NPR

A Daughter Grieves Her Mom, And Finds Herself, In 'Crying In H Mart'

Michelle Zauner's new memoir, built on her 2018 New Yorker piece of the same name, powerfully maps a complicated mother-daughter relationship cut much too short, with Korean food as a guide.
<em>Crying in H Mart: A Memoir,</em> Michelle Zauner

By the time I came to know Michelle Zauner as a writer, when The New Yorker published her personal essay "Crying in H Mart" in August 2018, I had been following her as a musician for five years.

I first saw her perform in Philadelphia as the frontwoman of emo band Little Big League in 2013; when she emerged with her poppy shoegaze solo project Japanese Breakfast in 2016, I recognized Zauner only in her soaring, searching voice.

the first record Zauner released as Japanese Breakfast,hinted at where she had been in between: escorting her mother from the world of the living to that of the dead. The first track "In Heaven" tells some of the story of the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
A Monarchy Reform Activist In Thailand Dies In Detention After A Hunger Strike
Netiporn Sanesangkhom, 28, was a member of the activist group Thaluwang, known demanding reform of the monarchy and abolition of the law that makes it illegal to defame members of the royal family.
NPR2 min read
Target Scales Back On Its LGBTQ+ Merchandise Ahead Of Pride Month 2024
In a statement to NPR, a spokesperson for the retail giant says it is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community year-round, not only during the month of June.
NPR3 min read
Trump Gets By With A Little Help From His Friends During New York Hush Money Trial
The courtroom has continued to be one of the main arenas for Trump's 2024 campaign, welcoming his allies from across the country in for a day of testimony.

Related Books & Audiobooks