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Crying in H Mart

A Memoir

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Crying in H Mart

Written by: Michelle Zauner
Narrated by: Michelle Zauner
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About this listen

From the indie rock star 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 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 Korean-ness 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 25, 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, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and enjoy many times.

©2021 Michelle Zauner (P)2021 Random House Audio
Entertainment & Celebrities Food & Wine Grief & Loss Relationships Celebrity Heartfelt Witty Korean Authors
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What the critics say

One of the Best Books of the Year:

The New York Times, Time, NPR, Washington Post, Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, Philadelphia Inquirer, Goodreads, BuzzFeed, and more

One of President Obama's Favorite Books of the Year

One of The Smithsonian's 10 Best Books About Food of the Year

“A warm and wholehearted work of literature, an honest and detailed account of grief over time, studded with moments of hope, humor, beauty, and clear-eyed observation. This story is a nuanced portrayal of a young person grappling with what it means to embody familial and cultural histories, to be fueled by creative pursuits, to examine complex relationships with place, and to endure the acute pain of losing a parent just on the other side of a tumultuous adolescence . . . Crying in H Mart is not to be missed.” The Seattle Times

Crying in H Mart powerfully maps a complicated mother-daughter relationship . . . Zauner writes about her mother’s death [with] clear-eyed frankness . . . The book is a rare acknowledgement of the ravages of cancer in a culture obsessed with seeing it as an enemy that can be battled with hope and strength. Zauner plumbs the connections between food and identity . . . her food descriptions transport us to the table alongside her. What Crying in H Mart reveals is that in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself.” —NPR

“A profound, timely exploration of terminal illness, culture and shared experience . . . Zauner has accomplished the unthinkable: a book that caters to all appetites. She brings dish after dish to life on the page in a rich broth of delectable details [and] offers remarkably prescient observations about otherness from the perspective of the Korean American experience. Crying in H Mart will thrill Japanese Breakfast fans and provide comfort to those in the throes of loss while brilliantly detailing the colorful panorama of Korean culture, traditions and food.” —San Francisco Chronicle

What listeners say about Crying in H Mart

Average Customer Ratings
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Loved it

Could not stop listening to it. Great book. I cried, I craved Korean food, I felt inspired.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Beautifully Told

This is a story that many daughters of immigrant mothers will relate to; the heartbreaking contradictions woven into the fabric of the relationship Zauner describes are all too familiar. Zauner also beautifully describes the ache for home, culture, and family experienced by members of the diaspora.

The storytelling and narration were good overall, but I felt that every time I was pulled into the emotions, I was just as quickly pulled back out. Zauner writes beautifully, and I was left wanting a little more depth to some of the lovely experiences, characters, and emotions she described.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Worthwhile; involved by the end

I didn’t know who the author was initially, the book was a gift. In the beginning I thought it was a good writing style if not a sensational story, but by the end I was very enamoured with the real characters intwining her life and history.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A Gripping Memoir Investigating Love, Grief, and Food

This book cracks open your heart in the most subtle ways, making you wonder why a simple turn of phrase, a word or the detailed preparation of a recipe has left you gutted and sobbing over your steering wheel.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Tragically beautiful

The depths of Michelle's writing and pain is shown beautifully here. Incredible story and great narration as well.

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Tragically relatable for those grieving a parent

This punched me right in the heart. I couldn’t help but sob at times. Anyone who has cared for, and subsequently lost a sick parent will find themselves right back there in those dreadful moments. I applaud her courage to write it all down and share it with the world.

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Such a beautiful story

I couldn't put this book down. Or so to speak. The author was very raw and emotional in the storytelling. Very relatable with regards to grief. All the talk about various Asian cuisine will make you hungry though, haha.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Complicated Relationship

A daughter’s conflicting view of her past relationship with her mother. Strong emphasis on Korean food to the point that if you are not very familiar with the many unique Korean foods , then the ongoing food references become redundant and lack meaning. Peter is the unsung hero who got little mention despite his importance. At least his patience and understanding was mentioned in the acknowledgements.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Made me reflect on my own relationships.

Rarely do I get teary-eyed listening to or reading a book. This was an interesting ‘diary’ of an Asian immigrant kid that non-immigrants/ non POCs will not relate to. It showed the complex dynamics of love and abuse being intertwined in parent-children relationships in Asian culture. Very raw and no sugar-coating. Story gets a lower rating because author did seem slightly whiny and more ‘me’ centric at times.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Family, Loss and Self-Discovery

Overall Michelle Zauner shares her experience of her mom slowly deteriorating due to cancer. I had to pause at times. I think this story may hit home for those whom have lost loved ones to cancer. Hearing about Zauner’s mom in the hospital was extremely heart breaking. Such internal struggles are touched upon here. What do you do if you see a loved one suffering so much and dependent on hospital technology? Zauner described it as so bad that you can barely describe it as living.

I love the strong connection here between food, family and memories. I really took my time with this audiobook and didn’t binge, as it can be a lot to take in at times and is for the most part extremely sad. There is a lot of imagery and description, especially with Korean food. I loved that Zauner was able to rediscover more parts of her Korean heritage, even after her mother’s passing.

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