memoir

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir

  • Downloads:3027
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-04-22 15:51:22
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Michelle Zauner
  • ISBN:0525657746
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity。

In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist。 With humor and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother's particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother's tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food。 As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band--and meeting the man who would become her husband--her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live。 It was her mother's diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her。

Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Zauner's voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage。 Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread。

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Reviews

Jen

I didn't think I'd ever write a review on this site, but it's late at night and I literally just received this book in the mail yesterday and could not put it down。 As an Asian-American and only child who similarly grew up with a very tough and very loving immigrant mother; went through my own tumultuous journey grappling with my identity as I grew up in sleepy, white suburbia; found my own joy in music/literature and artistic expression at an early age; understands intimately both how food serv I didn't think I'd ever write a review on this site, but it's late at night and I literally just received this book in the mail yesterday and could not put it down。 As an Asian-American and only child who similarly grew up with a very tough and very loving immigrant mother; went through my own tumultuous journey grappling with my identity as I grew up in sleepy, white suburbia; found my own joy in music/literature and artistic expression at an early age; understands intimately both how food serves as a cultural love language and the deep wells of grief; and as someone who was already a fan of her as Japanese Breakfast the musician, I was in every way predisposed to liking this book。 Even so, I was unprepared for the emotional punches it delivered。 It ripped me apart。 I must have cried at least five times throughout。 It captures so poignantly and terrifyingly well the shape of grief in losing someone who is a larger-than-life figure, especially someone who is so intricately entwined with the rooted understanding of unconditional love and a culture that somehow simultaneously feels your own and yet also completely foreign。 Michelle Zauner explores the delicate, ever-shifting balance between the abstract realities -- the kinds of things that imprint as a child, the ways our environments or moments mold us, how a physical space or location or taste can be so deeply connected with a specific memory -- and having to face the gruesome, visceral reality where someone you love somehow, impossibly, ceases to exist。 She tackles the difficult, raw, sometimes ugly complexities of family, illness, and cultural identity with humility and honesty, written in a non-chronological structure that is still easy to follow and broken up into vignettes that are thoughtfully interwoven with thematic food elements at their core。 I am a pretty avid memoir reader, but it's been a long time since I read something that resonated this painfully and beautifully。 All I want to do now is turn up the volume, put on Psychopomp and look up some recipes to make for my own mother while she is still here with me。 Michelle, if you ever read your Goodreads reviews, I feel like thank you is not enough to encapsulate how I feel about the vulnerability in sharing this with the world。 But thank you。 <3 。。。more

Morgan

Michelle does it again; now I’ve cried to both her music AND writing!

Emmeline

Cried a lot reading this; would recommend

Amanda Okada

“Save your tears for when your mother dies” So many tears。 Loved every second of it。 Thank you for your words, and for sharing your grief and trauma with us。 Love you, jbrekkie

Heather

Really great read! So enthralling I powered through the audiobook in one day。 Read if you want to be sad and hungry。

Kyubin Kim

nostalgic food memoir using food as foray into author's grieving of the death of her mother。 first chapter was FANTASTIC but not a big fan of romanized Korean。 I felt that the author tended to over-explain Korean/American traditions writing to a presumably white literary audience。 nostalgic food memoir using food as foray into author's grieving of the death of her mother。 first chapter was FANTASTIC but not a big fan of romanized Korean。 I felt that the author tended to over-explain Korean/American traditions writing to a presumably white literary audience。 。。。more

Matt Miles

Zauner describes grief, complicated relationships to family, connection through common ground, identity, and finding meaning and possibly healing through preparing food with clear-eyed honesty and empathy。

Christina

I could relate on so many levels。 I thought no one would understand how I felt being half Korean, trying to blend in but also not be enough, a harsh Umma that led me to therapy。 And the food being the only thing that makes me feel Korean and connected with my mother。 I go to HMart when I miss her。 I finished in a day, had to stop and son many times, and plan to read again when my mother passes to help me heal。

