Ocean Vuong, acclaimed writer and professor, dives deep into his personal history and the themes explored in his latest novel, 'The Emperor of Gladness'. He shares poignant stories of growing up in East Hartford, the surrogate family he found at Boston Market, and his transformative college years. Vuong reflects on honoring his late mother, the struggles related to the opioid crisis, and his journey towards sobriety. He also emphasizes the importance of teaching creative writing and how his experiences fuel his passion for storytelling every day.
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insights INSIGHT
Novels as Fluid Containers
Ocean Vuong critiques the 19th-century European novel as limiting and conservative.
He sees the novel as a "bottom" that should be more capacious and inclusive, like poetry's ethos.
insights INSIGHT
Autobiography as Survival Testimony
Autobiographical writing in communities of color serves as political testament and survival testimony.
Vuong connects this tradition to blues, hip hop, and afro-diasporic storytelling.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Unpaid Vigil for Overdose Survival
Ocean Vuong shares a story of coworkers waiting after shift for a colleague's brother to survive an overdose.
This unpaid, quiet support reflects deep empathy born from shared vulnerability.
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In this memoir, Bill Clinton chronicles his life since leaving the White House on January 20, 2001. The book covers his transition from a political career to a life of public service and advocacy, including his work in response to significant global events such as the 9/11 attacks, the Haiti earthquake, the Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinton also reflects on his support for his wife Hillary during her tenure as senator, secretary of state, and presidential candidate, and shares his insights on the challenges faced by American democracy, including income inequality, climate change, and authoritarian forces. The book highlights his commitment to family and nation, and his philosophy of 'living in the present and for the future'[2][3][4]
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
Marguerite Capelle
Ocean Vuong
Jesús Zulaika Goicoechea
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is an epistolary novel written as a letter from a Vietnamese-American son to his illiterate mother. It explores themes of identity, family, love, and the struggles of being a refugee in America. The novel delves into the narrator's experiences with his family's past, his own sexuality, and his first love.
Time Is a Mother
Ocean Vuong
In 'Time Is a Mother', Ocean Vuong delves into the aftermath of his mother's death, navigating themes of personal loss, family, and the complexities of identity. The collection is a poignant exploration of grief and resilience, reflecting on the human condition through vivid and innovative poetry.
The Emperor of Gladness
Ocean Vuong
No description available.
Our town
Thornton Wilder
Written by Thornton Wilder, 'Our Town' is a classic American play that delves into the everyday lives of the residents of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. The play is divided into three acts, each focusing on different aspects of life: daily routines, love and marriage, and death. The Stage Manager guides the audience through the narrative, highlighting the universal themes of human existence. The play is notable for its minimalist staging and its emphasis on the importance of appreciating the details and interactions of everyday life. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1938 and has become one of the most performed American plays of the 20th century.
Since his bestselling novelOn Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeousdebuted in 2019, Ocean Vuong has become one of the most beloved writers of his generation. He first sat with Sam in 2021 amid the pandemic.
Today, Vuong returns to discuss the personal history within his latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness—a piece of fiction that draws from the contours of his own coming-of-age in East Hartford, Connecticut (5:43). We begin with the class dynamics at the heart of the book (9:27), the surrogate family he found working at Boston Market (21:22), and his formative college years in New York City (28:18).
On the back half, we walk through how Ocean’s work continues to honor the memory of his late mother (36:48), the devastating impact of the opioid crisis (41:40), and his own journey to sobriety (45:03). To close, Vuong reflects on the childlike wonder behind his poem “Dear Sara” fromTime Is a Mother (1:04:52), why he still loves teaching creative writing (1:18:30), and how all of these experiences deliver him back to the page, each and every day (1:26:00).
Watch our conversation on YouTube. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com.
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