Podcast · 82 episodes on record

Ocean Vuong: "The Emperor Of Gladness" | Oprah's Book Club

Published

May 13, 2025

Length

59 min

Type

Full

Position

25 of 82

May 13, 2025

Ocean Vuong: "The Emperor Of Gladness" | Oprah's Book Club

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Summary

In this episode of Oprah’s Book Club: Presented by Starbucks, Oprah sits down with acclaimed author Ocean Vuong to discuss his much-anticipated new novel, The Emperor of Gladness.

Chosen as the 114th Oprah’s Book Club selection, The Emperor of Gladness reveals the many ways love, labor and loneliness show up in American life. The novel begins on a summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, where nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge ready to jump. An elderly widow suffering from dementia intervenes and the unlikely pair form a life-altering bond. In this episode, Ocean discusses this deeply personal narrative and his gift of illuminating the fullness of humanity in the most ordinary of places.

Oprah and Ocean are joined by a live audience in a Starbucks Café in Chicago, enjoying the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, layered with flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon and Starbucks® Blonde Espresso Roast.

BUY THE BOOK!

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

⁠https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-emperor-of-gladness/id6736382187⁠

⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/50VqT29k6PQqGQzUnenogD

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Ocean Vuong: "The Emperor Of Gladness" | Oprah's Book Club

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Summary