It was the title of Michelle Zauner’s memoir that first grabbed my attention. In Cambridge, I’ve enjoyed my visits to H Mart, feeling at home as I walk through the aisles of Asian food. For a vegetarian, unlike the fare in standard grocery stores, it is exciting to see Jackfruit, persimmons, and other exotic tropical fruit.

Memoir writers have to dig deep, and a vulnerable memoir has immense power. So, as I read Crying in H-mart, I found myself moved and feeling for the author as she narrates intricate layers of emotions and experiences from her life. Zauner delves into her experiences, with shopping at H Mart as the cultural and personal backdrop.

It is amazing how food is tied to our emotions and memories. There are many layers to the memoir. She explores the complex emotions tied to her relationship with her mother which is relatable. As she narrates how she spent months in Seoul with her grandmother, a lot of readers, especially immigrants can empathize with her viewpoint. The image of Zauner crying by the banchan refrigerators, reminiscing about the taste of her mom’s soy-sauce eggs, illustrates how certain foods can evoke strong emotional ties to our past and to our loved ones.

Zauner’s storytelling and themes resonate across cultures. Food, family, and the immigrant experience come together in her journey, evoking empathy for the emotional toll experienced by first and second-generation immigrants.