Crying in H Mart

Last updated

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
Crying in H Mart (Michelle Zauner).png
First edition cover
Author Michelle Zauner
Audio read byMichelle Zauner
Cover artistNa Kim
LanguageEnglish
Subject Memoir
Publisher Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
April 20, 2021
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover and paperback), e-book, audiobook
Pages256
ISBN 978-0-525-65774-3 (First edition hardcover)
OCLC 1162194386
782.42166092 B
LC Class ML420.Z3913 A3 2021

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir is a 2021 memoir by Michelle Zauner, singer and guitarist of the musical project Japanese Breakfast. It is her debut book, published on April 20, 2021, by Alfred A. Knopf. [1] [2] It is an expansion of Zauner's essay of the same name which was published in The New Yorker on August 20, 2018. [3] [4] The title mentions H Mart, a North American supermarket chain that specializes in Korean and other Asian products. [5]

Contents

The memoir received critical acclaim and became a major bestseller. [6] [7]

Background

After Zauner's mother Chongmi died of pancreatic cancer in October 2014, Zauner frequently made trips to H Mart, an experience she chronicled in her New Yorker essay and in "Real Life: Love, Loss and Kimchi" which won Glamour Magazine's 11th essay contest. [8]

Zauner has said that she decided to write a book-length memoir after literary agents contacted her following the publication of her New Yorker essay. [9] In February 2019, American publishing house Alfred A. Knopf announced that it had won the rights to the book at auction. [10]

Summary

The book begins with the titular essay in which Zauner talks about buying ingredients for Korean cuisine at H Mart. Zauner reminisces about her mother, Chongmi, calling her strict but loving. Zauner writes that she wanted more family approval yet frequently disobeyed her parents and was considered rebellious.

Every two years, Zauner and Chongmi travel to Seoul to visit their family. When Zauner is 14, her maternal grandmother dies, leaving Zauner haunted by her last words.

During high school, Zauner falls into depression, resulting in truancy. Chongmi allows her to sleep once a week at her best friend's house, where she begins to admire her friend's mother, engendering Chongmi's jealousy and straining their relationship. Zauner is inspired to learn guitar after watching a DVD of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Karen O, who is also of Korean American heritage. Zauner begins to write songs and perform in public, including opening for Maria Taylor at the W.O.W. Hall. Zauner applies to liberal arts universities for women and attends Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, to Chongmi's disappointment.

In 2014, Zauner graduated college with a creative writing degree and leads a band named Little Big League. However, the band struggles to find commercial success. That summer, Zauner learns that Chongmi has cancer and flies to Eugene to care for her. Soon after Chongmi returns home, her friend Kye arrives and begins to take care of her.

In August, Zauner returns to Philadelphia to tour with Little Big League. After the tour, her father Joel reveals that Chongmi's condition is worsening. The three fly to Seoul as per Chongmi's wishes but she is hospitalized upon arrival. After Chongmi recovers, Zauner and Joel transfer her to Riverbend Hospital in Eugene.

Wanting her mother to attend her wedding, Zauner proposes marriage to her boyfriend Peter, who accepts. Soon after, Zauner and Peter get married with their families and friends attending. After the wedding, Kye leaves after being irritated by Joel. Soon after, Chongmi's condition declines drastically and she dies on October 18, 2014. Joel, Zauner, and Peter host a funeral the next week. Joel and Zauner fly to Vietnam, hoping to soothe their grief but the trip only strains their relationship.

After moving to Brooklyn with Peter, Zauner begins learning to cook Korean cuisine and records music to cope with her grief. She begins working at an advertising firm in New York City, deciding that she will soon quit recording music due to her lack of success.

Zauner submits an album to Yellow K Records as Japanese Breakfast, titling it Psychopomp . Its reception exceeds Zauner's expectations and Japanese Breakfast signs with the record label Dead Oceans. The band tours to promote the album and Zauner quits her advertising job.

During the band's last tour date in Asia, Zauner's maternal aunt Nami and her husband, whom Zauner nicknamed "Boo", are in attendance. After the concert ends, Zauner and Peter spend time with Nami and Boo. On the night before they depart, Zauner and Peter accompany Nami and Boo to a karaoke bar where Nami asks Zauner to sing "Coffee Hanjan". As the lyrics begin, Zauner hopes that her heritage will help her sing the words.

