LITERATURE AS HANDWORK: Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”

A wide range of readers have admired Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong's debut novel, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" (2019). Both his first and his second novel, "The Emperor of Gladness" (2025), have been translated into German as "Auf Erden sind wir kurz grandios" and "Der Kaiser der Freude", respectively. In language of striking beauty and originality, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" tells the story of Little Dog, a 28-year-old gay, working-class Vietnamese-American writer, and the family members who made his life possible. Inspired by people who defy oppression by finding joy, he honors them by crafting poetry.