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The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir Audiobook
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(4.00) - 1,390 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In the 70s and 80s, thousands of Hmong families made the journey from the war-torn jungles of Laos to the overcrowded refugee camps of Thailand and onward to the United States—all in search of a new place to call home. Decades later, their experiences remain largely unknown. Kao Kalia Yang was driven to tell her own family’s story after her grandmother’s death. The Latehomecomer is a tribute to that grandmother, a remarkable woman whose spirit held her family together through their imprisonment in Laos, their narrow escape into Thailand’s Ban Vinai Refugee Camp, their immigration to St. Paul when Yang was only six years old, and their transition to life in America. It is also an eloquent, firsthand account of a people who have worked hard to make their voices heard in their adopted homeland.
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"Halfway through this book I decided that it should be required reading for any non-Hmong person who lives in the Twin Cities/western Wisconsin or in California's central valley--any place where the large numbers of Hmong families have resettled. I later found out it is required reading this year for the incoming class at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. I learned a lot about the incredible struggles faced by the Hmong during and after the Secret War in Laos. The writer's voice is clear and lyrical. She is able to capture her experience as a child, born in a refugee camp, whose parents and grandparent underwent immense suffering while trying to find safety and stability for their children. She also beautifully conveys her childhood experience in the Thai refugee camps and her family's resettlement in St Paul, Minnesota--how necessary her family bonds were for their survival and, as many immigrants know, how incredibly hard they worked to provide for their families. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it."
— Rach (5 out of 5 stars)
The Latehomecomer Listener Reviews
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Heidi Rauhut, 5/7/2022
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" Educational, an intriguing acount of a familiar but little-understood people group. "
— Kendra, 2/10/2014 -
" Interesting and poignant memoir. Would definitely recommend to those interested in or working with the Hmong community. "
— Danette, 2/6/2014 -
" an amazing memoir that gives voice to so many in our schools and communities. highly recommended; glad to have finally read it. "
— Courtney, 1/30/2014 -
" Knowing I lived through the Vietnam War and read about it every day in the news, this book was real to me. The author wrote realistic descriptions of what life was like for the Hmong people that assisted the Americans trying to overcome the Vietcong. Escaping and crossing the MeKong Delta in the dead of night with snipers nearby, was very moving. What a marvelous job the author did to vividly explain her family trials to make it to America. "
— Leslie, 1/21/2014 -
" Searing portrait of a girl's love for her grandmother with much information of the hair raising escape from Laos. "
— Sally, 1/2/2014 -
" I bought this at a local book fair and it is just so, so good. I really didn't know anything about Hmong people and this taught me not only about them, but about the immigrant experience in general. I think this is an important story for people to read, especially in today's political climate. It sheds a light into what goes on behind closed doors in a working, immigrant household in a way that I never thought about before. I like the authors clear, straight to the point style - I felt like I was listening to her talk. Loved it. "
— Dayna, 12/29/2013 -
" This beautifully written book tells the story of a Hmong family's escape from Laos, their time in a refugee camp in Thailand, and their challenging adjustment to life in America. The author makes you FEEL and experience the sights, sounds, desperation and love of the Yang family. The Latehomecomer really helped me understand the challenges immigrant families face. "
— Deb, 12/26/2013 -
" Beautiful and heartwrenching story. I was lucky enough to meet Kao Kalia Yang and listen to her speak twice. "
— Jill, 11/29/2013 -
" A very sweet memoir laced with the author's Hmong view of spirituality and family. This was one of the first books that my mom and I both read and enjoyed. I'd love to read more of her work. "
— Melissa, 10/18/2013 -
" This book reminded my how fortunate most of us are, and how much I take for granted. "
— Andrea, 7/31/2013 -
" Not the "coming to america" thread one might expect. Harsh, unsentimental, a poetry nonetheless. "
— Brooke, 5/9/2013 -
" I haven't cried reading a book in a while. Quite an emotional ride. "
— Josiah, 2/12/2013 -
" You will be moved by this narrative. A story of courage and family. "
— Amayz, 10/12/2012 -
" I would recommend this book to be read by everyone. It shows the trials a family took to survive in a war torn homeland, how they made their passage to America and the struggles they lived through to become American. The strength and love in this family is what made them survivors. "
— Joanne, 10/2/2012 -
" So well written and so informative about the Hmong struggle to get to America and forward. Truly inspiring and unforgettable!!! "
— Jone, 9/15/2012 -
" Interesting, informative, engaging, and very easy to read. The vivid images and Yang's ability to put me in that Lao jungle with her parents is remarkable. This is a definite delight. "
— Dioscita, 5/30/2012 -
" Wonderful book both for those familiar with the Hmong culture and for those who aren't. Poetically written, and an apt description of the journey a first generation immigrant makes in a new country. "
— Jonell, 5/16/2012 -
" Great book about the Hmong people. "
— Jessica, 4/25/2012 -
" A more personal, insider's story of growing up Hmong in America. RIYL The Spirit Catches You. "
— Rachael, 3/30/2012 -
" I had the good fortune to hear the author read......it's far more lyrical live "
— Susannydahl, 6/12/2011 -
" This is a great read. The story of a hmong family's time in refugee camps and making a life for themselves in Minneapolis. Wonderful story, very well written. "
— Kate, 5/12/2011 -
" An important window for me into a world that is right here in the Twin Cities. "
— Jenny, 5/6/2011 -
" I totally recommend this book--I love the way she wrote it! It brought be to tears many times, and I feel more connected to the Hmong experience. "
— Jennifer, 5/3/2011 -
" read it for a history class and it was very interesting. though not a book id read for fun "
— Erin, 4/25/2011 -
" This was an incredibly moving memoir. It's probably one of the best memoirs I've read. "
— Shelley, 4/19/2011 -
" This was a really fascinating and moving memoir. "
— Kate, 4/9/2011 -
" The author tells her personal story of becoming a refugee in a touching, yet strong voice. A wonderful book of how connections to family and the past couple with incredible strength can create new lives.<br/>Wonderful book. "
— Jeannette, 3/5/2011 -
" Interesting story from a Hmong perspective of her journey to America and adjusting to life here. "
— Kristi, 3/4/2011 -
" I really loved this from local standpoint (her family was one of many who settled in Minnesota), cultural standpoint, as a memoir that tells of the background and hardships of so many of the Hmong. <br/> <br/> "
— Diane, 3/3/2011 -
" Easy reading memoir of author's life as Hmong refugee to Minnesota. Got a bit long, for me, in dealing with Grandmother's death and funeral, but probably reflects Hmong funeral traditions. "
— Eunys, 2/22/2011 -
" This is a REAL example of family values. The love, loyalty, support and sacrifice for each other is what made this family successful. It's a great example for all of us, irregardless of whether we've had to endure the hardships of war and displacement. "
— Carolyn, 2/10/2011
About Kao Kalia Yang
Kao Kalia Yang is the author of The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir, which was winner of the 2009 Minnesota Book Award and a finalist for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award and the Asian American Literary Award. Her work has been published in Longreads and the Virginia Quarterly. She has taught at Columbia University and Concordia University–St. Paul, among other places.