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Baachan
A vulnerable and uplifting memoir about the author, Sharnie Fenn, and her sassy Japanese grandmother, Baachan, and how her life-changing advice helped her navigate growing up Japanese-Australian and overcoming her crippling identity crisis, healing from an abusive relationship and learning how to find her voice and to live shamelessly.
In this raw and emotional anecdote, Sharnie finds herself stuck and defeated. She was a healthy 25-year-old who at times, wanted nothing but to change places with her arthritis-ridden, widowed Baachan because she radiated with life. During their phone calls and her visits to Japan, Sharnie noted down the thought-provoking advice and powerful words of encouragement that Baachan would casually slip between conversations in an attempt to absorb her mindset. Between gossip about her elderly neighbours or recent news about the Japanese Emperor, Baachan never failed to pass important life lessons about family, letting go, seeking help, life partners and on being alone.
What makes Baachan so alluring is that behind the gentle, frail Japanese grandmother, there was once a girl who survived World War II, a girl who single handedly cared for her disabled mother, a teenager who dropped out of school and worked tirelessly to bring home enough rice, a woman who lost her husband to terminal cancer and now lives all alone in a two-storey, creaking home, content. At 84-years-old, she still paints her nails bright pink even though she isn’t going anywhere and eats chocolate-covered strawberries in bed and despite the heartbreaks and tragedies of her life, is happy.
Complete with family photos, cute illustrations of Baachan, an insight into interesting Japanese traditions and culture, and beautiful Japanese proverbs, Baachan is a heartfelt book that resonates, inspires and uplifts.
In this raw and emotional anecdote, Sharnie finds herself stuck and defeated. She was a healthy 25-year-old who at times, wanted nothing but to change places with her arthritis-ridden, widowed Baachan because she radiated with life. During their phone calls and her visits to Japan, Sharnie noted down the thought-provoking advice and powerful words of encouragement that Baachan would casually slip between conversations in an attempt to absorb her mindset. Between gossip about her elderly neighbours or recent news about the Japanese Emperor, Baachan never failed to pass important life lessons about family, letting go, seeking help, life partners and on being alone.
What makes Baachan so alluring is that behind the gentle, frail Japanese grandmother, there was once a girl who survived World War II, a girl who single handedly cared for her disabled mother, a teenager who dropped out of school and worked tirelessly to bring home enough rice, a woman who lost her husband to terminal cancer and now lives all alone in a two-storey, creaking home, content. At 84-years-old, she still paints her nails bright pink even though she isn’t going anywhere and eats chocolate-covered strawberries in bed and despite the heartbreaks and tragedies of her life, is happy.
Complete with family photos, cute illustrations of Baachan, an insight into interesting Japanese traditions and culture, and beautiful Japanese proverbs, Baachan is a heartfelt book that resonates, inspires and uplifts.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2023
19 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 9, 2023
The best book I've read recently
I read this book because I am a big fan of Sharnie's lovely tiktoks, especially those with Baachan. They bring me up when I feel down, it might sound weird, but they make me feel as if I finally have a wonderful grandmother too. Reading this book was so emotional, enlightenment and relatable. I relate so much to Sharnie, being an immigrant child myself and growing up in a different culture, having similar awful experiences, which I wish hadn't happened to her. Even though she is a stranger, I would've had it happen to me twice than to her, or to any other woman or girl, but as Bachaan would say, it happened so it's gone(said in a better way but oh well). It made me feel loved and happy and sad and lonely and loved. I have a new appreciation for the world, because I could see it through Baachan's eyes. I love her and her personality and her smile I see on Sharnie's tiktok, and I appreciate you Sharnie for your strength, no matter how you think you could've changed and improved and 'fixed' things or yourself. You are here now and you are wonderful and loved and you deserve it. It made me feel like I deserve it too. If you ever read this review, thank you so so much for sharing your experience. I recommend this book to everyone, there is no way you would not like it. I can't wait to afford the paperback version too!!
I read this book because I am a big fan of Sharnie's lovely tiktoks, especially those with Baachan. They bring me up when I feel down, it might sound weird, but they make me feel as if I finally have a wonderful grandmother too. Reading this book was so emotional, enlightenment and relatable. I relate so much to Sharnie, being an immigrant child myself and growing up in a different culture, having similar awful experiences, which I wish hadn't happened to her. Even though she is a stranger, I would've had it happen to me twice than to her, or to any other woman or girl, but as Bachaan would say, it happened so it's gone(said in a better way but oh well). It made me feel loved and happy and sad and lonely and loved. I have a new appreciation for the world, because I could see it through Baachan's eyes. I love her and her personality and her smile I see on Sharnie's tiktok, and I appreciate you Sharnie for your strength, no matter how you think you could've changed and improved and 'fixed' things or yourself. You are here now and you are wonderful and loved and you deserve it. It made me feel like I deserve it too. If you ever read this review, thank you so so much for sharing your experience. I recommend this book to everyone, there is no way you would not like it. I can't wait to afford the paperback version too!!
June 16, 2024
I cried and I smiled. I loved all the Japanese proverbs included in here. I admire Sharnie's honesty and her visible change of attitude and mindset as her story progresses. I thought about my own baachan and how I wish we had more time together. I'm really glad I read this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews