Hmong American Books

Author Morrison has done a service by compiling a book of recollections about one of the most unknown events of our time: the air evacuation of Hmong General Vang Pao and many of his Hmong soldiers from Laos in May 1975. The Hmong were a staunch and effective American ally against the North Vietnamese and Lao Communists, but went down to defeat along with the Americans. Except for a few Americans, notably Jerry "Hog" Daniels of the CIA, the Hmong would have been abandoned to die in Laos.

Morrison gives little background and explanation for the events of May 1975, but plunges into the story with quotes from the participants, especially the Hmong. There are a number of rare and valuable photographs and good maps. The stories themselves are often priceless, first hand vignettes of history: for example, Gen. Heinie Aderholt's tale of hearing of the evacuation and his forthright -- and irregular -- finding and hiring of a C-46 pilot to fly the Hmong out of Laos.

Much of the material is compiled from the Hmong themselves, whose voices have only barely been heard in America. These were people on our side who deserved better at the bitter end of the Vietnam war. If you're not familiar with the outlines of the story some background reading may be useful. Roger Warner's, "Backfire" (also called "Shooting at the Moon") is good.

Smallchief

There will be many people (beside the Hmong) thankful that someone has taken the time to record this important event in history. The book has a distinct niche (human) in my education on the "happenings" in Laos. This is my fifth Laos subject book and is a must read! USAF in Thailand '69 veteran.

I truly enjoyed this book. I came away with a very different point of view. I was directly involved with the evacuation of DaNang, Nha Trang and Saigon in April '75 and to some extent in Loas in May of the same year and saw the refugees, in mass panic carrying babies and what possessions they could, trying to flee before the communists came. Gayle related the evacuation of Long Chen (20A) from the eyes of the Hmong refugees. It is a view that I never saw and hope that I never have to witness again.

Gayle Morrison has written an excellent book on the history and plight of the Hmong people in Laos during the Secert War in Laos. Her book's focus is the last battle these brave people fought, defending their mountain headquarters in northern Laos. Morrison is a talented writer who captures the feelings and spirit of what it must have been like to have been there. An excellent read.

Morrison interviewed a lot of Hmong participants in those last days, as well as American pilots Jack Knotts, Dave Kouba, etc. Eye-opening insight into the abandonment of one of America's most clandestine installations of the secret war in Laos. Detailed accounts of Matt Hoff's and Les Strouse's final flights into 'LS20 Alternate' as well. Some truly rare photos -- Long Tien in 1972, '73, '74, '75. Knotts and Kouba at the evacuation ramp on May 14, 1975, the last day. The Hmong -- from top leader Vang Pao to in-the-street tribespeople, no less proud, and no less tragic.

Finally, a haunting pair of photos -- top secret Long Tien in 1973, and another one, as mysterious as ever, from exactly the same angle and height (about 1000 feet above the runway), in 1995.

A compact, tightly-woven and compelling tale.

I am a bit late catching up on my readings. But amazings stories are timeless. I am inspired by David Moore's incredible love and compassion that he took the time to learn about the kids, whose stories would have vanished forever but now they can be read from generations to generations--especially the descendants of the boys and anyone in similar situation. This book is, in a way, Mr. Moore's story...how an incredible person would just take interest in someone (someone that seems to be out of place like fish out of water) and love them in a way that it would change their life (for the good) forever. I wonder how many folds over the love and understanding that the author shown to the "boys" had multiplied through the boys' lives?

Perhaps someday white male eurocentric assumptions will be sufficiently combatted so that we may learn about the incredible suffering of People of Color during the U.S.'s conflicts. I certainly hope so. This is an interesting book, marred only by the emphasis on males, when there are obviously many important voices that need to be heard from the Hmong.

Moore does a wonderful job of writing the stories told to him by the young Hmong refugees, as they fled from Laos at the end of The Vietnam War. The book is written in an easy to read style, yet tugs at your emotions. I have recommended the book for reading at numerous conferences and diversity presentations for anybody wanting to start trying to understand the Hmong. I have also suggested it to some of the Hmong teens born in the US, so they can have an understanding of their parent's sacrifices. Many people are unaware that The Hmong lost 1/3 of their race to help us. Maybe reading this book will help kindle compassion for such loyal allies!

