Reading for Me

Last weekend, I decided to take a few days and get away for a bit to rest now that the spring semester is over. I traveled to Dallas and decided to take a listen to Crying in the H-Mart as I drove. I laughed, I cried, and I thoroughly enjoyed this touching memoir about the relationship between a daughter and her mother that centered around food and her Korean heritage.

The “H-Mart” is a Korean market that suggests taking only the food that you can carry in your arms each visit. This ensures freshness and seems to be the preference of many Korean families as they prepare their meals. Michelle’s relationship with her parents — especially her mother — has been tumultuous, largely due to Michelle’s pursuit of a music career after college. When she receives word that her mother is suffering from Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Michelle drops everything and returns home to Eugene, Oregon to assist her mother as she fights this dreaded disease. Crying in the H-Mart is largely an account of the mending of their relationship, their mutual struggles fighting (and ultimately losing) the cancer battle, Michelle’s search to remain connected to her Korean heritage, and a daughter’s desire to connect with her mother through food.

This memoir hit a little close to home. Recently, I have been very mindful of the fact that my mother will not be with me much longer — just due to the fact that she is aging, no health problems to be concerned about at the moment. Mom and I have largely connected during my adult years over books and food and trying out new recipes together. It is not what either of us expected, but it has become a very strong bond. Michelle’s account pointed out just how precious parental relationships are and shed some light on what life may be like when Mom is no longer with me. It is something that I think is healthy to think about from time to time.

Crying in the H-Mart is probably not what you are looking for if you are in search of a feel-good read. If you want to explore relationships and dealing with loss, this is an excellent book to add to your list. I highly recommend the audio book; Zauner’s inflection carries a sense of “knowing” that I don’t think a reader can fully comprehend simply by reading her words on the page. I also suggest you have a box of tissue nearby; driving while listening to this memoir is probably not the best idea. (I had to hit the pause button several times to collect myself and get out of heavy traffic before resuming my reading.)

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Home on audio book while driving back to West Texas after Spring Break. There is something comforting about listening to Julie Andrews’ lilting voice amid all of the stress surrounding our nation’s health crisis at the moment. For a few hours, it was thrilling to seclude myself away inside the rental car and just listen to Mrs. Andrews’ impeccable diction and enthralling stories.

Home details Julie Andrews’ earliest years as well as the beginning of her career. Broadway credits during this time include productions of My Fair Lady and Camelot. As the memoir comes to its conclusion, Mrs. Andrews has committed to play the title role in the Disney film Mary Poppins and has just given birth to her first child, Emma. It is endearing to hear of her relationships with people such as Richard Rodgers, Burt Lancaster, and Carol Burnett.

While I loved the stories from backstage and Julie’s home life, what thrilled me beyond imagination was the constant discussion about vocal technique and vocal health. Mrs. Andrews speaks clearly about the importance of breath support and vowel placement. Her familiarity with the Polonaise from Mignon by Thomas (“Je suis Titania”) was very interesting to me since WBU Opera was slated to produce the opera this semester before COVID-19 entered the scene and forced the show’s cancellation.  I especially laughed aloud when she mentioned that she returned to the works of Handel throughout her career whenever experiencing issues with alignment. (How I detest playing Handel for singers!)

Whether you are a musician or a fan of the stage, there is something that you will enjoy and appreciate in Home. I look forward to reading the follow up to this memoir as well – Home Work. I highly recommend spending a few days with Julie Andrews. You will leave with a greater appreciate of the arts in general and an amazingly talented artist specifically.

The book’s title sat on my TBR list for several years after a colleague’s recommendation. With a long drive back to west Texas in front of me and a free subscription to Audible, I decided it was time to download Trevor Noah’s memoir and see what all the fuss was about. I am certainly glad I did.

Born a Crime brilliantly shares heart-wrenching stories from Noah’s childhood during the final days of apartheid. But the book is about so much more than racial prejudice. It’s about the challenges and laughter that result from growing up in a deeply religious home. It’s about the bond between a mother and son. It’s a tale of the horrors of domestic abuse and the struggle to come to freedom. It’s about life in the face of opposition and seemingly insurmountable challenges.

From his early revelation that his mother was shot in the head by his step-father, Noah pulls us into his childhood and begins to unravel his story with an obvious gift for storytelling. We are brought into a world where a child’s only crime is that he was born to a black woman and a white man. Not finding a welcome place in either racial community, Trevor struggles to be included and is the victim of bullying. He watches as his mother begins to innocently flirt with the handsome mechanic who will ultimately become his stepfather. Trevor explains why everything changes when a son is born to his mother and her new husband….and how the abuse quickly escalates.

Born a Crime is an excellent read filled with moments of thought-provoking asides about life as we know it. Noah explores the power of language as a unifying force and challenges our thoughts about race, freedom, and power. I enjoyed listening to the book, but I fully intend to pick up a copy of the written work as well so I can continue to digest the beautiful language and the insightful commentary. This is one book that you don’t want to miss!