Crying in H Mart By Michelle Zauner

Biography, Food, Memoir, Nonfiction, Young Adult

Feb 07, 2024

Crying in H Mart, a poignant and sensorial memoir, is penned by Michelle Zauner, the lead singer of the indie pop band Japanese Breakfast. Published in 2021, this heartfelt book is an expansion of Zauner’s earlier essay of the same name, which originally appeared in The New Yorker in 2018.

The narrative takes readers on a journey through Michelle’s life, from her upbringing as one of the few Korean American kids in Eugene, Oregon, to her struggles with her mother’s high expectations. As she grows up, moves to the East Coast for college, and pursues her passion for music, her Koreanness begins to feel distant.