Food—as sustenance, as cultural artifact, as vocational calling—is intimately explored in these memoirs, all written by women. In one way or another, each of these writers has been deeply affected by food, displaying how food can deepen familial connections as well as provide self-empowerment. 

Whether Latinx, Asian or African, these writers consider how those identities mingle with the idea of being an American, from newly arrived to long-term residency. Dealing with themes of deep-rooted identity and the often-impossible navigation of assimilating to a culture that is not always welcoming, these books exhibit an array of hard-won truths about life and finding home.

Michelle Zauner, founder of the indie rock/dream pop band Japanese Breakfast, writes about her Korean heritage, the loss of her mother to cancer, and how she cultivated her identity in the face of so much loss.