Toni

Heartbreaking and insightful。 If anyone reads this book before Mother's Day 2021 and your mom is not here, I suggest holding off maybe。My mom is still here, I've been apologizing for years but after reading this, I probably should double up on apologies。Highly recommend the audio version for the Korean phrases and pronunciations。 The food descriptions bounced me from sadness to joy - ain't gonna lie。 Also, I wish I didn't live so far away from HMart - haven't been inside since just before COVID。 Heartbreaking and insightful。 If anyone reads this book before Mother's Day 2021 and your mom is not here, I suggest holding off maybe。My mom is still here, I've been apologizing for years but after reading this, I probably should double up on apologies。Highly recommend the audio version for the Korean phrases and pronunciations。 The food descriptions bounced me from sadness to joy - ain't gonna lie。 Also, I wish I didn't live so far away from HMart - haven't been inside since just before COVID。 Dang! 。。。more

Emma Beatrice

this is a beautiful book。 a heartwrenching, raw, and poetic attestation to daughters and mothers who are dissimilar but still manage to meet eachother with unconditional love。 zauner writes (i lost the quote) something along the lines of her mother admitting in the way of their misunderstandings that she had just never met anyone like her before。 this is an important recognition and something i haven’t really thought about。 i have been having good luck with books recently and am on a streak of l this is a beautiful book。 a heartwrenching, raw, and poetic attestation to daughters and mothers who are dissimilar but still manage to meet eachother with unconditional love。 zauner writes (i lost the quote) something along the lines of her mother admitting in the way of their misunderstandings that she had just never met anyone like her before。 this is an important recognition and something i haven’t really thought about。 i have been having good luck with books recently and am on a streak of loving everything i’ve read, but i think i need to delve into something that is not about death and grief next。 nonetheless i loved this one and would recommend it to everyone。 。。。more

Meg GlitteryOtters

4。5 stars

Minh

Đến một giai đoạn nào đó trong đời sống mình bắt đầu sợ từng người thân sẽ rời bỏ nhau đi。 Và nhất là ung thư, khi ngay năm nay lại vô tình đọc 2 cuốn - một là Unwinding Miracle của chị Yip Williams và 2 là quyển hồi ký này; mà cả hai đều đau đớn và cảm động theo một lẽ nào đó。 Crying in H Mart của Michelle Zauner là một cuốn sách xúc động đến vô cùng tận, có lẽ vì với âm nhạc của Japanese Breakfast mà mình cũng là một fan, mà cũng có thể vì ngang thế hệ - mình có thể hiểu và cảm những gì chị tr Đến một giai đoạn nào đó trong đời sống mình bắt đầu sợ từng người thân sẽ rời bỏ nhau đi。 Và nhất là ung thư, khi ngay năm nay lại vô tình đọc 2 cuốn - một là Unwinding Miracle của chị Yip Williams và 2 là quyển hồi ký này; mà cả hai đều đau đớn và cảm động theo một lẽ nào đó。 Crying in H Mart của Michelle Zauner là một cuốn sách xúc động đến vô cùng tận, có lẽ vì với âm nhạc của Japanese Breakfast mà mình cũng là một fan, mà cũng có thể vì ngang thế hệ - mình có thể hiểu và cảm những gì chị trải qua, và cảm nhận được nó。 Có khác là chị quá may mắn khi viết được một câu chuyện thế để tưởng nhớ mẹ mình, mà không có những chướng ngại hay vật cản nào chắn đường。 Một người phụ nữ luôn ngóng về cố hương, với ẩm thực, mỹ phẩm, thời trang。 Người phụ nữ Á Đông luôn lo lắng cho con cái mình và mọi cuộc sống xoay quanh đứa con nhỏ bé của bà, người chứng kiến cơ thể suy nhược, người từng là tất cả。。。H Mart chỉ là nơi người ta đi mua thực phẩm Hàn Quốc, nhưng với Michelle đó còn là cả thế giới của chị - nơi chị có thể nói tiếng Hàn một cách lưu loát, nơi chị nhìn những người khác (cả Hàn hoặc không phải Hàn) chăm bẵm nhau và sau đó là hàng dài những giọt nước mắt。 H Mart là nơi chị nối tiếp mẹ với vai trò một người phụ nữ, là nơi ủi an và cũng là xoa dịu。 Còn với những người đọc cuốn hồi ký này, Crying in H Mart dường như trở thành thời khắc nào đó sẽ khiến người ta mong muốn đọc lại, ước muốn sống thêm và ánh xạ câu chuyện của mình trong đó。 Best of 2021 so far。。。 。。。more

