Podcasts about Ocean Vuong

The more Ocean Vuong writes, the more he sees his craft as less of a skill and more a condition. He feels compelled to pay attention to the small details around him and turn those details into a story. But he tells Rachel that he actually hopes a day comes when he can stop writing. Vuong's latest book is “The Emperor of Gladness.”To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Caroline Wahl ist Autorin und sagt, dass sie beim Schreiben ihre eigenen Gefühle verarbeitet und besser versteht. Sie war 27, als ihr erster Roman „22 Bahnen“ erschien und direkt zum Bestseller wurde. Ein Jahr später folgte „Windstärke 17“. Beide Bücher zusammen haben inzwischen mehr als 1,7 Million Leserinnen und Leser gefunden – das ist für den deutschen Buchmarkt ein wirklich bahnbrechender Erfolg. Als ich jetzt im Zug nach Kiel saß, in Carolines Wahlheimat, und am Laptop nochmal in Ruhe meine Vorbereitung durchgegangen bin, zog mein Sitznachbar ausgerechnet “22 Bahnen” aus seiner Tasche. Das Buch ist wirklich überall! Demnächst sogar im Kino. Parallel erscheint Roman Nummer drei. Höchste Zeit, dass Caro endlich einmal hier zu Gast ist. Ich wollte herausfinden: Wie viel von ihr selbst steckt in ihren Romanen und Figuren? Und schreibt sie auch Texte, die die Öffentlichkeit niemals zu lesen bekommen soll? So kamen wir darauf zu sprechen, wie man als junger Mensch ein schwieriges Arbeitsumfeld bewältigt, warum Caro ehrlicher ist als viele andere Leute und welche Bedeutung ihr hellblaues, schnelles Auto für sie hat. Mir ist auch besonders im Kopf geblieben, was sie über diese ganz bestimmte Phase im Leben zu sagen hatte, in der man sich von den eigenen Eltern abgrenzen muss - was oft schmerzhaft, aber ja trotzdem wichtig ist. Also, hier kommt ‘ne gute Stunde mit Caroline Wahl. ►►► Deutschland3000 Instagram: @deutschland3000 https://www.instagram.com/deutschland3000 Caroline Wahl Instagram: @carowahl https://www.instagram.com/carowahl/ Eva Schulz Instagram: @evaschulz https://www.instagram.com/evaschulz/ ►►► Ocean Vuong über Cringe Culture: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fsGsm73BuuM Den NDR-Bücherpodcast eat.READ.sleep findet ihr hier: https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/eat-read-sleep-buecher-fuer-dich/urn:ard:show:21785c45dc44e254/ ►►► Redaktion: Merle Hömberg und Ruby-Ann Schwiethal Gäste-Management: Axel Schöning Produktion: Merle Hömberg und Axel Schöning Social Media: Kim Vanessa Schang und das Sounddesign kommt von Soundquadrat.

For lonely young men who have forgotten how to read, the LA Times book critic Bethanne Patrick some some simple advice: Get Queer Quicker. And to make her point, Patrick discusses five great books on today's male identity crisis - including from Keen On alums like Jessa Crispin and Andrew Lipstein. Patrick argues that reports of the literary man's death are greatly exaggerated - he's just evolved beyond the Philip Roth archetype. From Michael Douglas movies to Danish masculinity models, from toxic fathers to cross-dressing ceramicists, these books reveal how modern men are navigating identity in an era where traditional patriarchal roles have crumbled, replaced by what Crispin calls a system where "you just need to buy your way to the top." So today's anxiety-ridden men who want to get beyond the self-stimulation of Portnoy's Complaint, go to your local (indie) bookstore and GQQ. You'll find that the pages of today's books on the dilemma of maleness are a lot less sticky. 1. The Literary Man Hasn't Disappeared—He's DiversifiedReports of the "death" of literary men are exaggerated. Today's prestigious male writers are just "less likely to also be straight and white"—think Ocean Vuong, Kwame Alexander, and Alexander Chee rather than Philip Roth and Norman Mailer.2. Gen Z is "Getting Queerer Quicker"Younger generations are rejecting rigid gender binaries in literature and life, refusing categories like "romances are for women, thrillers are for men." They're making intentional choices about identity rather than accepting traditional roles.3. The Crisis is About Class, Not Just GenderBoth Jessica Crispin and Jared Yates Sexton argue that male identity crisis stems from economic inequality. The old patriarchy based on "role and responsibilities" was replaced by a system where "you just need to buy your way to the top"—leaving working-class men adrift.4. Men Need Permission to Read DiverselyPatrick's husband didn't read fiction until audiobooks gave him privacy from judgment. Men face social anxiety about being seen reading "feminine" genres, but when freed from scrutiny, they explore widely—from cozy mysteries to historical novels by women.5. Publishing's Gender ParadoxThe industry is "largely female...up to a certain level, but the C-suite people are still predominantly male." This creates resistance to books addressing men's real struggles, making important works like Richard Reeves' Of Boys and Men hard to publish through traditional channels.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

