Ocean Vuong on Dec 3, 2025 | UCSB Arts & Lectures

FREE pre-signed copies of Vuong’s new book, The Emperor of Gladness,
will be available while supplies last (pick up at event, one per household)

“Ocean Vuong is one of the country’s most esteemed poets and novelists.” The New York Times

“A master of juxtaposition willing to tell difficult stories with courage.” The Guardian (U.K.)

Bestselling novelist, award-winning poet and MacArthur “genius” grant recipient Ocean Vuong brings uncommon vigor and fearless conviction to his portraits of everyday life in 21st-century America. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Vuong’s 2019 fiction debut, was an immediate bestseller, a finalist for the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award and longlisted for the 2019 National Book Award for Fiction. His new novel, The Emperor of Gladness (2025), draws on his experience as a young Vietnamese American immigrant, navigating the randomness of service-industry jobs and discovering unexpected connections through work in elder care. Join Vuong for an evening of conversation about his writing process, his influences and the themes behind his groundbreaking works of poetry and prose.