ReadingWhileMommying

When this preordered audiobook popped up on my phone as "ready-to-read," I started right away。 I've been waiting for this one!And, great news! It's as compelling and wonderful as I thought it would be。 Michelle Zauner, solo artist who performs indie-pop music as Japanese Breakfast, wrote an essay for The New Yorker in 2018 with this same title。 It was so popular, she got a book deal from it and expanded the essay into a memoir detailing her complex yet powerful relationship with her Korean mothe When this preordered audiobook popped up on my phone as "ready-to-read," I started right away。 I've been waiting for this one!And, great news! It's as compelling and wonderful as I thought it would be。 Michelle Zauner, solo artist who performs indie-pop music as Japanese Breakfast, wrote an essay for The New Yorker in 2018 with this same title。 It was so popular, she got a book deal from it and expanded the essay into a memoir detailing her complex yet powerful relationship with her Korean mother, who passed away in 2014 at 56 from cancer。Her honesty about their connection and how it was fostered through their mutual love of Korean food--which she gets in a Korean food store called H Mart--is something many can relate to。 I remember specific moments with both my grandmother and mother based on what we were eating at the time。 Still, the anecdotes she shares, through the lens of a Korean-American daughter living in America with a Korean mother, are enlightening, emotional, and heartwarming。 I have to say, eating octopus tentacles as they are still moving is something I won't soon forget。 This memoir has it all: humor, humanity, and heart。Michelle does her own narration, which adds even more emotion to the memoir。 You can tell she's a singer based on her lovely voice!I highly recommend this one。 Such a wonderful "listen。" 。。。more

Tim Jin

I can’t really describe in words what this book means to me。 As a first generation Korean American, Michelle Zauner’s memoir is more than her life and losing her mom at an early age。 “Crying in H Mart” is a sentiment to all first generation Korean American raised in America。 We are neither Koreans or Americans because our birth place is different from our ethnicity, but yet we have two cultures to deal with all the time。 It’s really difficult to explain if you were raised with one language in th I can’t really describe in words what this book means to me。 As a first generation Korean American, Michelle Zauner’s memoir is more than her life and losing her mom at an early age。 “Crying in H Mart” is a sentiment to all first generation Korean American raised in America。 We are neither Koreans or Americans because our birth place is different from our ethnicity, but yet we have two cultures to deal with all the time。 It’s really difficult to explain if you were raised with one language in the household。 Many first generations are multilingual and we need to switch one language to the other as we communicate with our family’s native language。 A lot of times, we are confused about how to identify ourselves because our Korean is nowhere near perfect from our parents。I’m really glad that the author narrates her own book because her Korean dialogue is so comforting to listen to because that is how we speak at family gatherings when there is a variety of cultures in the house。 My Korean relatives say that me and my brothers sound more American even though we are speaking in broken Korean。 But yet our parents label us as being American first because we were born and raised in the States。I first learned about Michelle Zauner when she did an interview on The Sporkful podcast。 I was instantly hooked when she described what it’s like to be shopping at H Mart and see all of the foods that her mom made for her。 Fortunately, my parents are still with us and as they get older, I cherish my mom’s cooking more each time I ask her to make me kimchi jjigae。 Other than my grandma who has long passed away, my eomma is the only person who knows how spicy to make the strew。 There is nothing like having my mom’s kimchi。I cannot recommend this book enough, especially if you are Korean American。 I really hope that this book gets translated into hangug because I will be buying a copy for my parents because it will explain a lot to them on what it’s like being Korean American。 。。。more

