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51 pages 1 hour read

Tastes Like War: A Memoir

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2021

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Book Brief

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Grace M. Cho

Tastes Like War

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2021
Book Details
Pages

296

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Washington And Korea • 1970s-2000s

Publication Year

2021

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Tastes Like War by Grace M. Cho explores the author's journey to understand her mother Koonja's schizophrenia, connecting it to cultural trauma experienced due to war, colonialism, and racism. Through reflections on food, Cho unravels Koonja's past as a Korean immigrant who survived poverty and displacement, eventually moving to the United States, only to face new challenges and racism in Chehalis, Washington. The book contains discussions of racism, sexual violence, self-harm, anti-gay bias, and domestic violence.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Emotional

Mysterious

Informative

Reviews & Readership

4.2

13,763 ratings

71%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Grace M. Cho's Tastes Like War intertwines personal memoir and cultural reflection with emotional depth. Critics praise its poignant exploration of mental illness, immigrant identity, and food's connective power. However, some find its narrative occasionally fragmented. Overall, it's lauded for its heartfelt and insightful storytelling.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Tastes Like War?

Readers who appreciate Tastes Like War by Grace M. Cho are drawn to poignant memoirs that explore themes of cultural identity, mental health, and family. Fans of Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner or The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui will find Cho's narrative equally compelling and evocative.

4.2

13,763 ratings

71%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

296

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Washington And Korea • 1970s-2000s

Publication Year

2021

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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