CLA Common Read
Crying in H Mart (2021), by Michelle Zauner
About the book, from Penguin Random House:
In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food.
As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band – and meeting the man who would become her husband – her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.
Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Zauner’s voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.
Common Read FAQs
A common read is a shared reading experience that brings members of the campus community together to read and discuss a noteworthy book and its themes.
Most U.S. American adults realize that reading is good for them, yet 81% admit they don’t read as much as they’d like to (Harris Poll, 2019). Research indicates that just a few minutes of reading per day can contribute to decreased stress, higher self-esteem, and more happiness and satisfaction with life (The Book Trust, 2013). A shared reading experience encourages participants to hold themselves accountable to one another, fostering a sense of community among a diverse population. A common read is an opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and broaden our perspectives by engaging in thoughtful discussion of a book we’re all reading.
CSULB’s common read experience is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) and many CLA courses will incorporate elements of the chosen text, however, all members of the CSULB campus community (faculty, students, and staff) are welcome to take part in the common read experience and sponsored activities/events.
Common read participants can start reading any time after the text is announced! The bulk of CLA-sponsored activities and events will be held in Spring 2025 (see events calendar). Faculty who choose to incorporate the common read in their courses in Spring 2025 will designate course specific activities and deadlines, etc.
The act of reading can be done just about anywhere! As for common read activities and events, they will be held on or near campus and some will be available online. Check the events calendar for updates.
Get the book (in whatever format is most convenient). Read it (or listen to it). Participate in sponsored activities and events to connect with others based on the shared experience of having read the same text.