Reception

Sales

Crying in H Mart debuted as the seventh-best-selling hardcover nonfiction book for the week ending April 24, 2021, according to Publishers Weekly and The Wall Street Journal , which use data from NPD BookScan. [11] [12]

It debuted at number two on The New York Times best-seller list for combined print and e-book nonfiction for the week ending April 24, 2021, [13] [14] and ultimately spent 55 weeks on the list. [7] It also spent 67 weeks on the Times' hardcover nonfiction best-seller list. [15]

A paperback edition was published by Vintage Books on March 28, 2023. [16] [17] The book topped the Times's paperback nonfiction category for the week ending April 8, 2023, [18] and remained on the list for 43 weeks. [19] [20]

Critical response

The book has 24 "rave" reviews and six "positive" reviews, according to review aggregator website Book Marks. [6]

Publishers Weekly wrote, "The prose is lyrical if at times overwrought, but Zauner does a good job capturing the grief of losing a parent with pathos." [21]

Kristen Martin of NPR called the book 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." [22]

In The Atlantic , food writer Mayukh Sen wrote, "As lovely as Zauner's indulgent sketches of meals are, they slow her momentum...But agile writers know how to mine food for emotional truth, and Zauner finds her footing as Crying in H Mart progresses. Near the end, she connects food to her own unmooring." [23]

In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews called the memoir "a tender, well-rendered, heart-wrenching account of the way food ties us to those who have passed." [3]

The book received the 2021 Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & Autobiography. [24] It was also named a top book of the year by numerous publications, including Time , The Atlantic and Entertainment Weekly . [25] [26] [27] In September 2022, Zauner was announced as one of the winners of the 43rd annual American Book Awards. [28]

Film adaptation

On June 7, 2021, it was announced that Crying in H Mart: A Memoir would be adapted as a feature film by Orion Pictures. Zauner will adapt the film and provide the film's soundtrack, as Japanese Breakfast. [29] In May 2022, Zauner announced that she had finished the first draft of the screenplay. [30]

Will Sharpe was announced as the director of the film adaptation in March 2023. [31]

In January 2025, Zauner announced that the film was "on pause". She explained: "There were issues with the Hollywood strikes, and the director stepped away from the project. I spent a year working on the screenplay, which was a tough but rewarding process. I still have faith it will get made someday, but it's not happening anytime soon. Right now, I'm focusing on other creative projects, so the film will have to wait." [32]

Related Research Articles

Karrine Steffans, also known as Elisabeth Ovesen, is an American author, most notably of the Vixen series of books. She has worked as an actress and as a video vixen, having appeared in more than 20 music videos. In 2007 and 2008, Steffans visited a number of college campuses to speak about her involvement in the hip hop industry and its expectations of women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sloane Crosley</span> American writer (born 1979)

Sloane Crosley is an American writer living in New York City known for her humorous essays, which are often collected into books like I Was Told There'd Be Cake, How Did You Get This Number, and Look Alive Out There.

Gregg Olsen is a New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of nonfiction books and novels, most of which are crime-related. The subjects of his true crime books include convicted child rapist and school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, product tampering killer Stella Nickell, fasting specialist Linda Burfield Hazzard, and former Amishman and convicted murderer Eli Stutzman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Strayed</span> American writer (born 1968)

Cheryl Strayed is an American writer and podcast host. She has written four books: the novel Torch (2006) and the nonfiction books Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (2012), Tiny Beautiful Things (2012) and Brave Enough (2015). Wild, the story of Strayed's 1995 hike up the Pacific Crest Trail, is an international bestseller and was adapted into the 2014 Academy Award-nominated film Wild.

<i>The Glass Castle</i> 2005 memoir by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle is a 2005 memoir by American author Jeannette Walls. Walls recounts her dysfunctional and nomadic yet vibrant upbringing, emphasizing her resilience and her father's attempts toward redemption. Despite her family's flaws, their love for each other and her unique perspective on life allowed her to create a successful life of her own, culminating in a career in journalism in New York City. The book's title refers to her father's ultimate unfulfilled promise, to build his dream home for the family: a glass castle.