Justin Hall

Oh this book/memoir was sooo sad。 It was just sad all the way through。 Heartbreaking at times。 Arguably what makes this book great though。 Experiences don't always have to be filled with joy and often times people will relate more to sadness and heartbreak and loss。 This book is empowered as well。 I love that Michelle centers this book so much around her own story and sticks to it。 Even the lack of her husband's role is refreshing to the point that I almost forgot about him。 This was her struggl Oh this book/memoir was sooo sad。 It was just sad all the way through。 Heartbreaking at times。 Arguably what makes this book great though。 Experiences don't always have to be filled with joy and often times people will relate more to sadness and heartbreak and loss。 This book is empowered as well。 I love that Michelle centers this book so much around her own story and sticks to it。 Even the lack of her husband's role is refreshing to the point that I almost forgot about him。 This was her struggle and her process。 Very well written and uniquely written。Thanks to PRHAudio for this complimentary audiobook it was very good。 。。。more

mesal

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for providing me with a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review。Japanese Breakfast's album Psychopomp explored Michelle Zauner's grief over her mother's death through music。 Crying in H Mart made that exploration through food。At once lively and poignant, Zauner's memoir proves that her talents extend far beyond singing and songwriting。 Her narrative style is conversational: she seems to have a discussion with the reader about her experi Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for providing me with a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review。Japanese Breakfast's album Psychopomp explored Michelle Zauner's grief over her mother's death through music。 Crying in H Mart made that exploration through food。At once lively and poignant, Zauner's memoir proves that her talents extend far beyond singing and songwriting。 Her narrative style is conversational: she seems to have a discussion with the reader about her experiences, allowing them to feel her emotions through her words。 The language used is eloquent, seemingly effortless, and conveys each fact of Zauner's life clearly。If the cover and blurb weren't indications enough, food makes for a very important theme in this memoir, tying every single memory together with a discernible thread。 When food is abundant, eaten with relish, there is happiness in the household, a ceasefire between mother and daughter。 When someone refuses to eat (or is unable to do so), it is obvious that the order of Michelle's world has been upturned and that something is very, very wrong。 The dishes themselves are described with great care: their names and backgrounds, how they're made, how they're eaten。 You can almost taste them alongside the author as you read along。Zauner chooses to present her life in fragments。 One moment, you're in the middle of reading about her mother's illness; in the next, you're thrown into a flashback of her mother's siblings when young, through a photograph that is one of Zauner's few ties to her mother's past。 These changes in scene are often sudden and unexpected, but when you get used to them – when you start to expect them – they stop being so surprising。 A memoir isn't exactly the easiest thing to review: this isn't a story with characters and plot, this is a written representation of a part of someone's life as they saw it。 That being said, I can speak for its writing, and that writing is very, very good。Happy publication day! Find my full-length review on my blog here。 。。。more

Annie Li

Crying in H Mart is the memoir of Michelle Zauner, a singer who records under the name Japanese Breakfast。 While the book does chronicle her interest in music and her eventual rise to fame, it is primarily a story of her relationship with her mother, food, and her Korean heritage。 Crying in H Mart refers to her grief in the wake of her mother's death; everything in H Mart (a well known chain of Korean grocery stores) reminds her of her late mother。 I really enjoyed Zauner's frank and honest port Crying in H Mart is the memoir of Michelle Zauner, a singer who records under the name Japanese Breakfast。 While the book does chronicle her interest in music and her eventual rise to fame, it is primarily a story of her relationship with her mother, food, and her Korean heritage。 Crying in H Mart refers to her grief in the wake of her mother's death; everything in H Mart (a well known chain of Korean grocery stores) reminds her of her late mother。 I really enjoyed Zauner's frank and honest portrayals of her relationships with her Korean mother and Jewish American father。 She also uses food as a link to everything in her life- the dishes that she ate in Korea with her family, the food that her mom prepared when she was a child, her own forays into Korean cooking as her mother gets progressively weaker。 It was at times difficult and painful to read about her mother's last days, but it was written well。 My only complaint is that the beginning is a bit disjointed and difficult to follow because of the timeline jumps。 However, the story becomes more cohesive towards the end of the book。 Overall, I thought this was a thought provoking, fairly short read。 I definitely recommend giving it a try! 。。。more

