On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

by Ocean Vuong

A Heartbreaking Letter of Love, Identity, and Survival

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Ocean Vuong’s debut novel is nothing short of stunning—beautiful and poignant, with emotions so raw they nearly bleed off the page. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous unfolds as a letter from Little Dog to his mother, a letter he knows she will never read or fully understand. This is the story of a son desperate to be seen, understood, and loved by a mother who will always be out of place in America and who battles a mental illness she can never control.

The narrative pulses with the pain and beauty of identity, memory, and survival—set against the complicated backdrop of a mother-son relationship, shaped by both shared trauma and profound difference. Vuong’s prose occasionally verges on the ornate, but this intensity echoes Little Dog’s world and the urgency of his experiences.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Vuong’s work is a testament to the power of storytelling to explore parts of ourselves that are often left unspoken. Though it sometimes wanders close to the edges of excess, it firmly holds its ground as a profound, necessary exploration of life’s rawest moments.

Ocean Vuong’s new book, The Emperor of Gladness, releases in May 2025.

Where to Buy:

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong is available on Amazon.

Looking for More from Ocean Vuong?

Ocean Vuong’s highly anticipated new novel, The Emperor of Gladness, is set for release on May 13, 2025. Stay tuned for more haunting, beautiful prose from one of today’s most original voices in Asian American literature.

Try our Vietnamese Pho recipe—a dish that speaks to heritage, healing, and the art of savoring life’s moments.