The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Themes

The Spirit Catches You is all about exodus, in the immortal words of Bob Marley—you know, the movement of jah people. Sadly, the Hmong aren't quite so up-to-date on the Reggae movement, and they...

Think it's tough to talk to that cutie in your English class? Just be glad you speak the same language. In The Spirit Catches You, we witness a bona fide communication breakdown after Nao Kao and F...

Are you a fantasy fan or does science-fiction strike your fancy? Although we can all agree that sci-fi is way better (come on, space battles vs. jousting? duh), Nao Kao and Foua Lee might land on t...

These people have battled communists, trekked by foot across countries, and risked their lives to protect their family. You'd think that'd be enough, but now Nao Kao and Foua Lee are facing their b...

In Hmong culture, there's no problem that can't be solved with a little bit of magic. This shamanic society has some unique views about spirituality in general, adhering to their ancient spiritual...

When the going gets tough, the tough get traditional—or that's what we learned by reading The Spirit Catches You, at least. In retelling the story of the Hmong people and their long history of pe...

If the Hmong know anything, it's that suffering is simply a part of life. Just look at their history if you don't believe us: after being driven from their homes in both China and Laos, fighting se...

At its core, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is all about the importance of family. Even as Lia's condition worsens, the family grows even tighter as a result, with her parents struggling...