༺Kiki༻

Me: Those reviews though, I should read this! 👀Also Me: Your Pops has terminal cancer, do not read this。 🙅🏻‍♀️Also Also Me: Too late, I’m reading it! 😭

Inan Barrow

The book was okay。。。

Cay

After finishing Crying In H Mart, I had to sit with my emotions for a few days before writing this review。 Zauner's debut memoir is at once raw, vulnerable, and deeply necessary。 Because of how close the books subject matter was to me as a Korean American, it's difficult to encapsulate everything I felt while reading this book in this review。 I've enjoyed Zauner's lyrics as part of Japanese Breakfast, and it was refreshing to see her writing in a different medium。 She share deeply personal parts After finishing Crying In H Mart, I had to sit with my emotions for a few days before writing this review。 Zauner's debut memoir is at once raw, vulnerable, and deeply necessary。 Because of how close the books subject matter was to me as a Korean American, it's difficult to encapsulate everything I felt while reading this book in this review。 I've enjoyed Zauner's lyrics as part of Japanese Breakfast, and it was refreshing to see her writing in a different medium。 She share deeply personal parts of her life, some unflattering, without navel-gazing or putting others down。 All at once this book was a warm embrace, a reassurance, a message of heartbreak, and a chance for a new start。Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for providing a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Isa

Man, listening to Psychopomp hits different after this gorgeous gut punch of a memoirs。 It's a good thing my mom called me last night and caught up with me before I finished reading this huhuhu--- In one of the chapters of Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner says that "lovely" is a word that her mother adored, saying that it "encompassed a certain beauty and ardor。" Zauner's memoir is nothing short of that, where in moving prose she paints a picture of her complex relationship with her mother。 Gro Man, listening to Psychopomp hits different after this gorgeous gut punch of a memoirs。 It's a good thing my mom called me last night and caught up with me before I finished reading this huhuhu--- In one of the chapters of Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner says that "lovely" is a word that her mother adored, saying that it "encompassed a certain beauty and ardor。" Zauner's memoir is nothing short of that, where in moving prose she paints a picture of her complex relationship with her mother。 Growing up biracial (her mother is Korean and her father is American), the pain that Zauner endures will resonate deeply with those that straddle the line between two cultures。 Zauner uses food as a central motif throughout this memoir as she uses snacks and certain dishes to evoke certain memories of times spent with her family both in Oregon and in Seoul, intimate moments are shared over vivid descriptions of meals, and even grief and decline appear symbolized by a loss of appetite。 Crying H Mart is a raw and truly lovely memoir that you won't soon forget。 。。。more

jiyoon

*thank you to knopf for sending me a finished copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review! lol i couldn’t stop crying throughout this entire book。 as one of the many ways in which michelle zauner (THE japanese breakfast!!) continues to pay homage to her mother and motherland, CRYING IN H MART is heartbreaking, tender, warm, bursting with love, and utterly korean。 it made me reflect on my own relationship with my umma and honestly terrified me — zauner was 25 when she lost her moth *thank you to knopf for sending me a finished copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review! lol i couldn’t stop crying throughout this entire book。 as one of the many ways in which michelle zauner (THE japanese breakfast!!) continues to pay homage to her mother and motherland, CRYING IN H MART is heartbreaking, tender, warm, bursting with love, and utterly korean。 it made me reflect on my own relationship with my umma and honestly terrified me — zauner was 25 when she lost her mother; i’m currently 21。 i saw so much of my own umma in hers, and the four of us shared a very similar relationship trajectory。 i cannot imagine what i would do if i lost my umma in four years。 i felt absolutely crushed for zauner while also terrified by the knowledge that one day, i’m going to suffer the same pain。on that note, full review to come! 。。。more

