#lookback: We took a break from concerts to attend Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast) book tour
Signed copy of Crying in the H Mart
The highly anticipated memoir by Michelle Zauner, also known as Japanese Breakfast, has hit the shelves in paperback format. Crying in the H Mart, this deeply personal and resonant memoir takes readers on a heart-wrenching journey through grief, identity, and the power of food and music. After its initial release in hardcover, the paperback edition is now available, making it more accessible than ever for fans of Japanese Breakfast and those interested in poignant and thought-provoking memoirs. But that's not all - exciting news of a film adaptation directed by Will Sharpe.
In "Crying in the H Mart," Michelle Zauner shares her raw and candid account of losing her mother to cancer and how she navigated the complexities of grief and identity. As a musician, Zauner also explores the role of food and music in her life, making this memoir a unique and captivating read.
To celebrate the paperback release of "Crying in the H Mart," Michelle Zauner has announced an exciting book tour that will take her across various cities in the United States and beyond. Fans of Japanese Breakfast can engage with Zauner in person and hear her speak about her memoir. This book tour promises to be a powerful and immersive experience for fans and readers alike.
We were one of many lucky fans who purchased a ticket before they were sold out for the Ann Arbor stop on tour. Fans waited hours to get the chance to hear Michelle live and up close. Unfortunately, the original date had to be postponed due to unforeseen weather. Most booked tour dates have passed, but not for the Ann Arbor stop, which was rescheduled for the 23rd. Literati Bookstore sponsored the event in honor of its 10th anniversary.
View of the sold out night
The weather was a bit cloudy and cold, but not enough to cancel this fantastic experience entirely. We chatted with some of the fans who waited with us and noticed a variety of reasons why they were there. Most were fans of Japanese Breakfast; some were there as a great way to finish their book club event, but the majority were there to connect with Michelle on a much deeper level than what they got in her memoir. Fans awaited the doors to open, rushing in to get a great spot in the sold-out event. Along the way, the bookstore had tables filled with the sign copies of the book before you walked into the event.
We managed to get our spot front row centered, which was a mood we weren’t expecting. The night, however, was even better than we expected. The night was full of conversations and laughter as Kiley Reid (Author of Such a Fun Age) kept the energy going through the night.
From a fan of music and writing, we found ourselves relating a lot of our everyday struggles of that to Michelle as she brought up her love of writing came through her journalism career path. All this while discovering and experimenting with music amid the quarter-life crisis takes up a branding job to feel normal. Or, as Michelle said in a sarcastic tone, “This is my passion now.”
Life had other plans instead, both for the better and the worst. Learning to handle grief and hardship is one of the most powerful lessons we must go through, and how Michelle took her process is one of the most endearing ways to express a family relationship.
While we learned about the lows in Michelle’s life, we also learned about the highs. From winning a random writing contest from Glamour Magazine to “Making it Big” as an opener for Alex G. Kiley had a small moment where she played a game to figure out what dish Michelle would make in a particular situation (Break up, impressing someone, no time). At one point in the conversation, Michelle talked about her love of Ernest Hemmingway novels before dropping a funny drunk run-in story with Taylor Swift in which she mentioned one of Taylor’s song lyrics was a quote from a Hemingway novel. Taylor replied, “Okay, English Major,” before disappearing into the night. Michelle did take a moment to talk about the newly announced adaptation of the memoir. She wasn’t a fan of writing the screenplay and now the music (all this said in a tongue-in-cheek matter).
Ending the Night at Totoro’s
After the conversation, there was a moment for fans to ask Michelle anything from book recommendations while you are on your period, dealing with buying luxury, and more. Two moments stood out for us; one was the first fan where she asked Michelle if she could give her a USB, and the other was the last question of the night. The fan talked about how she had the most challenging time making her’s childhood favorite dish but couldn’t get it to taste right and asked if she had that same effect. Michelle talked about 손맛 (son-mat), which means "hand taste." The labor and love of the person making the food which can’t be replicated.
After the night, many fans stuck around for their copy to be personalized by Michelle, while other’s like we found ourselves heading over to Totoros for sushi since she mentioned that she was there earlier in the day. Overall the night was a night to remember, and we cannot wait to see her again. The book tour is over, but over at www.cryinginhmart.com. She is also going on tour with Beck and Phoenix.
