Book Review: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

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If you like autobiography and poetry, “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong is a definite must-read.

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” follows a Vietnamese-American narrator Little Dog as he recounts the story of his family before and after the Vietnam War and its aftermath; migrating to America. This autobiographical tale delves deep into race, trauma, and sexuality.

This book was seriously gorgeous. The writing style was beautiful, lyrical, and poetic in a way that makes you reread sentences as you go.

The way Ocean crafts his narrative in a non-linear way is masterful. To be able to easily follow these past-present stories takes true diligence from the writer. He crosses timelines with events, people, and feelings which makes it so beautiful to see how he’s made ‘sense’ of it all through his own interpretations and connections when recounting his life.

It is rare to come around a book that touches so intensely and honestly on war, trauma, race, immigration, identity (sexual and other), and writing.

Ocean Vuong is a true storyteller who knows the power of storytelling, and the necessity of storytelling and stories for survival. He shows how English becomes the tool of the survivor in which dominance of the language from the oppressor. A story known by many immigrants and children of immigrants. 

Upon finishing the book, I also listened to the Podcast interview ‘On Being’ featuring Ocean Vuong, and it truly made me cry and impressed my heart deeply such as his work did.

I highly recommend this poetic autobiography. It is a must-read.

“They say nothing lasts forever but they’re just scared it will last longer than they can love it.”

“Because the sunset, like survival, exists only on the verge of its own disappearing. To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted.” 

⭐⭐⭐⭐