What a beautiful book. Although the emotional experience may be felt among many Hmongs who endured the Secret War and migration era, each detail and descriptor of the author's experience is raw, fresh, and beautiful. One of a kind and completely respectful and true to the Hmong. I would recommend this book for everybody and especially those who had forgotten or suppressed the Hmong in them. Great preservation of Hmong culture and experience post Secret War for future generations.

I would like to thank the author for writing such a lyrically beautiful book about our human experiences. This is a necessary reading for those of us who care about each other--through this book, we learn about cultural beliefs of the Hmong, their political experience, and spiritual beings. This book will find its place next to the great literature of this country and will be read for generations to come. It is truly a gift.

I had the privilege of reading a pre-publication manuscript of this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Kao Kalia Yang tells the story of her family--which in Hmong culture extends far beyond one's nuclear family. From the jungles of Laos, where her family lived before she was born, across the dangerous Mekong River, into Thailand's Ban Vinai refugee camp, and ultimately here to the United States, Yang tells us of the alliance her Hmong people made with the United States, the dangers they experienced as a result of the US's withdrawal from Southeast Asia, their harrowing flight from the only country they had ever known, and the indignities suffered and hopes and dreams shared while living an uncertain life in a refugee camp. At the center of this unforgettable tale is Yang's grandmother, who struggles to keep her family together in the camp, but must ultimately surrender to the inevitability of their parting. Through Yang and her family we are connected to the challenges, pains, joys, and triumphs of the immigrant experience and the love and dedication of a family unlike any we have met before, yet as familiar and comfortable as any we are likely to know. We are drawn into the seductive prose of Yang's words, the poignancy of her family's and her own circumstances, and the hope that their suffering, including that of her grandmother, who ultimately comes to America, will somehow be redeemed in this new country that in many ways necessitated their flight from Laos. This irresistable and moving debut--and its author--deserve a wide and appreciative audience.

If you are an elememtary or middle scool teacher with a population of Hmong children, or if you are looking for literature that treats a "difficult" subject in a sensitive way this book is for you. It is beautifully illustrated, with pictures of a Hmong story cloth and the story is written by a Hmong woman. It is one of those picture books that makes wonderful reading and viewing for adults as well as children. Top notch!

This is one of my favorite children's books. It tells the story of the Hmong people through the eyes of a child who lived in Laos during the Vietnam War, lost her father, escaped to Thailand and eventually came to America as a refugee. One of my third grade Hmong students declared it "THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ! " I would have to agree.

Hmong Milestones is an excellent introduction to the various roles the Hmong played in Vietnam War. Omoto's work is a necessary overview and resource for anyone, both seasoned experts and casual readers, interested in one of the darkest chapters of American history.

Excellent book for the young adult reader. As a teacher of mulitcultural studies, I highly recommend this book as required reading. The author puts the Hmong experiences in America into perspective. One cannot but have a great respect for these individuals and all that they accomplished.

A truly outstanding introduction to the politics of the period. Although this is not a recent work, it's interest lies in what it tells us about the general attitudes of the political establishment of the time quite apart from the Appeasement debate.

Donnelly's work is based on years of work among Hmong immigrants in Seattle, and covers women's lives in terms of economic role and family role and position. Through analysis of two needlework cooperatives' history (and dissolution), and through the analysis of several marriage ceremonies (and stories of the subsequent marriages' success or failure), Donnelly shows how women's actions are grounded in Hmong cultural values and options, even as they make use of the cultural options and interpretations of American society. While traditional Hmong society could be characterized as male-centered-marriage negotiations, for example, were arranged by the male elders of the clans involved, even if the young men had taken the initiative to find their brides-the transplanting of thousands of Hmong to the U.S. has led to the development of more egalitarian and romantic notions of marriage, and to the possibility of greater assertiveness on the part of Hmong women. Yet Donnelly is able to point to folktales in which women do act assertively, so a model for this kind of behavior is available within the Hmong tradition. All cultures contain such seeming contradictions, Donnelly asserts, and indeed, the presence of alternative models of behavior within a traditional culture gives that culture "resiliency that may let that culture survive even traumatic shifts of circumstance." (191) Thus, even with changing circumstances, language, economic opportunities, education, and religion, Hmong culture contains within it the possibility of continued Hmong cultural identity in the U.S. This is an excellent example of enlightening and sensitive ethnography.