Linda

Catch her segment on Wait Wait don't tell me! Catch her segment on Wait Wait don't tell me! 。。。more

Sherri Puzey

55 “For the rest of my life there would be a splinter in my being, stinging from the moment my mother died until it was buried with me。”CRYING IN H MART is an exploration of grief in many forms: the shock of a diagnosis, the anticipation of death, the experience of caring for an ill loved one, the final goodbyes, and the attempt to move forward carrying the heaviness of loss。 Michelle Zauner’s memoir is very moving; it’s a beautiful tribute to her mother but it’s also an honest look at a complic 55 “For the rest of my life there would be a splinter in my being, stinging from the moment my mother died until it was buried with me。”CRYING IN H MART is an exploration of grief in many forms: the shock of a diagnosis, the anticipation of death, the experience of caring for an ill loved one, the final goodbyes, and the attempt to move forward carrying the heaviness of loss。 Michelle Zauner’s memoir is very moving; it’s a beautiful tribute to her mother but it’s also an honest look at a complicated mother-daughter relationship。 I loved the writing and the story was both gripping and heartbreaking。 highly recommend this book for anyone who loves memoirs! but particularly for those who find solace in hearing others’ grief experiences。 4。5/5⭐️—I really liked it!thank you so much to the publisher for the #gifted copy of this book! 。。。more

Leanne

im so ready to be ruined by this

Kim

What an amazing book。 Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart。 Michelle Zauner’s memoir is phenomenal。 It captures her complicated relationship with her mom and the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one。 It was so heartbreaking to read and it honestly had me tearing up in almost every chapter。 I think she captures what it’s like to grow up with an Asian mom so well, like how they can be incredibly harsh sometimes but smother you with love through their cooking。 I found pieces of my own mom What an amazing book。 Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart。 Michelle Zauner’s memoir is phenomenal。 It captures her complicated relationship with her mom and the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one。 It was so heartbreaking to read and it honestly had me tearing up in almost every chapter。 I think she captures what it’s like to grow up with an Asian mom so well, like how they can be incredibly harsh sometimes but smother you with love through their cooking。 I found pieces of my own mom through Michelle’s mom and I think so many people can relate to their rocky relationship。 I remember these things clearly because that was how my mother loved you, not through white lies and constant verbal affirmation, but in subtle observations of what brought you joy, pocketed away to make you feel comforted and cared for without even realizing it。 And her writing omgg。 The descriptions of food she cooks and the places she visits were so amazing and detailed。 I love how this book isn’t just about pain and loss, but about her reclaiming her culture and heritage through food。 I highly recommend you pick up this book!! Michelle’s journey in processing her mother’s death is so emotional and inspiring that it’s now one of my favorite books this year。 Also please listen to Michelle's band Japanese Breakfast because they're amazing。 Special thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for sending me a copy of Crying in H Mart in exchange for an honest review。 All quotes are from an advanced readers copy and are subject to change upon publication。 。。。more

