Latest news with #OceanVuong
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The week's bestselling books, June 22
1. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press: $30) An unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond. 2. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (Tor Books: $30) A vampiric tale follows three women across the centuries. 3. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Ballantine Books: $30) A story of friendship, love and adversity during the 1980s Space Shuttle program. 4. Nightshade by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co.: $30) The bestselling crime writer returns with a new cop on a mission, this time on Catalina Island. 5. My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books: $30) The bond between a group of teens 25 years earlier has a powerful effect on a budding artist. 6. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress. 7. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 8. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $30) Worlds collide when a teenager vanishes from her Adirondacks summer camp. 9. The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books: $30) A young father grapples with tragedy and the search for redemption. 10. King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar: $29) A man returns to his roots to save his family in this Southern crime epic. … 1. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A call to renew a politics of plenty and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. 2. Steve Martin Writes the Written Word by Steve Martin (Grand Central Publishing: $30) A collection of greatest hits from the beloved actor and comedian. 3. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer on how to be a creative person. 4. How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast (Viking: $28) The author's memoir on her intense relationship with her famed mother, writer Erica Jong. 5. Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane (W. W. Norton & Co.: $32) The naturalist explores rivers as living beings whose fate is tied with our own. 6. The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad (Random House: $30) A guide to the art of journaling, with contributions from Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem and others. 7. The #1 Dad Book by James Patterson (Little, Brown & Co.: $25) The bestselling author's tips on being a better father. 8. Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (Penguin Press: $45) The Pulitzer-winning biographer explores the life of the celebrated American writer. 9. The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer and John Burgoyne (illustrator) (Scribner: $20) The 'Braiding Sweetgrass' author on gratitude, reciprocity and community, and the lessons to take from the natural world. 10. The Haves and Have-Yachts by Evan Osnos (Scribner: $30) A collection of essays exploring American oligarchy and the culture of excess. … 1. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20) 3. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $19) 4. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (Berkley: $19) 5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (HarperOne: $18) 6. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19) 7. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19) 8. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17) 9. Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley: $20) 10. Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Grove Press: $17) … 1. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $20) 2. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 3. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 4. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 5. Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch (Tarcher: $20) 6. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22) 7. The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger (Harper Perennial: $20) 8. Waiting for Britney Spears by Jeff Weiss (MCD: $19) 9. Historic Los Angeles Roadsides by Mimi Slawoff (Reedy Press: $27) 10. Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Simon & Schuster: $20)
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Upcoming book events feature Sheila Heti, a Halifax rocker and sci-fi rom-coms
Flying Books at Neverland 371 Queen St. W. Book launch: 'Quietly, Loving Everyone' Sun., 7 p.m. Montreal writer Curtis John McRae discusses his debut, a collection of short stories featuring an undead James Dean, a tragic Cape Cod road trip and a date at an old porn theatre. Ocean Vuong's 'The Emperor of Gladness' is the subject of Flying Books at Neverland's book club event. Book club: 'The Emperor of Gladness' Mon., 6:30 p.m.; Tues. 8:30 p.m. Ocean Vuong's latest novel is the subject of this month's book club. Entry fee includes a glass of wine or other beverage, a discussion and a $20 store credit. Palmerston Library 560 Palmerston Ave. The Playful Page: A Sci-Fi Rom-Com Conversation Mon., 6 p.m. Another Story Bookshop celebrates Toronto Games Week with this event featuring game designers Holly Gramazio and Jim Munroe, who discuss their recent books, 'Zeroed Out' and 'The Husbands.' Type Books 883 Queen St. W. Book Launch: 'The Damagers' Weds., 7 p.m. Rob Benvie, former singer-guitarist of Halifax alt-rockers Thrush Hermit, talks about his dark fourth novel about a cult in upstate New York. Factory Theatre 125 Bathurst St. Oral Method Presents: Coward Fri., 7:30 p.m. This free public reading series, organized by Kalale Dalton-Lutale and Esmé Hogeveen, features new, experimental writing from Fatuma Adar, Sheila Heti, Jessica Kasiama, Jonnie Lombard, Kayleigh Trace, Kiera Boult and Delilah Rosier, as well as art from Eunice Luk. They will create and present new work in response to a themed prompt — in this case 'cowardice' — with the goal of reading it aloud for the first time.
Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Upcoming book events feature Sheila Heti, a Halifax rocker and sci-fi rom-coms
Flying Books at Neverland 371 Queen St. W. Book launch: 'Quietly, Loving Everyone' Sun., 7 p.m. Montreal writer Curtis John McRae discusses his debut, a collection of short stories featuring an undead James Dean, a tragic Cape Cod road trip and a date at an old porn theatre. Ocean Vuong's 'The Emperor of Gladness' is the subject of Flying Books at Neverland's book club event. Book club: 'The Emperor of Gladness' Mon., 6:30 p.m.; Tues. 8:30 p.m. Ocean Vuong's latest novel is the subject of this month's book club. Entry fee includes a glass of wine or other beverage, a discussion and a $20 store credit. Palmerston Library 560 Palmerston Ave. The Playful Page: A Sci-Fi Rom-Com Conversation Mon., 6 p.m. Another Story Bookshop celebrates Toronto Games Week with this event featuring game designers Holly Gramazio and Jim Munroe, who discuss their recent books, 'Zeroed Out' and 'The Husbands.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Type Books 883 Queen St. W. Book Launch: 'The Damagers' Weds., 7 p.m. Rob Benvie, former singer-guitarist of Halifax alt-rockers Thrush Hermit, talks about his dark fourth novel about a cult in upstate New York. Factory Theatre 125 Bathurst St. Oral Method Presents: Coward Fri., 7:30 p.m. This free public reading series, organized by Kalale Dalton-Lutale and Esmé Hogeveen, features new, experimental writing from Fatuma Adar, Sheila Heti, Jessica Kasiama, Jonnie Lombard, Kayleigh Trace, Kiera Boult and Delilah Rosier, as well as art from Eunice Luk. They will create and present new work in response to a themed prompt — in this case 'cowardice' — with the goal of reading it aloud for the first time.
The Spinoff
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending June 13
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books' stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 A Different kind Of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) The former prime minister's reign continues! Do make sure you're buying the legit copy and not any of these AI fakes… 2 Delirious by Damien Wilkins (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) The moving, immersive novel about an ageing couple navigating how to be in the last segments of their lives. 3 The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Random House, $38) The second novel from celebrated writer Ocean Vuong. Here's the publisher's blurb: '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 alter Hai's relationship to himself, his family, and a community at the brink.' 4 Butter by Asako Yuzuki (Fourth Estate, $35) Did you know that former prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, has a podcast called A Pod of One's Own? Well now you do. And season seven, episode four is all about Butter. 5 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) The sinister and spectacular alternate history that raises a lot of philosophical questions … a gripping read perfect for these rainy, wintry days. Read a review of this brilliant novel right here on The Spinoff. 6 James by Percival Everett (Picador, $38) The widely celebrated retelling of Huckleberry Finn. 7 Air by John Boyne (Doubleday, $35) The conclusion to Boyne's elements trilogy. Read Chris Reed's review over on Booklovers NZ. 8 There Are Rivers In The Sky by Elif Shafak (Penguin Random House, $26) Turkish writer and activist Elif Shafak's latest, moving novel about the connections facilitated by bodies of water. 9 Eurotrash by Christian Kracht (Profile Books, $39) A terminally ill mother and her son road trip around Europe and reckon with themselves. 10 Assassin's Apprentice #1 Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (HarperCollins, $23) One for the fantasy addicts. Here's the blurb: 'The kingdom of the Six Duchies is on the brink of civil war when news breaks that the crown prince has fathered a bastard son and is shamed into abdication. The child's name is Fitz, and he is despised. Raised in the castle stables, only the company of the king's fool, the ragged children of the lower city, and his unusual affinity with animals provide Fitz with any comfort. To be useful to the crown, Fitz is trained as an assassin; and to use the traditional magic of the Farseer family. But his tutor, allied to another political faction, is determined to discredit, even kill him. Fitz must survive: for he may be destined to save the kingdom.' WELLINGTON 1 A Different Kind Of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House, $60) 2 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) 3 Terrier, Worrier by Anna Jackson (Auckland University Press, $25) An absolutely stunning new book from poet Anna Jackson. A long-form poetic sort-of memoir it is gorgeous to read and a meditation on daily life as much as it is about the clouds of thought that follow us day in, day out. 4 A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan (Allen and Unwin NZ, $37) A summer holiday you won't forget anytime soon. Here's a snippet from books editor Claire Mabey's review: 'Enter, the child. Trevelyan's narrator is 10 years old. She's unnamed until the very end of the book (I won't reveal it here: best to find out for yourself). It's this naive perspective that makes A Beautiful Family both easy to read and impossible to put down. The narrator's innocence is pitted against several disturbing factors, all orbiting her summer in various shapes and shades, and it's that persistent dance of disturbances that creates the sustained and unrelenting tension in the novel.' 