Ocean Vuong’s new novel, ‘The Emperor of Gladness,’ is Winfrey’s latest book club pick

NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey’s latest book club pick is a new novel from Ocean Vuong, one of the country’s most admired young writers.

Winfrey announced Tuesday that she has chosen Vuong’s “The Emperor of Gladness,” in which the Vietnamese American author tells of the bond between a suicidal teen and an elderly widow with dementia. Winfrey’s video podcast interview with Vuong can be seen on her YouTube channel, among other outlets. The interview was held in Chicago at a Starbucks, which is partnering with Winfrey for the current edition of her book club.

“Ocean draws from his own personal experiences of being born in Vietnam, raised in a working-class family in Connecticut, and working as a fast-food server as inspiration for this story, which features an unlikely cast of truly unforgettable characters,” Winfrey said in a statement. “This award-winning author and acclaimed poet has written in stunning prose, a heartfelt and powerful examination of those living on the fringes of society, and the unique challenges they face to survive and thrive.”

Vuong, 36, has received numerous honors, including the T.S. Eliot Prize and Pushcart Prize for his poetry, a MacArthur Fellowship and a Whiting grant awarded to promising writers. His other books include the novel “On Earth We Were Briefly Gorgeous” and the poetry collections “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” and “Time Is a Mother.”

In a statement Tuesday, he said that receiving “the call” from Winfrey was one of the highlights of his life, with a poignant echo of his childhood.

“Sitting in my mother’s nail salon, I watched women see Oprah featuring an author on her show, which played each day in the salon, and literally rise from their seats with poise and confidence, saying they’re gonna walk to the Barnes and Noble across the street and buy a book, suddenly armed with access to the discourse, and thereby in possession of the cultural center,” he said.

“To think of my book being invited to join such a profound lineage is truly awe-inspiring. I only wish my mother were alive to see it. Among all the literary achievements in an author’s life, this would be the one she truly recognizes.”