The first episode that falls under the new “current state of lit mags” banner, Katie, Tim and the Squad examine the New Yorker which has been in print for 100 years. Will the institution's high profile equate to a consistently high caliber of poems? Listen in as we discuss recent poems to appear in the New Yorker by Maya C. Popa, Jericho Brown, Ocean Vuong, and Bob Hicok.At the Table:Katie DozierTimothy GreenJoe BarcaDick Westheimer

[REBROADCAST FROM May 14, 2025] Celebrated poet and author Ocean Vuong discusses his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. It follows the relationship between a young man and an elderly woman who meet after the man's suicide attempt. 

Welcome to episode 92 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino are joined by special guest Jo-ann Rosen. Together, they discuss individual and collective trauma and how mindfulness and neuroscience can help address it. The conversation further explores the concepts of current and historical trauma, how the nervous system can become overwhelmed by modern stresses, the courage required to be vulnerable and honest about our suffering, how this can lead to deeper connections and understanding within a community – and more. Jo-ann, a psychotherapist with expertise in trauma and mindfulness, shares her personal journey of discovering the Plum Village tradition and how it has informed her understanding of trauma. She emphasizes the importance of collective healing, drawing from her work with marginalized communities and the power of creating safe spaces for people to share their experiences and find support in each other. Brother Phap Huu also shares his experiences of supporting the Plum Village monastic community and retreatants in cultivating stability and healing through mindfulness practices. BioDharma Teacher Jo-ann Rosen, True River of Understanding, Chan Tue Ha (pronouns she/her), received the Lamp of Wisdom (symbolizing the transmission of Dharma from Zen Master to disciple) and authorization to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 2012. She practices with the EMBRACE and Victoria Sanghas, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and teaches and lectures internationally, focusing on inner stability and community resiliency. Her writings center on a neuroscience-informed and trauma-sensitive approach to individual practice and collective awakening. She lives with her partner of 40 years in the oak woodlands of Northern California, US. Photo by Leslie Kirkpatrick Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Live show: The Way Out Is In podcast with special guest Ocean Vuong plumvillage.uk/livepodcast Embrace Sanghahttps://www.embracesangha.org/ Unshakeable: Trauma-Informed Mindfulness for Collective Awakeninghttps://www.parallax.org/product/unshakeable On the Plum Village App > Meditations > Trauma Informed Practice Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing The Miracle of Mindfulness https://plumvillage.shop/products/books/personal-growth-and-self-care/the-miracle-of-mindfulness-2 Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths'https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths Thich Nhat Hanh: Redefining the Four Noble Truthshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eARDko51Xdw ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village'https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village Quotes “The nervous system evolves very slowly. It doesn’t change overnight. Ten thousand years is nothing in terms of your nervous system changing. So this nervous system I’m running around in is evolved for a hunter-gatherer. It’s not evolved for being in a car at a stoplight or having somebody demand things of me that I’m incapable of doing. Then I start to be nervous as if I’m going to die. That’s so bewildering. So as I learned more and more about the neuroscience, it was this great relief: ‘I’m not broken. I’m okay. I don’t have to hide what I can’t do.'” “We’re all suffering from the expectation that we can function in this crazy world when our nervous system is not made for unrelenting stresses. And when we experience unrelenting stresses without good social support, our nervous system is overwhelmed and expresses that in a variety of ways. But the first line of what this neuroscience stuff can do is make us realize that we’re acting normally in a very tragic situation that we're just not made for.” “I really shy away from the word ‘trauma', because it has a very particular spin right now. That’s not to say that deep-trauma therapists and super astute neuroscientists in labs and scanners, et cetera, aren’t making a huge contribution to the understanding of trauma. But I would like to take the word out and instead say, ‘We’re dealing with things that we’re not built for.'” “To put it crudely, the nervous system creates certain states of mind that are purely about well-being – and we can savor those. But then we have certain states of mind which require more alertness and more activity in our bodies. That’s not bad; we have all the mental formations in there and can handle it without being carried away. And one of the things that neuroscience can bring to our understanding of Thay’s teachings is a little better sense of, ‘What does it mean to be carried away? How can I tell when I’m carried away?' Because that’s really foundational in our practice.” “Is our practice something that will heal traumas? Well, sometimes. And sometimes not. So it's not an ‘either' or ‘but'; what we’ve been working with is how to help ourselves regulate our nervous systems so we can practice, because practice is so much bigger than any trauma that we have.” “Mindfulness means that you can be triggered, but know how to be with the emotions that are being triggered – so that you can be a part of the world, engaging with the world, engaging with yourself.” “To walk together, that’s very healing. To listen together, to feel safe, that’s very healing. And that is teaching our nervous system the feeling of safety, to allow us to also touch our empathy. So, when we see others who are not in safety, we have empathy; we want to do everything in our capacity to transform that part of society.” “There is no way to healing; healing is the way.”

