foreigners

This book was suggested to me by a library patron – a nurse.  This non-fiction, cultural anthropology book describes an arrival of South East Asian community of Hmongs to a small town called Merced, California in the 1980s.  The Hmong people who lived for centuries in isolation, with their history dating back to the 3rd century, were given a refugee status in America for their support of CIA militaristic efforts in Laos. This book is a tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions of cultural classes and misunderstanding.  A little Hmong girl Lia is diagnosed with epilepsy and is brought to be treated

Zeitoun is a nonfiction book taking us to the action and tragedy packed drama following the days and weeks after the New Orleans flood of 2004. It is the story of Mr. Zeitoun, a man of middle eastern decent who decided not to evacuate with Hurricane Katrina approaching the city and stayed behind to protect his property and in a gentlemanly way to help his neighbors and fellow New Orleanians.  He feeds hungry animals he finds in abandon houses and watches his and his neighbors property. When the looting starts, he is picked as an early target because of his middle eastern origin.  However, he