Kelly Corrigan is the author of four New York Times bestselling books about family life: The Middle Place, Glitter and Glue, Lift and Tell Me More. She is the host of the long form interview show Tell Me More on PBS, now in its 7th season, as well as the podcast and NPR radio show Kelly Corrigan Wonders, which has over 400 episodes . She regularly gives keynote speeches, graduation addresses and book readings. She has appeared on The Today Show 7 times.

<i>Culture of Corruption</i> 2009 book by Michelle Malkin

Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies is a book written by conservative author Michelle Malkin. The book claims that the Barack Obama administration has had dozens of instances of corruption. The title is a reference to "culture of corruption", a political slogan used by Democrats to refer to events that happened during the presidency of George W. Bush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sy Montgomery</span> Naturalist, author and scriptwriter (born 1958)

Sy Montgomery is an American naturalist, author, and scriptwriter who writes for children as well as adults.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Hoover</span> American author (born 1979)

Margaret Colleen Hoover is an American author who writes primarily novels in the romance and young adult fiction genres. She is best known for her 2016 romance novel, It Ends with Us. Many of her works were self-published, before they were picked up by a publishing house. As of October 2022, Hoover has sold approximately 20 million books. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese Breakfast</span> American indie pop band

Japanese Breakfast is an American indie pop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania formed in 2013. The project is fronted by vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter Michelle Zauner, alongside Peter Bradley (guitar), Deven Craige (bass) and Craig Hendrix.

<i>Psychopomp</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Japanese Breakfast

Psychopomp is the debut studio album by Japanese Breakfast, the solo musical project of Michelle Zauner of Little Big League. The album was released in the U.S. through Yellow K Records on April 1, 2016, and re-released internationally through Dead Oceans on August 19, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Zauner</span> American musician and author (born 1989)

Michelle Chongmi Zauner is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author, known as the lead vocalist of the indie pop band Japanese Breakfast. Her 2021 memoir, Crying in H Mart, spent 60 weeks on The New York Times hardcover non-fiction bestseller list. In 2022, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world under the category Innovators on their annual list.

<i>What Happened</i> (Clinton book) 2017 memoir by Hillary Clinton

What Happened is a 2017 memoir by Hillary Clinton about her experiences as the Democratic Party's nominee and general election candidate for president of the United States in the 2016 election. Published on September 12, 2017, it is her seventh book with her publisher, Simon & Schuster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samantha Irby</span> American comedian and writer

Samantha McKiver Irby is an American comedian, essayist, blogger, and television writer. She is the creator and author of the blog bitches gotta eat, where she writes humorous observations about her own life and modern society more broadly. Her books We Are Never Meeting in Real Life and Wow, No Thank You. were both New York Times best-sellers. She is a recipient of the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for bisexual nonfiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Brown</span> American television personality and former beauty pageant titleholder

Hannah Kelsey Brown is an American television personality, model, author and beauty pageant titleholder. Brown first gained recognition after placing in the top seven in season 23 of The Bachelor (2019). She subsequently starred as The Bachelorette in season 15 of The Bachelorette (2019). She competed on season 28 of Dancing with the Stars with Alan Bersten, and was declared the winner on November 25, 2019.

<i>The Anthropocene Reviewed</i> Podcast and 2021 book by John Green

The Anthropocene Reviewed is the shared name for a podcast and 2021 nonfiction book by John Green. The podcast started in January 2018, with each episode featuring Green reviewing "different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale". The name comes from the Anthropocene, the proposed geological epoch that includes significant human impact on the environment. Episodes typically contain Green reviewing two topics, accompanied by stories on how they have affected his life. These topics included intangible concepts like humanity's capacity for wonder, artificial products like Diet Dr. Pepper, natural species that have had their fates altered by human influence like the Canada goose, and phenomena that primarily influence humanity such as Halley's Comet.

<i>A Promised Land</i> 2020 memoir by Barack Obama

A Promised Land is a memoir by Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Published on November 17, 2020, it is the first of a planned two-volume series. Remaining focused on his political career, the presidential memoir documents Obama's life from his early years through to the events surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden in May 2011. The book is 768 pages long and available in digital, paperback, and hardcover formats and has been translated into two dozen languages. There is also a 29-hour audiobook edition that is read by Obama himself.