Stephen returns to the Pod Show to play a new game showcasing the unique etymology of life at The Late Show before launching into his extended conversation with poet, bestselling author and McArthur Genius Grant recipient Ocean Vuong. His latest book, "The Emperor of Gladness," is available now. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special episode of Podsongs, musician Ceschi Ramos sits down with award-winning writer Ocean Vuong (On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, Night Sky with Exit Wounds) for a raw, deeply personal conversation about art, identity, music, and grief.This is the kind of conversation that only results when two artists at the same level, but in different disciplines, can really judge and appreciate one another's work. And Ocean said Ceschi's insights were "the most accurate and kindest thing anyone has ever said about my work."They explore their shared Connecticut roots, the influence of punk rock and hip-hop on their creative journeys, and the impact of family history, war, and loss on their work. From Buddhism and coping with trauma to navigating the commercial pressures of the creative industry, this dialogue offers profound insights into the intersections of music, literature, and personal history.If you're drawn to multicultural identity stories, poetry that cuts to the bone, and the uncompromising pursuit of authenticity in art, you'll want to hear every minute.The song that is inspired by the conversation is called "CHANGE OR DIE": https://ffm.to/changeordie00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

Endlech Summer! An du sichs vläicht nach no engem Buch fir mat an d'Vakanz? Mir präsentéieren de ganze Summer iwwer an eisem Summer Book Club queer Bicher fir deng Vakanzenlecture! Dës Woch ass et um Elie, deen eis dem Ocean Vuong sain Roman On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous virstellt. Et geet ëm  dem Schrëftsteller  seng eege Geschicht, an deelweis d'Familljegeschicht als Aart vu fiktiver Autobiografie.  Et geet em Krichststrauma, Familljendrama, Identitéit, Schicksal, a Kultur. Infos zum Buch on-earth-were-briefly-gorgeous-by-ocean-vuong -publizéiert bei Penguin House

Send us a textHello again, and a warm welcome to new listeners! This is the first episode of a new season and, in a way, the first chapter of an entirely new story. Old friends will remember The Heart Gallery; now, we've stepped out into the wider - and wilder? - landscape of the imagination.In this short opening episode, I share the tale of a matrescence-sparked imagination awakening, the first beginning of a curriculum experiment drawn from works of those on the imagination frontlines, and a glimpse of what's to come this season.Mentioned in this episode:- Krista Tippet, On Being pod, & Adrienne Maree Brown's On Radical Imagination and Moving Towards Life.- Tani Cade Bambara on making revolutionary change irresistible - secondary source.- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.- Ocean Vuong on Talk Easy pod.- Murmuration example.Ideas? Visions? Imaginaries? Email rebekaryvola@gmail.com.This episode was edited by Angela Ohlfest, typographer from Simon Walker, music from Cosmo Sheldrake.

