Crying In H Mart: A Memoir

This is a lovely book...honest and open about family dynamics and relationships. My mum passed away just over 3 years ago and I could really relate and feel Michelle's story.

Got me sobbing

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I bought it on the basis of its appearance in several 'Best of 2021' lists and I thought it was fiction, but it is, in fact, a memoir.I usually shy away from books about 'I have an identity and that's hard' because honestly who cares? But while many reviews mention this as being a major theme of the book it's not *the* theme, which is grief. Zauner loses her mother to cancer, and through the book she describes her mother's illness and her own grief after her passing. The 'identity' angle comes from her mother being one of the only connections she has to the Korean part of her heritage.One of the ways she copes with the loss is delving headlong in Korean cooking. While her mother was ill she wanted to make her favourite Korean dishes in the hopes of encouraging her to eat something. Through this Zauner manages to rekindle some sense of connection with her Korean heritage, and this is where the 'H Mart' of the title comes from (a large supermarket chain that specialises in Asian ingredients; there are two stores in London, apparently, but I have never been nor have I cried in either) as it is a favourite place of hers to buy ingredients.I have to say I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. It was touching without being too sentimental, and parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny. Zauner typically makes her living as a musician, I believe, but I think after the monumental success of her first book, I think she should turn her attention to writing full time.

Bought this book because I love Japanese Breakfast, but found it so beautifully written. It’s heartwarming and tragic and the descriptions of mealtimes make your mouth water. Could not recommend enough!

Just beautiful

I love Japanese Breakfast so owning this book was a no brainer. I sobbed through most of the book, sad and happy tears. It was an absolute joy reading about Michelle's description of not only Korean food itself, and not also just eating it, but the love of making and preparing it. I'll read it again and again.

Tja, ich bin eine Fan von Japanese Breakfast und ersten bin ich echt berührend für das KEXP Live. Und sie hat die Erinnerung mit ihrer Mutter erzählt. Jetzt kommt das Buch, um diese Erinnerung weiter und weiter zu konsumieren. Naja, trotz meines Kritik ist es ein schönes Buch. Und ruft auch meine Erinnerung mit meiner Mutter.