<i>Just Mercy</i> (book) Book by Bryan Stevenson

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (2014) is a memoir by American attorney Bryan Stevenson that documents his career defending disadvantaged clients. The book, focusing on injustices in the United States judicial system, alternates chapters between documenting Stevenson's efforts to overturn the wrongful conviction of Walter McMillian and his work on other cases, including children who receive life sentences, and other poor or marginalized clients.

<i>Jubilee</i> (Japanese Breakfast album) 2021 studio album by Japanese Breakfast

Jubilee is the third studio album by American indie pop band Japanese Breakfast, released on June 4, 2021 through Dead Oceans. Released shortly after the publication of her memoir Crying in H Mart, frontwoman Michelle Zauner said, "After spending the last five years writing about grief," she wanted Japanese Breakfast's third album "to be about joy".

Youngmi Mayer is an American stand-up comedian, activist, podcast host, and social media influencer. She is the co-host and host of Feeling Asian and Hairy Butthole, podcasts that highlight the Asian American experience.

References

  1. "Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner: 9780525657743". Penguin Random House . Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  2. "21 of the most anticipated new books to read this April". CNN . Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner". Kirkus Reviews . January 30, 2021. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  4. Rettig, James (August 20, 2018). "Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner Has An Essay In The New Yorker". Stereogum . Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  5. Tarng, Tammy (April 17, 2021). "When Her Mother Died, She Found Solace at a Korean Grocery". The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Book Marks reviews of Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner". Book Marks. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers - Books". The New York Times . April 23, 2023. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  8. Roff, Connie (March 3, 2022). "Michelle Zauner on her bestselling memoir of mother-daughter love and grief". Pan MacMillan . Archived from the original on July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  9. Moreland, Quinn (March 8, 2021). "Japanese Breakfast Is Working the Pain Away". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  10. Hartshorn, Tori (February 28, 2019). "Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner Signs Book Deal For Memoir With Knopf". BroadwayWorld . Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  11. Juris, Carolyn (April 30, 2021). "This Week's Bestsellers: May 3, 2021". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  12. "Bestselling Books Week Ended April 24". The Wall Street Journal . April 29, 2021. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  13. "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  14. Arnone, Joey. "Japanese Breakfast's "Crying in H Mart" Debuts at No. 2 on The New York Times' Best Sellers List". Under the Radar . Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  15. "Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books". The New York Times . April 9, 2023. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  16. Kicherer, Michelle (March 28, 2023). "Two Years After Its Publication, Michelle Zauner's "Crying in H Mart" Continues to Resonate". Willamette Week . Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  17. Macdonald, Moira (March 27, 2023). "Moira Macdonald on new paperback books to read this April". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  18. "Paperback Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books". New York Times. April 23, 2023. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  19. "Paperback Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - Feb. 4, 2024 - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  20. "Paperback Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  21. "Nonfiction Book Review: Crying in H-Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner". Publishers Weekly . December 15, 2020. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  22. "A Daughter Grieves Her Mom, And Finds Herself, In 'Crying In H Mart'". NPR . April 20, 2021. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  23. Sen, Mayukh (April 21, 2021). "What Grief Tastes Like". The Atlantic . Archived from the original on July 25, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  24. "Announcing the Winners of the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards!". Goodreads. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  25. Gutterman, Annabel (December 8, 2021). "The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2021". Time . Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  26. "THE 20 BEST BOOKS OF 2021" . The Atlantic . December 22, 2021. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  27. Greenblatt, Leah; Rankin, Seija (December 9, 2021). "The 10 best books of 2021". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  28. "Michelle Zauner, Gayl Jones receive American Book Awards". AP News. September 8, 2022. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  29. Galuppo, Mia (June 7, 2021). "'Crying in H Mart' Set for Feature Adaptation at MGM's Orion Pictures (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  30. Rowley, Glenn (March 10, 2022). "Michelle Zauner Shares Update on Crying in H Mart Movie: Exclusive". Consequence . Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  31. McArdle, Tommy (March 20, 2023). "'The White Lotus' ' Will Sharpe to Direct 'Crying in H Mart' Film Adaptation: It Felt Very Familiar to Me'". People Magazine. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  32. Carr, Mary Kate (January 31, 2025). "That Crying In H Mart movie "isn't happening any time soon"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved January 31, 2025.