Welcome to episode 91 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino are joined by Nho Tran, who, after 17 years as a nun in the Plum Village tradition, is now continuing her spiritual journey as a layperson. Together, they explore the origins and evolution of the Plum Village tradition: the Buddhist lineage founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay). Thay worked to restore and renew Vietnamese Buddhism, integrating its rich history and diverse influences while increasing the teachings’ accessibility and relevance to the modern world. The participants describe Thay’s openness to adapting practices to different communities’ needs, while maintaining the tradition's core principles and lineage. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding one’s roots and cultural heritage, and of the flexibility to evolve and innovate within a spiritual tradition, and how these principles led to Thay’s vision of engaged Buddhism, which seeks to address societal issues and cultivate both inner and outer peace. Among other insights, Nho shares her personal journey of reconnecting with her Vietnamese heritage and identity through Thay’s teachings, while Brother Phap Huu reflects on Thay's intentional weaving together of the ancient roots of Vietnamese Buddhism with contemporary relevance and accessibility. Bio: Nho Tran is a scholar, facilitator, and former Buddhist nun in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. For many years, she lived and practiced in monastic communities across Asia, Europe, and North America, where she cultivated a deep commitment to interbeing, cultural resilience, and the art of mindful living. Nho's work sits at the intersection of conflict transformation, ethics, and systems thinking. Drawing on her monastic formation and experience across diverse sectors, she supports individuals and communities in navigating difficult conversations, fostering cultural change, and reimagining leadership grounded in compassion and collective wisdom. She holds a joint degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and Religion from the University of Southern California, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and an MA from Harvard University. She is currently a PhD candidate at Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, where her research explores the intersections of religion, ethics, governance, and Vietnamese Buddhist history. Nho teaches negotiation, ethics, and conflict resolution at Harvard, and continues to serve as a bridge between contemplative practice and social transformation. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Live show: The Way Out Is In podcast with special guest Ocean Vuong plumvillage.uk/livepodcastInterbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing James Baldwinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baldwin Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths'https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths Thich Nhat Hanh: Redefining the Four Noble Truthshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eARDko51Xdw ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village'https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village Theravadahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Mahayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Champahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champa Vajrayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Prajnaparamitahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prajnaparamita Dhyanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhyana_in_Buddhism Linjihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linji_school Pearl S. Buckhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S._Buck ‘Please Call Me By My True Name'https://plumvillage.org/articles/please-call-me-by-my-true-names-song-poem Quotes “Is it James Baldwin who says, ‘If you love something dearly, you can love it and, at the same time, critique it with your whole heart'?” “I remember Thay saying that when he met an individual, he never saw that person as themselves alone; he saw the entire lineage of what had brought that person to this present moment.” “Understanding is another name for love.” “One of the beauties of the teachings of the Buddha is that the monks are also scholars. They love to help articulate the teachings of Buddhism; they love to create lists and they love to categorize things as a means to transmit them. And then the deepest practice is being free from all of that and to see the weaving of all the teachings.” “In the will of our teacher, written to all of us, his monks and nuns students, he said that one of the greatest heritages of Buddhism, of the Buddha’s teaching, is this openness to ever grow, to ever change, and not to believe in a god, a doctrine. That is the only way.” “Thay once told me that we don’t have time to go and correct people. Instead, we have to develop our liberation and transmit this beautiful teaching to the next generation.” “Thay is very progressive in order for the tree to grow, but very conservative to restore the roots. That is the dance around and in the teachings of the Buddha: the middle way. To meet the present moment, we have to find a pathway that continues to evolve, but we also need to have roots.” “If we are practicing Buddhism, but we’re not practicing inner peace, outer peace, and liberation, then that is not Buddhism. So, Thay’s understanding of Buddhism goes beyond form.” “What is our compass? That is mindfulness. Come back to our awareness of the present moment.” “Buddhism is made of non-Buddhist elements. Plum Village is made up of non-Plum Village elements – but it does have foundations, and the Four Plum Village seals, which Thay said are our defining way of teaching and practice.” “There is so much richness and goodness in spirituality and in religion because religion is made of non-religious elements.” “If the identity or the moniker of ‘a Buddhist' gets in the way of the work that I’m trying to do, which is peace and liberation, I will let that go gladly. But it doesn’t mean I’m not a Buddhist, or that I don’t get to tap into the tradition. If that’s getting in the way, if that makes people suffer more, that’s not the name of the game. I’m trying to get to liberation; I’m trying to get to freedom for everyone; I’m trying to get to a place where everyone gets to tap into this endless source of love.” “The perfection of wisdom is to be able to hold two seemingly contradictory things together in perfect harmony.”

