Michelle Zauner

Definitely.

We are moving from a transition of mediums to a complete collision of them, because providing the musical backbone for this event is Michelle Zauner.

A truly inspired and deeply layered choice by the foundation.

Let's look at the data People provides on her.

I do.

This chaotic sidebar context explains the exact architectural logic behind the National Book Awards seating chart.

It explains exactly why they need Kyle MacLachlan at the podium and Michelle Zauner on the microphone.

Because the old way isn't working anymore.

Samin Nosrat's Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat democratized culinary science

And Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart beautifully bridges food and grief, cooking Korean food to resurrect the memory of a lost mother

Food becomes the ultimate connector here

We also touch on Hanif Abdurraqib's There's Always This Year, showing how basketball acts as a clock for our own aging.

Mm-hmm

... with friend of the show, Michelle Zauner.

Tuck Bucky.

Uh, [laughs] yeah, that's, that's what she goes by.

yeah

i hope i enjoy the ending um uh what was my other one it's Oh yeah, Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, I think her name is.

But she's an amazing musician called Japanese Breakfast, her band.

And yeah, it's about her kind of...

Uh, book re- news, new book news.

Um, I've been wondering what Michelle Zauner's been up to, and it's been writing a book.

There's a new one coming out April 2027, her follow-up to her best-selling "Crying in H Mart." Uh, it's called "Thank You for Your Suffering." Um, and it's about her-

So it's gonna be light.

Yeah.

[chuckles] "Crying in H Mart" and con- and, uh, "Thank You for Your Suffering," uh, very light stuff from Michelle Zauner, um, about going back to Seoul with her family and learning Korean and trying to read her late mother's diary.

[exhales]

Fascinating stuff at the same time.