The Emperor of Gladness
(Author) Ocean VuongOne summer evening in the town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond. When Hai takes a job at a diner to support himself and Grazina, his fellow workers become the family he didn't expect to find. United by desperation and circumstance, and existing on the fringes of society, together they bear witness to each other's survival...
Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American poet and novelist known for his powerful and lyrical writing style. His debut poetry collection, "Night Sky with Exit Wounds," received widespread critical acclaim and won the T.S. Eliot Prize. Vuong's work often explores themes of identity, memory, and the immigrant experience, blending personal narratives with vivid imagery. His novel, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous," further solidified his reputation as a groundbreaking voice in contemporary literature. Vuong's contributions to literature have been praised for their emotional depth and innovative approach to storytelling, making him a prominent figure in the literary world.