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Crying in H Mart

The Number One New York Times Bestseller

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Crying in H Mart

Written by: Michelle Zauner
Narrated by: Michelle Zauner
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₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for ₹323.00

Buy Now for ₹323.00

About this listen

Read by the author, Michelle Zauner, lead vocalist of Japanese Breakfast.

'A story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking; it is as raw as it is precious. I bawled my eyes out, but I also loved it and I hope you do too.' – Dua Lipa

From the indie rockstar Japanese Breakfast, an unflinching, deeply moving memoir about growing up mixed-race, Korean food, losing her Korean mother, and forging her own identity.

'Incredible . . . It absolutely wrecked me . . . So, so emotional' – Natalie Portman

'Crying In H Mart destroyed me . . . It’s fantastic.' – Olivia Rodrigo

'As good as everyone says it is and, yes, it will have you in tears. An essential read for anybody who has lost a loved one, as well as those who haven't' – Marie Claire


In this story of family and food, grief and joy, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humour and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school; of struggling with her mother’s 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, her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live.

It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, 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 honest, Michelle Zauner’s voice is as alive as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes, Crying in H Mart is an audiobook to cherish and share.

What readers are saying about Crying in H Mart:
'I recommend this for anyone who likes memoirs, food, and who’s ever felt lonely.' (Five Stars)
'I was captivated by this coming-of-age story which resonated with mine and other friends' stories.' (Five Stars)
'A must for people looking to be hooked in memories that span between joy, sadness and love.' (Five Stars)

*Crying in H Mart was a #1 New York Times bestseller w/c 17.04.2023

Composers & Musicians Death & Grief Entertainment & Celebrity Relationships Self-Help Social Sciences Specific Demographics

Critic Reviews

Extraordinary . . . This is a book about loss that is also about love; it&rsquo;s a book about South Korea that is also about West Coast small town America; it&rsquo;s a story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking; it is as raw as it is precious. <b>I bawled my eyes out</b>, but I also loved it and I hope you do too. (Dua Lipa)
'<b><i>Crying In H Mart</i> destroyed me</b> . . . It&rsquo;s fantastic.' (Olivia Rodrigo)
Incredible . . . <b>It absolutely wrecked me</b> . . . So, so emotional (Natalie Portman)
<b>I cried my way through all of it</b> . . . It is so beautiful and so incredible . . . I was so moved, and I cannot hype it up enough. You guys need to read it for yourselves. (Kaia Gerber)
Michelle Zauner's <i>Crying In H Mart </i>is as good as everyone says it is and, yes, <b>it will have you in tears</b>. An essential read for anybody who has lost a loved one, as well as those who haven't.
Brilliant . . . A <b>simultaneously joyful and gut-wrenching</b> account of a highly complicated mother-daughter relationship (The Evening Standard, 'Best Memoirs of All Time')
<b>The best book I&rsquo;ve read in the past year</b> . . . frank, lyrical, humorous. (Claudia Roden, Financial Times)
The book&rsquo;s descriptions of jjigae, tteokbokki, and other Korean delicacies stand out as tokens of the deep, all-encompassing love between Zauner and her mother, a love that is charted in vivid descriptions of her mother after death; in a time when people around the world are reckoning with untold loss due to COVID-19, <b>Zauner&rsquo;s frankness around death feels like an unexpected yet deeply necessary gift.</b>
<b>A beautiful, honest and stylish account of grief, food and heritage. </b>The way Zauner writes about food and how it acts as a bridge between her and her mother, her culture, her sense of self, is brilliantly written. (Nikesh Shukla, author of Brown Baby)
<i>Crying in H Mart</i> stunned me - with its truthfulness and the force of its yearning. <b>Beautiful, intimate, powerful</b>, it is<b> an unforgettable portrayal of grief and the bond between mother and daughter. </b> (Catherine Cho, author of Inferno)
Zauner brings dish after dish to life on the page in <b>a rich broth of delectable details</b>, cultural context and the personal history often packed into every bite. . . [<i>Crying in H Mart</i>] will ultimately <b>thrill Japanese Breakfast fans and provide comfort to those in the throes of loss</b> while brilliantly detailing the <b>colorful panorama of Korean culture</b>, traditions and &mdash; yes &mdash; food'
All stars
Most relevant
I think it takes a lot to write about something so personal.Hearing the story out loud in the writer's own voice adds to the experience. definitely worth your time! Also, provides an interesting glimpse into Korean culture, in a way it isn't usually portrayed.

Heart-wrenching and honest

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An endearing and heartwrenching account of grief and finding ourselves in the people we love.

Touching and soulful

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The book starts with her narrating how H Mart (H standing for Han Ah Reum, a Korean phrase meaning "one arm full of groceries"), the local Korean supermarket, is not just a market but her last connection to her mother's culture. How the other patrons remind her of her own memories with her mother and how she's strangely jealous and hateful towards them.

We learn of Michelle's life and the constant duality she has to live in - her mother's Korean culture and her father's American lifestyle. How she was called pretty in Seoul thanks to the extra fold over her eyelids, but always received curious glances from her American school mates wondering where she was from.

I found the book relatable in many ways - the way Michelle is obsessed with her parents as any young single child is, and how she finds her mother's love irritating and coddling as any teenager does. But unlike other 20 year olds, she's forced to grow up faster than others and bear the unimaginable pain of supporting her mother as she battles cancer.

One of the main themes of the book is their shared love for korean food and despite the somber theme, I couldn't help but salivate. I would recommend listening to the book, especially for the correct pronunciation of the Korean words.

I didn't pick up this book for so long because I don't like reading sad books. But I'm glad I gave in to the rampant reviews. I read this as part of Women's History Month too. It's not a sad book entirely per say. But the first and the last chapters are major tear jerkers and my advice would be to just give in and cleanse yourself.

A beautiful memoir and an ode to Michelle's mother

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Mother-Daughter relation, Korean culture, korean food and delicacy mentions such beautiful memoir. Full of emotions, love for both mom and food. Beautiful written and the narration is also very calm and serene to hear. Lots of korean words used but also explained in english. Loved listening it.

A beautiful Memoir

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Probably not my favourite genre but liked reading it. A bit sad considering the topic but has some funny moments too. If you like asian food, there are probably many recommendations to try out.

A 'Lovely' Memoir

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what a beautiful and raw account of loss and tragedy and the exploration of cultural fusion and identity

touching and emotional

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My first audiobook, and I'm so glad I took the plunge. The reading was perfect, and it felt extra special listen to a memoir read out by the author

Heartwarming, Lovely, Touching.

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This book got me hungry even after a full lunch, made me google Korean dishes and watch a bunch of YT cooking videos. But more than that, it made me call my mom, tell her how grateful I am to have her in my life.

- full review on instagram @book.reviews.by.shakshula

Memoirs narrated by authors are top tier audiobooks

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