Deze zomer is er elke zaterdag een aflevering van de Zomerbar. Elke week ontvangt Lise Bonduelle twee redacteurs die gepassioneerd over hun zomerse cultuurtips vertellen. Deze week neemt Max De Moor het boek De keizer van Gladness van Ocean Vuong mee. Josephine Dapaah vertelt waarom de Y2K-realityshow Laguna Beach de ideale zomerreeks is. ­ Laguna Beach is te bekijken op Youtube. De keizer van Gladness van Ocean Vuong is in het Nederlands uitgegeven bij Hollands diep. Meer zomerse cultuurtips vind je op standaard.be/cultuurzomer. ­ Gasten Max De Moor, Josephine Dapaah | Presentatie en redactie Lise Bonduelle | Eindredactie Fien Dillen | Audioproductie en muziek Pieter Santens | Chef podcast Alexander LippeveldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this heartfelt conversation from 2020, celebrated poet Andrea Gibson shares intimate wisdom on creativity, identity, and embracing life fully, including soul-stirring performances of their cherished poems. Gibson, whose memorable works include "You Better Be Lightning," brings gentle wisdom and profound insight to this meaningful discussion, now shared as a loving tribute.You can find Andrea's work at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode, you'll also love the conversations we had with Ocean Vuong about navigating struggle and making peace with his story.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to episode 90 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino are joined by Nho Tran, a nun in the Plum Village tradition for 17 years now continuing her spiritual journey as a layperson.  Together, they explore the profound importance of spiritual friendship in the Buddhist tradition, while Brother Phap Huu and Nho reflect on the personal journey of their decades-long friendship. They discuss the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh on the centrality of community and togetherness in cultivating joy, stability, and liberation; the challenges and growth experienced through friendship; and the importance of deep listening and being present for one another, which allows for vulnerability, honesty, and the freedom to be one’s authentic self. Bio Nho Tran is a scholar, facilitator, and former Buddhist nun in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She spent many years living and practicing in monastic communities across Asia, Europe, and North America, where she cultivated a deep commitment to interbeing, cultural resilience, and the art of mindful living. Nho's work sits at the intersection of conflict transformation, ethics, and systems thinking. Drawing on her monastic formation and experience across diverse sectors, she supports individuals and communities in navigating difficult conversations, fostering cultural change, and reimagining leadership grounded in compassion and collective wisdom. She holds a joint degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and Religion from the University of Southern California, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and an MA from Harvard University. She is currently a PhD candidate at Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, where her research explores the intersections of religion, ethics, governance, and Vietnamese Buddhist history. Nho teaches negotiation, ethics, and conflict resolution at Harvard, and continues to serve as a bridge between contemplative practice and social transformation. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Live show: The Way Out Is In podcast with special guest Ocean Vuong plumvillage.uk/livepodcastOcean Vuonghttps://www.oceanvuong.com/Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Ānanda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80nanda Pali Canonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali_Canon The Three Marks of Existencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence The Miracle of Mindfulness https://plumvillage.shop/products/books/personal-growth-and-self-care/the-miracle-of-mindfulness-2/ Marahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)Brother Spirithttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/brother-phap-linhThich Nhat Hanh: Redefining the Four Noble Truthshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eARDko51XdwMaitreyahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya  Quotes “When we receive a Dharma name, it is almost like a trust that we’re receiving. It is also the intention that a teacher sees our potential in it. And it’s something that is given to us to practice for our whole life.” “Learn to befriend yourself first, and then learn to be a friend of many.” “Spiritual friendship is the whole of the spiritual path. It is the entirety of the spirit path.” “Monk, you have to have a good friendship. You have to have good conversations. You have to have good deeds. You have to have good efforts. And then you have a grasp on impermanence.” “The joy of meditation is daily food.” “One of our teacher Thay’s realizations was that our deepest suffering is loneliness, and it comes from the wrong views of what success is, which is individualistic.” “Reverence is the nature of my love.” “In true love, there’s freedom.” “True love is being present.” “Understanding is another word for love.” “Mindfulness always has to have an object.” “There are ways in which, when people hear, ‘Oh, in true love, there is freedom', they will be like, ‘Oh, freedom means I can do whatever I want.' There’s a sort of recklessness. And that’s not the type of freedom I’m talking about. I’m talking about some real, raw, internal stuff, where I can show up in this relationship and he can show up in this relationship in his undefended self.” “We have to expand our hearts and our way of being to bring people in, because we need friends.” “Thay said that even if you’re an activist and you're saving people’s lives and you’re building humanity and rebuilding villages, if you’re doing it from a place of self, of pride and ego: don’t do it. Enter into interbeing; do this because you see them as you, then you can be ‘in service of'.” “A true friend is someone who understands your suffering, who listens deeply without judging and who is capable of being there with you in difficult moments. They don’t try to fix you, they simply sit with you, in mindfulness. This kind of presence is rare and it is a great gift. When you find such a friend, cherish them, because they help you touch the peace and freedom that are already within you.” “The greatest technology we have is each other. These relationships that we have with each other, we keep seeking something else. But the thing that makes us feel like we are living a meaningful life is being seen and acknowledged and recognized by the gaze of another person, the loving gaze of another person.” “The most powerful spiritual technology is the coming together.” “I tell people to come to Plum Village, but not to try to learn something. Come here just to be. Because I think our thirst for ‘a fix' is so powerful now. We’re looking for a spiritual teaching to fix us; we’re looking to fix all of our suffering. And guess what? Some of your suffering, you might not be able to fix it.”

