58 pages • 1 hour read
Kao Kalia YangA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
In The Latehomecomer, Kao Kalia Yang tells the story of her family's journey from Thailand's Ban Vinai Refugee Camp to St. Paul, Minnesota, exploring their Hmong heritage and the resilience required to overcome displacement and hardships. Yang documents her family's struggles and sacrifices to ensure a better life for their children, emphasizing the importance of education and family bonds. The memoir includes sensitive topics such as war, starvation, and poverty.
The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang is widely praised for its poignant narrative and emotional depth, offering a compelling memoir of the Hmong-American experience. Critics highlight Yang's lyrical prose and vivid storytelling. However, some find the pacing slow at times. Overall, it’s an evocative and essential read for understanding refugee struggles.
Readers who cherish poignant immigrant narratives, cultural heritage, and personal resilience will be riveted by Kao Kalia Yang’s The Latehomecomer. Comparable to works like Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior and Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, it appeals to those valuing intimate family sagas and Hmong American stories.
Lexile Level
890LMythology
Biography
Immigration / Refugee
History: Asian
Poverty
Relationships: Family