Crying in H Mart

by

English language

Published Nov. 20, 2021

ISBN:
978-0-525-65775-0
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4 stars (2 reviews)

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir is a 2021 memoir by Michelle Zauner, singer and guitarist of the musical project Japanese Breakfast. It is her debut book, published on April 20, 2021, by Alfred A. Knopf. It is an expansion of Zauner's essay of the same name which was published in The New Yorker on August 20, 2018. The title mentions H Mart, a North-American supermarket chain that specializes in Korean and Asian products.The memoir received critical acclaim and debuted at number two on The New York Times best-seller list for combined print and e-book nonfiction. In July 2022, it passed one continuous year on the hardcover nonfiction list.

2 editions

reviewed Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

A Rare and Beautiful Expression of Biraciality

4 stars

Michelle Zauner’s memoir of her mother expertly navigates themes of biracial identity, Korean food, and human suffering. Owing to the many life experiences Zauner and I share as half-Korean, half-white people, she speaks to realities that have always eluded my own expression. For that—and for her beautiful, spiritual descriptions of Korean food—I am deeply grateful.

Long version: jdaymude.github.io/review/book-crying-in-h-mart/

reviewed Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

A bittersweet memoir of family, the immigrant / mixed race experience and food

3 stars

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author. I always love reading (hearing?) about the mixed heritage and/or immigrant experience, and I always love reading about food, and this book is heavy on both those points.

This is a memoir the author's loss of her mother and the work to integrate and come to terms with her mother's Korean heritage. There is a big emphasis on food as a cultural touchstone and social binding agent. Made me want to eat (more) Korean food.

I enjoyed this a lot, but I'm taking a couple of stars off because at times the writing didn't feel great, and at times it felt repetitive. It is possible that that narrated by a more gifted reader or as a plain old non-audio book it would have landed better for me.