From the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collections Night Sky with Exit Wounds and Time Is a Mother, as well as the novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, comes The Emperor of Gladness—a novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. In conversation with Nicole Chung, the author of the memoirs A Living Remedy, named a Notable Book by The New York Times, and All You Can Ever Know, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. This program was held on May 19, 2025 in partnership with Politics and Prose.  Watch this conversation on YouTube.

Author and poet Ocean Vuong grew up in Hartford, Connecticut. It's a city he describes as having beautiful, vibrant life. His mother worked in a nail salon and his stepfather worked in manufacturing. Speaking about his mother and aunts, who immigrated from Vietnam, Vuong says he was raised by storytellers. Today, Vuong is one of the nation's most celebrated storytellers. He's winner of a prestigious MacArthur "genius" Grant and a tenured professor at New York University. His new book, "The Emperor of Gladness," is set in the fictional town of East Gladness, Connecticut. Vuong said he started writing the book to start to navigate grief after his mother’s death. He joined us to talk about his book, and how growing up in Connecticut shaped his writing. GUEST: Ocean Vuong: writer, professor and author of "The Emperor of Gladness" Chloe Wynn, Coco Cooley and Isaac Moss contributed to this hour. Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie and Hunter discuss the best books of 2025 (so far)! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 536) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Annie's books: First five-star read: Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld Most surprising: Blessings and Disasters by Alexis Okeowo (releases August 5th) Least favorite: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins Next on your TBR: The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley, The Names by Florence Knapp Most anticipated fall release: Same by Hannah Rosenberg (releases October 21st), Heart the Lover by Lily King (releases October 7th) Annie's Top Ten (So Far): 1. Tilt by Emma Pattee 2. Flashlight by Susan Choi 3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 4. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li 5. Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld 6. Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks 7. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green 8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 9. Lucky Night by Eliza Kennedy 10. Playworld by Adam Ross Hunter's books: First five-star read: Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett Most surprising: Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino Least favorite: When The Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris Next on your TBR: Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley Hunter's Top Ten (So Far): 1 Audition by Katie Kitamura 2. Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones 3. Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett 4. Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez 5. Among Friends by Hal Ebbott 6. The Wilderness by Angela Flourney (releases September 16th) 7. Open Heaven by Sean Hewitt 8. The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett 9. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico 10. Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading A Change of Habit by Sister Monica Clare. Hunter is reading The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

