Book Group: The Emperor of Gladness
An immediate New York Times Bestseller, The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Voung is a bighearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive The Group will meet on Sunday, July 20th at a Center City home. Space is limited.
About the Book:
The hardest thing in the world is to live only once…
One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, 19 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 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 his community.
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. This story tells of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance.
- Published May 13, 2025, The Emperor of Gladness was an immediate New York Times Bestseller
- Oprah’s Book Club Pick
- “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
About the Author:
Ocean Vuong is the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collections Night Sky with Exit Wounds and Time is a Mother, as well as the New York Times bestselling novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. A recipient of the American Book Award and the MacArthur “Genius Grant," he has also worked as a line cook, tobacco harvester, nursing home volunteer, and fast-food server, the latter becoming inspiration for The Emperor of Gladness.
Host / Lead Organizer: Susan Robinson
Date: Sunday, July 20th at 3:00 pm.
Location: Address will be included in confirmation email.
Coffee and tea will be provided.
Limited to 8 people.
Where:
Center City
Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19102
[ Get Directions ]