Latehomecomer

My book club read Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang, a local writer.  I get so much more out of a book when I read it in book club.  The discussion is very helpful to me.  When I read it, I thought it was an odd book to describe the Hmong culture. The intention of the writer was not to describe Hmong culture but to write a tribute, a published love letter, to her beloved Grandmother.  Along the way, Hmong culture does get described: respect for the elderly, strong family ties, problems assimilating in the St. Paul school district, translating for parents and other communication conflicts.  I learned a few new things in book club. One is that outside of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and California, many states have no Hmong population.  People in Kansas?  Totally unaware of Hmong culture (unless you count the veterans from Vietnam).  And the Hmong - they have no home.  They were ousted from China, ousted from Laos, and kicked out of Thailand.  According to Yang's lyrical writing, she is proud to be Hmong.  She came to the United States at age seven after living in a refugee camp. Before that she escaped Laos with her parents and sister, having to swim across a river in the dark so they would not be shot.  Grandma, her eight sons, and the families of her eight sons all crossed the river that night.  Eventually they all made it to Minnesota where the grandchildren would fight over who got to sit by Grandma and rub her feet or cut her toenails while she sat in her chair.  I find other cultures, living so close to me (Yang now lives in Andover) totally fascinating.  This was a great book to read.