Michelle Zauner Books

From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame and author of a viral 2018 New Yorker essay, this powerful memoir explores growing up Korean-American, losing her mother, and forging her identity. Michelle Zauner shares a poignant story of family, food, grief, and endurance, revealing herself as more than a talented singer and songwriter. With humor and heart, she recounts her experience as the only Asian-American kid in her school in Eugene, Oregon, navigating her mother's high expectations and a painful adolescence. She reflects on cherished moments spent in her grandmother's Seoul apartment, bonding with her mother over food. As she moved to the East Coast for college, worked in restaurants, and performed with her band, her Koreanness felt increasingly distant, despite finding her desired life. Her mother's terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis at twenty-five prompted a reckoning with her identity, leading her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history imparted by her mother. Zauner's vivacious and honest voice shines through, enriched by intimate anecdotes and family photos, making this memoir a treasure to cherish, share, and revisit.

From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame and author of a viral 2018 New Yorker essay, this powerful memoir explores growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her identity. Michelle Zauner shares an exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, proving herself to be more than a dazzling singer and songwriter. With humor and heart, she recounts her experiences as one of the few Asian American kids in Eugene, Oregon, grappling with her mother's high expectations, enduring a painful adolescence, and cherishing time spent in her grandmother's small Seoul apartment, bonding over late-night meals. As she transitioned to the East Coast for college, worked in the restaurant industry, and performed with her band, her connection to her Koreanness began to fade, even as she built the life she desired. However, her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis at twenty-five prompted a reckoning with her identity, leading her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history inherited from her mother. Zauner's vivacious and honest voice shines on the page as it does onstage, filled with intimate anecdotes that resonate widely, complemented by family photos. This memoir is a treasure to cherish, share, and reread.