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Updated August 15, 2025
Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American poet and novelist best known for his award-winning book *On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous*. His work explores themes of immigration, identity, and trauma with lyrical precision.
Notable Facts
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Award winning Vietnamese American poet
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Author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
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Teaches creative writing at NYU
Career Highlights
Background
Ocean Vuong was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 1988 and immigrated to the United States as a child. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brooklyn College (CUNY) and a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from New York University. His early career included teaching at Manhattanville College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he later joined the faculty.
Major Contributions
Vuong’s debut poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016), won the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Whiting Award. His novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019) became a New York Times bestseller and was shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award. His work explores themes of migration, trauma, queerness, and the Vietnamese diaspora.
Night Sky with Exit Wounds established him as a leading voice in contemporary poetry.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous expanded his influence into fiction, blending autofiction and lyrical prose.
His essays and interviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The Guardian, and The Paris Review.
Impact on Their Field
Vuong’s work has redefined contemporary literature by merging poetic language with narrative innovation. His exploration of identity and displacement resonates with global audiences, particularly within immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities. Academic institutions frequently study his texts for their formal experimentation and cultural significance.
Current Work/Relevance
Vuong continues to write and teach, holding positions at institutions like NYU and UMass Amherst. His upcoming poetry collection, Time Is a Mother (2022), further examines grief and memory. He remains a prominent figure in literary circles, participating in international festivals and collaborations with artists across disciplines.
Ocean Vuong was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 1988 and immigrated to the United States as a child. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brooklyn College (CUNY) and a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from New York University. His early career included teaching at Manhattanville College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he later joined the faculty.
Major Contributions
Vuong’s debut poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016), won the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Whiting Award. His novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019) became a New York Times bestseller and was shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award. His work explores themes of migration, trauma, queerness, and the Vietnamese diaspora.
Impact on Their Field
Vuong’s work has redefined contemporary literature by merging poetic language with narrative innovation. His exploration of identity and displacement resonates with global audiences, particularly within immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities. Academic institutions frequently study his texts for their formal experimentation and cultural significance.
Current Work/Relevance
Vuong continues to write and teach, holding positions at institutions like NYU and UMass Amherst. His upcoming poetry collection, Time Is a Mother (2022), further examines grief and memory. He remains a prominent figure in literary circles, participating in international festivals and collaborations with artists across disciplines.
Personal Story
Who They Are
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American poet, novelist, and professor whose work explores themes of family, migration, identity, and love. Born in 1988 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, he moved to the United States as a child, growing up in Hartford, Connecticut. Raised by his mother and grandmother in a working-class immigrant household, Vuong’s experiences deeply influence his writing. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brooklyn College and later an MFA from New York University.
Why They Matter
Vuong has quickly become one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary literature. His debut poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016), won the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Whiting Award, cementing his reputation as a groundbreaking poet. His novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019), was a New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award. Vuong’s work has been praised for its lyrical beauty and emotional depth, earning him a MacArthur “Genius” Grant in 2019.
What They’re Known For
Vuong is best known for his novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, a poignant letter from a son to his illiterate mother, blending autobiography and fiction. The book explores trauma, queerness, and the immigrant experience with raw honesty. His poetry, particularly in Night Sky with Exit Wounds, is equally acclaimed for its vivid imagery and exploration of violence, desire, and survival.
Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016): A critically acclaimed poetry collection.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019): A bestselling novel that resonated with readers worldwide.
MacArthur Fellowship (2019): Recognized for his contributions to literature.
Teaching: A professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, mentoring future writers.
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American poet, novelist, and professor whose work explores themes of family, migration, identity, and love. Born in 1988 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, he moved to the United States as a child, growing up in Hartford, Connecticut. Raised by his mother and grandmother in a working-class immigrant household, Vuong’s experiences deeply influence his writing. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brooklyn College and later an MFA from New York University.
Why They Matter
Vuong has quickly become one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary literature. His debut poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016), won the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Whiting Award, cementing his reputation as a groundbreaking poet. His novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019), was a New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award. Vuong’s work has been praised for its lyrical beauty and emotional depth, earning him a MacArthur “Genius” Grant in 2019.
What They’re Known For
Vuong is best known for his novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, a poignant letter from a son to his illiterate mother, blending autobiography and fiction. The book explores trauma, queerness, and the immigrant experience with raw honesty. His poetry, particularly in Night Sky with Exit Wounds, is equally acclaimed for its vivid imagery and exploration of violence, desire, and survival.