Penguin Press
The Emperor of Gladness: Oprah's Book Club
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The instant New York Times bestseller - Oprah's Book Club Pick - Ocean Vuong returns with a bighearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive
"Stunning . . . A heartfelt and powerful examination of those living on the fringes of society, and the unique challenges they face to survive and thrive." --Oprah Winfrey
"Magnificent . . . In writing this book, Vuong may have joined the ranks of an elite few great novelists." --Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times
The hardest thing in the world is to live only once...
One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to transform Hai's relationship to himself, his family, and a community on the brink.
Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. Hallmarks of Ocean Vuong's writing--formal innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to twin grit with grace through tenderness--are on full display in this story of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life's most fleeting mercies: a second chance.
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Book Details
ISBN:
9780593831878
EAN:
059383187X
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
416
Authors:
Ocean Vuong
Publisher:
Penguin Press
Published Date: 2025-13-05
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I adore Ocean Vuong. His poems are amazing, and his first novel was a good start. "The Emperor of Gladness" is a far better and more mature novel than "On Earth...". Ocean has an astonishing command of the English language and can combine humor, sadness, social commentary, and every other emotion in marvelous ways. If you question whether a young man and an older woman can have an emotional connection strong enough to help them both survive, here is your answer. I highly recommend this book. If you don't know Ocean's work, listen to his interview on the NY Times podcast called "The Interview" and read his NY Times essay from May 2025 to get a feel for the family life that is so perfectly represented in his characters.
What a good read. If I had not seen the author and Oprah on tv probably would have never read. Highly recommend.
This is a multi-level book which takes the author back to his exit from Vietnam up to his demise in the garbage ben.The many levels of emotions and friendships showed he was a loving and caring person.Most of his last days at the restaurant showed how he lied to keep his life fulfilled and memories protected.I think I need to read this again.
This book is simply amazing! The vocabulary is beyond the normal meanings. And the descriptions are original and detailed so as to put you there with every sense. The character development is full blown with revelations pulling the story altogether in a fanciful loving way. The heavy themes, i.e. depression, drug abuse, dementia, homosexuality, death, imprisonment, etc. are handled most honestly & effectively.I was most taken by the original voice & style of this writer and can not wait to read more of his work!
Truely written by a poet!!! The imagery of every moment is moving and creating imagery. in. your mind.Thank You Ocean Vuong.
