Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
Product ID: 734902155
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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American--"in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself" (NPR). - CELEBRATING OVER ONE YEAR ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST 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 one of the few Asian American kids 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 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. Review: Great read - I really enjoyed this book, both for the insight into the grief of losing a parent (and trauma of seeing a parent suffer with a terminal illness) and also the cultural aspects. It left me desperate to try some Korean cuisine, even travel a bit! The journey to self discovery, dealing with past trauma, generational family trauma, realising that your parents are flawed humans, I think are things lots of people can relate to. Review: Moving Memoir of Family, Food, and Loss - This was a wonderful, emotional story that weaves together cultural identity, food, and the painful reality of caring for a sick parent. Michelle Zauner writes with honesty and warmth, and the details around Korean food traditions give the book a richness that balances the grief at its heart. I found myself drawn into both the personal narrative and the wider cultural themes, and while it’s not always an easy read, it’s deeply rewarding. A powerful memoir about love, loss, and the role food plays in memory and connection.
| Best Sellers Rank | 2,365,226 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 7 in Death & Bereavement 3,921 in Rock & Pop Musician Biographies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 30,283 Reviews |
L**U
Great read
I really enjoyed this book, both for the insight into the grief of losing a parent (and trauma of seeing a parent suffer with a terminal illness) and also the cultural aspects. It left me desperate to try some Korean cuisine, even travel a bit! The journey to self discovery, dealing with past trauma, generational family trauma, realising that your parents are flawed humans, I think are things lots of people can relate to.
R**M
Moving Memoir of Family, Food, and Loss
This was a wonderful, emotional story that weaves together cultural identity, food, and the painful reality of caring for a sick parent. Michelle Zauner writes with honesty and warmth, and the details around Korean food traditions give the book a richness that balances the grief at its heart. I found myself drawn into both the personal narrative and the wider cultural themes, and while it’s not always an easy read, it’s deeply rewarding. A powerful memoir about love, loss, and the role food plays in memory and connection.
F**D
Best book I’ve read
This is one of the best books I’ve read this year only realised half way through it’s a memoir, I cried so much it’s just beautifully written about her relationship with her mom I couldn’t put it down
J**S
not as good as I expected
I feel bad for rating a memoir so low as I really enjoy them and someone else's life experiences are as valid as our own... I don't know who the author is and, whereas I feel sorry for her loss and empathise with her as I am an orphan, this book looks like she wrote it to make peace with herself and her loss rather than for people to read it. There were nice moments but most of it was pretty boring. Too much description of food and jumps back and forth in time.
M**H
VERY GOOD, BUT I DIDN'T CRY
So many people had told me how wonderful this book was and how it had moved them to tears that it was probably a little overhyped for me. I did enjoy it, and I think it's a strong memoir, but ,perhaps I'm a heartless fiend, I didn't find it particularly moving. It is a well-observed memoir, though, with lots of great content. I just made the mistake of buying into everything I'd heard about it, rather than allowing it to speak to me on its own terms. Some wonderful insights into Korean cuisine and also the alternative music scene.
C**S
brilliant and heartrenching
Such an emotional rollercoaster set to the best food porn ever (if you love Korean food as I do) and then she is also the front woman for Japanese Breakfast pop band. I want to read it all over again and make the dishes…
B**I
Moving
The difficult and loving relationship of a mother and daughter where (Korean) food and cooking unites them both and is ever present in their lives.
L**N
Sad and hungry
This was sad and it made me very hungry. Those things are not mutually exclusive. I'll need to look into her music now.
D**O
Top
Top d+
R**L
Finding love and navigating loss through the discovery of oneself
An emotional memoir that shows how we view food and culture as a point where we can meet our loved ones. This book takes us on a poignant journey of discovery, guilt, sadness, love, devotion, sacrifice and the raw memories that stay with us for a long time even after losing our loved ones. A must read for those who want to understand the nuances of relationship and how different generations show their love each other. Bonus- Those who are familiar with Korean culture, music and food, this book will open deeper meaning to all that you've known.
A**B
Honesty, Grief, and Kimchi: Reviewing Crying in H Mart
Crying in H Mart is a beautifully written memoir that left a deep impression on me. I truly appreciated Michelle Zauner’s raw honesty throughout the book. It’s clear she isn’t trying to hold back or hide the pain she experienced while watching her mother go through an excruciating battle with illness. As she cares for her mom, Michelle also struggles to fill the void left in their household—especially in the kitchen—by trying to recreate the dishes that once brought them together. I admire Michelle’s strength and resilience in finding her own way through such a difficult time. She quickly realized that traditional therapy wasn’t helping and was instead becoming a financial burden. In a powerful turn, she redirected her energy into something positive: starting a YouTube channel where she began experimenting with cooking Korean food. It became not only a creative outlet but also a meaningful way to stay connected to her heritage and her mother. I lost my grandmother when I was 17 years old. She raised me from the time I was eight months old and passed away from blood cancer at the age of 62. Reading this memoir, I could deeply relate to the pain of losing a loved one. But more than that, it was inspiring to see how Michelle found a constructive and heartfelt way to cope with her grief. This book is a moving reminder that even in our most painful moments, we can find positive ways to heal and honor those we’ve lost.
J**A
Korean culture is everywhere.
Anybody who is close to an Asian immigrant or is second-gen should read this book. Heartbreaking. Mandatory education.
A**M
Disappointed
The book wasn't in the best condition
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