This week on Modern Love, we're bringing you a conversation we liked so much that we're envious we didn't get to have ourselves. In a raw but deeply heartfelt and compassionate conversation with “The Interview" host David Marchese, author and poet Ocean Vuong talks about the real reason he became a writer. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

6/30/25: "The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician" with author Scott Kerman. Megan Zinn w/ THE Ocean Vuong on life and literature. Alex Leff: his Human Nature Odyssey podcast. Chester Theatre Co-Artistic Directors Chris Baker & Michelle Ong-Hendrick: four fabulous productions this summer.

6/30/25: "The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician" with author Scott Kerman. Megan Zinn w/ THE Ocean Vuong on life and literature. Alex Leff: his Human Nature Odyssey podcast. Chester Theatre Co-Artistic Directors Chris Baker & Michelle Ong-Hendrick: four fabulous productions this summer.

6/30/25: "The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician" with author Scott Kerman. Megan Zinn w/ THE Ocean Vuong on life and literature. Alex Leff: his Human Nature Odyssey podcast. Chester Theatre Co-Artistic Directors Chris Baker & Michelle Ong-Hendrick: four fabulous productions this summer.

6/30/25: "The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician" with author Scott Kerman. Megan Zinn w/ THE Ocean Vuong on life and literature. Alex Leff: his Human Nature Odyssey podcast. Chester Theatre Co-Artistic Directors Chris Baker & Michelle Ong-Hendrick: four fabulous productions this summer.

Long before he became a bestselling writer, Ocean Vuong sold rotisserie chickens at Boston Market. In his latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness, he explores the meaning that can be found in the daily grind of a fast food restaurant. The book follows a young addict named Hai as he unexpectedly becomes caretaker to an elderly woman and makes unlikely connections at the fast-food restaurant where he works. Ocean tells Mattea Roach about challenging the American Dream, how being raised by women shaped him and why this novel is his most self indulgent yet. When the book ends, the conversation begins. Mattea Roach speaks with writers who have something to say about their work, the world and our place in it. You'll always walk away with big questions to ponder and new books to read. Find and follow Bookends wherever you get your podcasts. More episodes of Bookends are available at https://link.mgln.ai/Afkvzq

Day 20: Ocean Vuong reads his poem "The Last Dinosaur.” This poem first appeared in a slightly different form in The Boston Review (2021) and in his collection Time is a Mother (Penguin Press, 2022). Writer, professor, and photographer, Ocean Vuong is the author of The Emperor of Gladness. Born in Saigon, Vietnam and raised in Hartford, Connecticut in a working class family of nail salon and factory laborers, he currently splits his time between western Massachusetts and New York City, where he serves as a Professor in Modern Poetry and Poetics in the MFA Program at NYU. Text of today's poem and more details about our program can be found at: deerfieldlibrary.org/queerpoemaday/ Find books from participating poets in our library's catalog.  Queer Poem-a-Day is a program from the Adult Services Department at the Library and may include adult language.  Queer Poem-a-Day is founded and co-directed by poet and professor Lisa Hiton and Dylan Zavagno, Adult Services Coordinator at the Library and host of the Deerfield Public Library Podcast. Music for this fifth year of our series is “L'Ange Verrier” from Le Rossignol Éperdu by Reynaldo Hahn, performed by pianist Daniel Baer. Queer Poem-a-Day is supported by generous donations from the Friends of the Deerfield Public Library and the Deerfield Fine Arts Commission.  