This is a kid's book but it gives a brief informative overview of the situation of the Vietnam War and it's far reaching effects such as and the displacement of the Hmong people. It has lots of colorful photos and profiles a few individual cases. This is a good book for adults who are unfamiliar with the Hmong people. Mace Goldfarb is a pediatrician who was a volunteer at the Ban Vinai Refugee camp in Thailand in 1979. Goldfarb indicates that he is also the son of displaced persons.

The author is a journalist rather than a sociologist, but her book is the best I have read among several about the Hmong in America. These highlanders from Laos were fierce guerrilla warriors in a secret CIA army during the Vietnam War. After the War they were marked for persecution -- or extirpation -- by the Communists and many of them fled the country. Today more than 100,000 live in the US. The Hmong are much admired by American soldiers and CIA agents and their unique animistic culture and efforts to adjust to radically different American life has interested many authors.

The author delves deeply into the life of several Hmong living in California, including studying the language and learning the intricate stitchery used by Hmong women to make their native costumes. She visits Laos with one of them and meets the Hmong in their natural environment. She inserts herself in the story as a painstaking and thorough observer presenting an objective, affectionate, unsentimental portrait of a people she genuinely likes and admires. Her chapter on Hmong history is outstanding: lucid, well-written, and fascinating in its speculations about the origin of the Hmong and their long struggle with more powerful neighbors. She gives throughout a very clear picture of the Hmong's attachment to family and clan -- a collective nature foreign to most Americans.

The Hmong the author describes include, among many, a Americanized young woman who works in a government office, a traditional female shaman, a Hmong gang member, and a former military and political leader. She captures them all with style and grace.

Smallchief

During my senior year of college, I took a "Holistic Living" course and this was one of the books we were required to read. As I've mentioned in other reviews, I don't normally gravitate towards non-fiction, however, there are instances when I read a piece of non-fiction and find myself as captivated by the story as if it were a novel. "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" was one of these books.

In her book, Ms. Fadiman presents the story of a Hmong-American family who is forced to step outside their comfort zone to seek medical treatment for their infant daughter, Lia, an epileptic. Not only do Lia's parents have to overcome a language barrier, but they also hold views which differ greatly from those held by the Western-trained medical doctors treating Lia. What results, is an enormous culture clash between Lia's parents and her treating physicians. Sadly, the consequences of the mis-communication and cultural mis-understanding which take place between the Lees and Lia's doctors has a tragic and permanent effect on Lia's life.

Alongside the Lee's story, Ms. Fadiman presents an informative history of the Hmong people, while also addressing a number of important ethical considerations germane to the medical treatment of non-western patients.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in the medical profession or to anyone interested in learning about traditional Hmong culture.

This was a required reading for my college class. It was a good read, story base; yet, it was also a frustrating read. Trying to get past the authors too many details - took you on sides roads from the real story. It is a sad story.

This book is an extremely well-written and interesting story. I read this book for my bookclub and it made for great discussion about culture, ethics, and healthcare. I highly recommend this book to all healthcare professionals and bookclubs.

I enjoyed this book so much! I really appreciated the author's ability to view both sides objectively. Her story telling ability left me breathless for the three days that it took me to finish. I'll recommend this book to everyone that I know.

This author does an incredible job showing all sides of the story. I think it is amazing how she made me feel and hurt for everyone involved in this case. I wish everyone could/would read this book.

I don't think you can read it without looking at life, medical care, and cultural differences just a little differently afterwards.