Author Description

Approachable and lucid, this first mainstream book by a Hmong writer in the United States could join the ranks of such classics as Maxine Hong Kingston’s Woman Warrior, Lisa See’s On Gold Mountain, and Loung Ung’s First They Killed My Father. The memoir ties in naturally with Anne Fadiman’s bestselling book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, and speaks eloquently to the history we all share while relating the stories of a culture few of us know despite recent news coverage of Hmong American immigrant conflicts. Yang co-hosts a Twin Cities Hmong radio show and is deeply connected to the larger Hmong community in California, New York, Minnesota, and Michigan. Her memoir’s forthcoming publication and recently released film, The Place Where We Were Born, have generated excitement among media, community activists, and educators. The book will receive additional marketing support from a number of private donors and is under consideration as a “common book” selection at several universities.