The Emperor of Gladness

A Novel

De: Ocean Vuong

Narrado por: James Aaron Oh

The instant New York Times bestseller • Oprah’s Book Club Pick • Ocean Vuong returns with a bighearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive

“Stunning . . . A heartfelt and powerful examination of those living on the fringes of society, and the unique challenges they face to survive and thrive.”—Oprah Winfrey

“Magnificent . . . In writing this book, Vuong may have joined the ranks of an elite few great novelists.”—Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times

The hardest thing in the world is to live only once…

One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to transform Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community on the brink.

Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. Hallmarks of Ocean Vuong’s writing—formal innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to twin grit with grace through tenderness—are on full display in this story of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance.

©2025 Ocean Vuong (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Vuong’s protagonist, Hai, is a drug-addicted college dropout living in the fictional town of East Gladness, Connecticut. After he forms an unlikely bond with an elderly widow from Lithuania, whose house he moves into, he begins working at a fast-food restaurant, HomeMarket, where all of the employees are, like him, searching for some kind of home. The novel brims with feeling for these figures, who, though scorned by society, belong to it nonetheless.”—The New Yorker

“On the surface, The Emperor of Gladness is about people on the margins and how they survive hardship, but it’s also a story of how contradictions often exist in conjunction. War and loss run through the pages of The Emperor of Gladness, but so do love and joy. Estrangement ripples through the novel too, yet The Emperor of Gladness celebrates profound connections . . . Soulful and at times heart-wrenching.”—The Seattle Times

“In [The Emperor of Gladness] Ocean Vuong blends grief, healing, and resilience into a powerful and poetic narrative.”—PBS NewsHour

A great story with relatable characters. Narrated to perfection!

This book made me laugh, cry, and reflect upon my own life in ways I did not expect. Previously unfamiliar with the author, I am eager to explore more of his titles soon. I also plan another listen to this one.

Simple connection of humans

This is America, this is life for millions of our fellow citizens. We can’t live in our bubbles and not see these “glass castle s”

Fantastic, beautiful, haunting - everyone should read this.

Ocean’s ability to weave poetic, powerful, heartbreaking poetry into storytelling is what everyone needs to experience. Each rich description is like a tiny poem, and the number of quotes one could pull - such epic, remarkable, poignant lines - is beyond measure. Highly, highly recommend!

Giving the simple extraordinary depth

The simple focus highlighting the richness and essentialness of our daily routine and relationships. The depth of the characters that are sometimes marginalized.

I felt the people very deeply

Good story about a young Vietnamese man struggling to survive in America in New England. Very emotional but I find it hard to believe in some places. I never understand how in TV or books, they have the characters with their only friends being the people they work with and vice versa. But it is an enjoyable read.

Story and oration

I liked everything about this book, and have found myself thinking about these characters for several days after finishing. I miss them.

Loved the humanness of this book!

This book made me think and feel the emotions- very well written for today’s world!

A moving storyteller

Rich characters and plot line. Beautifully read. I hope it becomes a classic in American literature. It tells the journey of the people who serve others and all the ways that ‘serving to others’ impacts their lives. Written with a poetry that is sophisticated and gorgeous.

SPECTACULAR!!

The book is phenomenal, and the narrator is FANTASTIC. I loved every second of my listen.

The incredibly beautiful compassionate writing

An original treatise on life among the average, low income, unsuccessful, unlucky. The compassion they share, the small, all important moments.