Leah

Save your tears for when your mother dies。Beautiful, vulnerable, and intensely relatable, Crying in H Mart had me crying from the first pages all the way through to the end。 Michelle Zauner's words carry a depth of emotion I can barely only begin to conceive within myself, and every word rings true。 Touching on intimate matters of biracial identity and what it means to be connected to the culture or the world of either of your parents, what it means to develop your own identity in the midst of p Save your tears for when your mother dies。Beautiful, vulnerable, and intensely relatable, Crying in H Mart had me crying from the first pages all the way through to the end。 Michelle Zauner's words carry a depth of emotion I can barely only begin to conceive within myself, and every word rings true。 Touching on intimate matters of biracial identity and what it means to be connected to the culture or the world of either of your parents, what it means to develop your own identity in the midst of parental expectations, the awkwardness of role reversal when you find yourself caring your parents as their independence wanes, the struggles to orient yourself within your peer group after a foundational experience they are unlikely to experience for decades, and the heaviness of the realization that you were only just beginning to get the know your parent as actual person when they are taken away from you so soon, no single work has hit me this hard in the last decade。Zauner's narrative style is exceptionally organized with an easy flow that makes it hard to put down, as heavy and painful as it gets sometimes。 Food weaves a strong guiding thread through the book that makes the story feel complete。 In some chapters, Zauner highlights dishes that bring a cultural connection between mothers and daughters (e。g。, miyeok guk, which mothers are encouraged to eat for postpartum recovery and children on their birthdays to honor their mothers); in others, she illustrates her mother's decline in vitality through a loss of appetite and contraction of her palate。 It is a magnificent exposition of the way food can build relationships and strengthen bonds--or, in some cases, drive a wedge through an already strained relationship。I wondered if the 10 percent she kept from the three of us who knew her best--my father, Nami, and me--had all been different, a deception according to a pattern that together we could recompose。 I wondered if I could ever know all of her, what other threads she'd left behind to pull。What hit me hardest about Zauner's narrative was the urgency with which she yearned to know her mother better by the end。 Losing a parent at 25, it's easy to get caught up on what your parent is going to miss in your life, such as with Zauner's rush to get married before her mother passes and her desire for her mom to bear witness to and share in the success of her music career。 But what you often overlook, at least for the first few years, is what you didn't get the chance to see of your parent's life。 What you didn't get to understand or know about who they are as a person, their deepest pains and fears, the intensity of their love for you。 Like Zauner, I lost my mother in my early 20s, and it's not until you start to really become an adult yourself that you realize just how little you know about your parents as actual people; and in those cases, there's no one really around to ask anymore。 It was such a beautiful and moving moment for me to see Zauner connect with her aunt in Seoul, despite the language barrier, and begin to see her mom in a new light, and to understand her just a little better。 My truest thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for the review; I'll be cooking Indonesian food and on the phone with my aunt every evening for the foreseeable future if anyone needs me。 Highly recommend to anyone with a relationship with their mother。 。。。more

Mia

Crying in H Mart is a win for anyone who picks up this book。 I ended up putting the book down multiple times to get my gross sobbing under control。 Michelle’s words about what she, and her mother, went through rips you wide open。 On the plus side, I will forever be smiling whenever I pass a 7-11 and I’ll constantly be thinking about whether I am saving 10% for me。 This book has such memorable stories and I’m glad Michelle Zauner shared it to the world。 Thank you! Also thank you to Net Galley for Crying in H Mart is a win for anyone who picks up this book。 I ended up putting the book down multiple times to get my gross sobbing under control。 Michelle’s words about what she, and her mother, went through rips you wide open。 On the plus side, I will forever be smiling whenever I pass a 7-11 and I’ll constantly be thinking about whether I am saving 10% for me。 This book has such memorable stories and I’m glad Michelle Zauner shared it to the world。 Thank you! Also thank you to Net Galley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 。。。more

Al

Beautifully written, gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking and seemed very honest and raw。

Meha

Outstanding。 There's a frankness to Zauner's writing which cuts to the quick。 Love and grief and the diaspora experience are so inextricably linked in her story and yet all so sharply rendered。 Her pain speaks to your own, it draws from somewhere deep within her that's impossible not to respond to。 One of the best, most moving books I've read this year。Full review available on my blog。 Outstanding。 There's a frankness to Zauner's writing which cuts to the quick。 Love and grief and the diaspora experience are so inextricably linked in her story and yet all so sharply rendered。 Her pain speaks to your own, it draws from somewhere deep within her that's impossible not to respond to。 One of the best, most moving books I've read this year。Full review available on my blog。 。。。more