Crying in H Mart

Can a story be heartbreaking and mouth-watering at the same time? Michelle Zauner's memoir about the connections she made with her mother through traditional Korean food definitely qualifies as both. As a child and rebellious adolescent, Michelle resented the fact that her Umma wasn't like the other moms; she yelled at Michelle when she got hurt, and she rarely praised her. Yet when Umma was diagnosed with terminal cancer, 25 year old Michelle cared for her, cooked for her, and then mourned her. After her passing, Michelle continued to use food to feel attached to her mother and her Korean heritage. The book's pages are full of descriptions of Korean meals that balance out the grim chapters detailing Umma's final days.

I'm not sure what possessed me to read this memoir about the death of the author's mother at the same time that I am watching my own mother approaching the last stages of dementia. I guess I wanted validation that grief takes many forms, and that there are multiple ways to honor those who imperfectly raised us with love.