Summary

In Chapter 1, “Crying in H Mart,” Michelle Zauner explains that ever since her mother, Chongmi, died, she finds herself breaking down into tears in the Asian supermarket called H Mart. Though she and her mother had a tempestuous relationship, they often bonded over food from her mother's native Korea. Zauner is especially prone to weeping when she sees older Korean women in the store, or adult children having lunch at the food court with their mothers. The food also reminds her of trips she took to Korea with her mother during childhood to see family, many of whom are now dead. She wants to remember her mother as she was before she became ill.

In Chapter 2, “Save Your Tears,” Zauner notes that her mother died on October 18, 2014. She recalls how her mother often demonstrated her love through cooking someone's favorite foods. Zauner's father...