New memoir tells Hmong story

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In the treetops: Kao Kalia Yang with her father in Thailand.
Courtesy of Coffee House Press

A new book tells the story of one family's life in Minnesota after a harrowing escape from Laos. Hmong author Kao Kalia Yang has written a memoir called "The Latehomecomer."

Yang, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and has a graduate degree from Columbia University, tells the story of her family -- and the story of her own experience navigating a new home.

Yang's parents lived in Laos in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. It was a dangerous time for Hmong families, as the government punished the Hmong for working with Americans during the war.

She spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer.