Hmong Means Free: Life Laos and America (Asian American History and Culture) (Hardcover)

by Sucheng Chan (Editor)
Key Phrases: opium fields, United States, Long Cheng, Muong Cha (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This collection of evocative personal testimonies by three generations of Hmong refugees is the first to describe their lives in Laos as slash-and-burn farmers, as refugees after a Communist government came to power in 1975, and as immigrants in the United States. Reflecting on the homes left behind, their narratives chronicle the difficulties of forging a new identity.

From the Publisher
Three generations of Hmong refugees expose the trauma and the joy of their lives

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Temple Univ Pr (May 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566391628
• ISBN-13: 978-1566391627
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,930,483 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic Mountain, April 5, 2002

By	peter thao (La Crosse WIS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hmong Means Free (Asian American History & Cultu) (Paperback)

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for all author or editor to do a research on Hmong.

We have strugle and fight for freedom for many many years start from China to Laos, and now USA. I have a chance to came to America as Hmong. I feel so lucky to be in USA and have a chance to get higher education.

In my personal opinion, since I was born in Laos my parent told mthat we are Hmong and we are human, we a people. But the majority Lao and government call us Meo and neve willing to fix it and call us the way we want. To me the Meo never accept in the Hmong people but we must respect the majority rule, and because we are the monority. Today, we Hmong are proud to our leader Gen. Vang Pao allie with the US and bring the Hmong to America. Do you know what happen? Now, we got want we want, we can we that we are Hmong. I agree with Chen define "Hmong Mean Free" Hmong mean people and mean Human being and also in US we are Free. No one call us Meo, or Miao no more. I amso proud and hope it last and forever that Hmong mean people, Human, and Free.

Thank you again for all author for your hard work on our Hmong People.

Sincerely,

Peter Thao, MS
Communication Technolgy UW-STOUT
Wisconsin

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hmong History, May 5, 2000

By	PaoChang Vang (Duluth of Minnesota (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hmong Means Free (Asian American History & Cultu) (Paperback)

The stories in this book were true story for the Hmong. If you didn't know who are Hmong and where they came from. You better read this book. It is every a good book. After you read this book, you also get information from Hmong culture. The book talked about Hmong history from China, joined with CIA when the Vietnam War, how hard their lives and also how hard they had moved from country to country. The book also included story by each person. After I read the stories in this book, I felt very interesting and enjoying with.

Hmong Means Free, because Hmong was a group that didn't like to live by law control. For me, I understand that Hmong had joined the law when general Vang Pao become a Hmong leader. He was the first one that forced the Hmong to join with the law and had education with other foreign people.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helping young Hmong Americans find and identity..., April 2, 2003

By	Kristin L. Wohlschlagel (Hawaii) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Hmong Means Free (Asian American History & Cultu) (Paperback)

I work in the healthcare field and have seen quite a few young (teenage +) Hmong Americans struggling with their sense of value. In particular, a young girl who had been "Americanized" AKA taken from her family when she was young because of supposed abuse - a common practice not that long ago. She was depressed, living with a loving but very white family in which she felt inferior. Asian gang activities in our area made her feel embarrassed. This book put a spark back in her eyes. I found it wonderful and would highly recommend it.