The Latehomecomer

A Hmong Family Memoir

By: Kao Kalia Yang

Narrated by: Kao Kalia Yang

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.

©2008 Kao Kalia Yang (P)2011 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Yang tells her family’s story with grace; she narrates their struggles, beautifully weaving in Hmong folklore and culture. By the end of this moving, unforgettable book, when Yang describes the death of her beloved grandmother, readers will delight at how intimately they have become part of this formerly strange culture." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Yang intimately chronicles the immigrant experience from the Hmong perspective, providing a long-overdue contribution to the history and literature of ethnic America." ( Booklist)

Couldn’t stop listening!

An incredible story of a family’s survival and determination through the most challenging circumstances. I learned so much that I didn’t know about Hmong history and culture! I always love memoirs read by the author.

Bravo

As a Hmong woman, this book brings back memories long forgotten. I loved it.

A Wonderful Sharing of a Families Journey

Thank you for sharing the immigration experience of your family and the Hmong people.

Fantastic.

Captivating story, excellently written, and wonderfully read. I found myself surprised by many experiences of Hmong people I had never before learned about and appreciated the opportunity to build perspective and empathy.

Better than reading it!

I first read this beautiful book in print. I then listened to it on audible and listening to the author read is so pleasant. Yang has a peaceful voice and in many places reads like the words are poetry. I highly recommend the audio version.

Beautiful and moving

Yang reads her story with great emotion and she tells her story so well that I feel like I have come to know her and her family. Phau ntawv no zoo kawg li tiag.

beautifully written and read by the author

I feel I understand the the history and hardships of the Hmong people now. So beautifully written.

Beautiful!

I loved this book so much. It was such an honor to hear it by the author herself. Not only is Kao Kalia Yang an amazing writer, but is also a phenomenal speaker. You can hear the emotions in her voice and truly brings the story to life.

Great story that more people should learn about

The performance was hard to listen to but the book was very good. If you have any connection to the Hmong community, this is worth a read.

Still emotional and beautiful the second time around

When I first read this book, it was a dream come true to read such a similar story about my life and my family’s life in these pages. For the first time a book that represents me. Now, I read it for inspiration, courage and strength.