5 What to Do When I'm Gone: A Mother's Wisdom to Her Daughter by Suzy Hopkins and Hallie Bateman (Bloomsbury, $27) Winter seems a good time to contemplate this kind of inevitability? IDK. But here's the blurb: 'One sleepless night while she was in her early twenties, illustrator/writer Hallie Bateman had a painful realization: Someday, her mother would be gone. The prospect was devastating, and also scary – how would she navigate the world without the person who gave her life? She thought about all the motherly advice she would miss–advice that could help her through a host of future challenges that might arise, including the ordeal of losing a parent. The next day, Hallie asked her mother, writer Suzy Hopkins, to record step-by-step instructions for her to follow in the event of her mom's death. The list began: 'Pour yourself a stiff glass of whiskey and make some fajitas' and continued from there, walking Hallie through the days, months, and years of life after loss, with motherly guidance and support, addressing issues great and small–from choosing a life partner to baking a quiche. The project became a way for mother and daughter to discuss the everyday realities of grief, and to do so honestly, with humor, openness, and gratitude. It led to a book they hope will help other families have similar conversations.' 6 Delirious by Damien Wilkins (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38) 7 James by Percival Everett (Picador, $38) 8 Before the Winter Ends by Khadro Mohamed (Tender Press, $30) 'I pondered for a long time how I was going to write this review,' wrote Melissa Oliver in The Spinoff. 'I'd lost any sense of how to form a coherent thought or sentence. It is a book that completely took me away from my own life and my own ways of seeing the world. It's unlike anything I've read for a long time and will be a novel that a lot of people will not know they've been waiting for.' 9 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $30) The latest instalment from one of the most successful young adult series ever. 10 M āori Rafter & Tāniko Design by J. W. Phillipps (Oratia Books, $40) This is a republication of a classic book from 1943: 'This complete redesign of W.J. Phillipps' classic work introduces key patterns in an accessible manner with rich illustrations. Beginning with the koru, the book develops from analysis of drawings to real examples, including important meeting house designs. The beautifully rendered patterns gain new life in a generous layout that will be of value to students and experts alike.'
Arab News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Emperor of Gladness'
Author: Ocean Vuong As an avid reader, I often search for books that not only tell compelling stories but also touch the depths of my soul. Ocean Vuong's 'The Emperor of Gladness' is a book that captivated me in ways I did not expect. From its opening pages, I knew I was in for a transformative experience. Vuong, a Vietnamese-American poet and novelist, is known for his lyrical and poignant style that explores themes of identity, family, and the immigrant experience. His debut novel this year follows the success of his award-winning poetry collections, including 'Night Sky with Exit Wounds,' which garnered critical acclaim and established him as a significant voice in contemporary literature. Reading 'The Emperor of Gladness' felt like embarking on an emotional journey that resonated deeply with me. Sometimes you do not just read a book; you bleed through it. Vuong's lyrical prose enveloped me, drawing me into the intricate lives of his characters. I found myself captivated by their struggles and triumphs, each story reflecting the complexities of identity and family ties. This is my second five-star book of the year, and the magic of it still lingers, like an unsolved riddle in the back of my mind. Vuong has a remarkable ability to weave together themes of love and trauma, striking a chord that reminded me of my own experiences searching for belonging. His vivid imagery made me feel as if I was walking alongside the characters, experiencing their joys and sorrows firsthand. I was particularly moved by how he portrayed the Vietnamese-American experience, capturing the nuances of culture and the weight of history. Each character felt real and relatable, navigating their paths in a world that can often feel isolating. What stayed with me long after I finished the book was the tenderness with which Vuong approached his characters. This novel is not just a story; it is an exploration of what it means to be human, to love, and to endure. Overall, 'The Emperor of Gladness' is a beautifully crafted work that left a lasting impact on me. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates lyrical storytelling and the exploration of identity.
