From witticisms about family members to how to behave in politics, the twenty Hmong proverbs gathered in this book reflect the many facets of Hmong culture that have thrived throughout the years. These sayings give readers an insight into the way of the Hmong people, where wisdom and personal relationships are central. Each proverb is presented in its original Hmong language and also translated into English.
But the ancient proverbs are only half the story: jump off into the extraordinary as Randy Snook’s vibrant photographs blend the past with the future. Depicting each proverb are the Hmong people, dressed in traditional costume but placed in the fanciful setting of the proverb itself, where imagination prevails.
The result is a remarkable blend of the new and the old and of cultures near and far, making us realize that no matter what our ages or where our homes are, we can all share a bit of wisdom from each other.
Randy Snook is a professor, photographer, digital artist and author based in Roseville, California. Professor Snook has been teaching at Sierra College for the past three years and previously worked for 17 years as a commercial photographer. In addition, his fine art photography has been exhibited in both group and one man exhibits. In 1998 Randy published his first book, "Fathers & Sons: Photographs, Quotes, and Essays." Randy not only did the photography, but the digital image manipulation, the interviews, and the text that make up this compelling photo-essay.
Randy has been married to his high school sweetheart, Sue, for 24 years and they have three wonderful children, Sara, Brian, and Lauren.