The Song Poet: A Memoir of My Father

A must read, the beauty and pain of this book had me crying harder than I have in a while. It did take me some time to read this book if I’m being honest, I often found myself pausing to take some time to calm myself because I was either crying so hard I began to hiccup or because I found myself so angry and distraught that I needed some air. Bee and his family is a beautiful and blessed one, his story really speaks to the hearts of many like his beautifully spoken/sung poems.

Very well written book about the Hmong experience of coming to America. It embarrasses me to see the racism they experienced.

Beautifully written! Your written word does honor to your father’s poems. This is a story about the power of family, how we grow and learn from each member no matter their age. This is a must read for all! It saddens me to know what refugees go through for the hope of a better life. Americans take so much for granted. I pray that our diversity will make this a better place for all very soon! Keep writing.

I love the author's lyrical writing style - she clearly has her father's gift for observing and sharing the range of life's big and small experiences. She writes with both intimacy and generalizability. I learn more about Hmong culture and history with each of her books, and am developing a stronger appreciation for the courage, resilience and compassion of the Hmong people. Highly recommend.

Beautifully written, the visual descriptions of growing up in a Hmong village down to the old man's old cracked feet was unbelievable. Living in Minneapolis since the 80's, I have taken care of the Hmong in the hospital, with all their. family members present, the little kids helping to translate for their parents. I have bought the beautiful Hmong "reverse applicate" art work, bought their vegetables at the Farmers Market. I cried when I read how poorly they were treated in the factories where they worked. I cried when they were mistreated in Andover. This book is so beautifully written , about beautiful people.

This beautifully written book takes you back in time, but that time is in my generation. It explores the destruction that war can cause not only the physical damage but the mental, the damage to the family. It gives exceptional accomplishment to not only survive but move forward, raise a family, have consistent high standards, raise it not to just exist but to raise the children with a high level of expectations that will reward them down the road. If more of America would look at the positive in our future, rather than the bad in our past our nation would be at the level we need to be. They had nothing, now they have greatness!

I read this after finishing the author’s first book. Both are excellent. Yang is a superbly gifted writer, and learning the stories she shares was a treasured gift to this reader.

Reading this memoir opened my eyes to the tragedies that our politics have created in Southeast Asia! Although I had a general overview of the misery that had resulted from the unnecessary conflicts in that part of the world, this authors exquisite writing gave me a personal insight into the discrimination and total lack of compassion that so many have for anyone who is “the other”!