Ocean Vuong fans beware, Nolan has SOMETHING TO SAY about Emperor of Gladness. After weeks venting in the chat he's finally able to let it out on air. After that we're joined by Dan Ozzi, the best-selling author of Sellout, co-author of Fahrenheit 182 (Mark Hoppus' memoir) and co-author of Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout (Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!'s memoir). And some special shit talking on James Frey. What we do best! Books and Authors mentioned in this episode:Ocean Vuong - Emperor of GladnessOcean Vuong - On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous Keith McNally - I Regret Almost EverythingKevin Nguyen - My DocumentsNatsu Kirino - Out Tash Aw - The South Lori Ostlund - Are You Happy?Maxin Loskutoff - Old KingTaylor Jenkins Reid - Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Dan Ozzi - Sell out Mark Hoppus with Dan Ozzi - Fahrenheit 182Laura Jane Grace with Dan Ozzi - TrannyNick Tosches - Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis StoryOur band could be your lifeLarry Livermore: How To Ru(i)n A Record Label: The Story of Lookout Records Silke Tudor & Jack Boulware - Gimme Something Better Peter Guralnick - Last Train To MemphisSam McPheeters - MutationsScott McClanahan - The Incantations of Daniel Johnston Lawrence Burney - No Sense in WishingBud Smith - TeenagerSinéad O'Connor - RememberingsSteve-O - Professional IdiotPamela Anderson - Love, PamelaState by State with the State

If hope is to be defining and forceful in the world we have to remake ahead of us, we must also speak hope into being. Ocean Vuong is a fascinating and singular person. The sweep of his work is about bearing witness to the other side of violence and the possibility of joy while taking nothing away and continuing to bear witness to the fullness of what has been carried and what has been survived. And he is wise about the violence of language that is habitually, culturally instinctive — and how changing that is key to shaping our very presence to others and to this world.Journaling prompts for Session 4As you move through these days, get really attentive in every moment to this world's fluency in the language of violence — the vividness and omnipresence of words that engender fear and despair. Notice, and write down the easy metaphors of death and war that are used everywhere from the news to casual conversations to social media, about everything from relationships to politics to the weather. Notice the death and violence metaphors that come naturally in the way you speak.What happens when you alter your language? What does it mean to take off the shoes of your voice?We've created a beautiful journal for the whole seven weeks, with full-size printable pages, that you can download for free HERE.A Possible Way to Organize This ExperienceTake each week's brief listening offering, each around 15 minutes long, as a meditation to move through the week ahead. And as none of the great virtues — and certainly not hope — is meant to be carried alone, we encourage you to undertake this experience alongside others, perhaps your life partner or family or colleagues or friends, book group or study group.For example, you could:●  Listen to one Wisdom Practice (roughly 15 minutes) — together or separately — around the same time each week. Listen again and/or read the transcript as often as is useful.●  Carry the ideas, invitations, and journal prompts for the session into your ordinary interactions of the days that follow.●  Commit to some time journaling every day, even if just for a few minutes or a few words.●  Meet with or Zoom/call your companion(s) at the end of the week to share, converse, commune.The Hope Portal and this series are adventures in opening the deep enduring teaching that lives inside the 20 years of On Being. We would be so grateful if you would let us know how it goes for you and how it might be refined, by writing to us at mail@onbeing.org. Sign yourself and others up for The Pause to be first to know about all things On Being and to receive Krista's monthly Saturday morning newsletter, including a heads-up on new episodes, special offerings, recommendations, and event invitations.

This week on From the Front Porch, it's an episode of Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley, formerly known as Kids' Table! It's the same banter and book talk you love with a fresh new name. Annie is joined by friend, cousin, and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock, to chat about what they're reading – but also what they're watching, listening to, and buying. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 534) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Annie's books: The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner Nine Lives by Dan Baum (unavailable to order) Ashley's books: Sandwich by Catherine Newman Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green The Wedding People by Alison Espach From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong.  Ashley is reading Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

Poet and novelist Ocean Vuong talks with Tonya Mosley about his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Set in a fictional small town in Connecticut, it follows a 19 year old grappling with addiction and despair, who forms an unexpected bond with an 82-year-old widow living with dementia. Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan has a review of the book. And, we hear from comedian Atsuko Okatsuka. She's known for finding humor in the dysfunction of her immigrant family, and the daily responsibilities of being an adult. Her new standup special is about her father, who reappeared in her life after decades away.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The hosts of the blockbuster podcast We Can Do Hard Things share a fresh guide to being alive and answer life's most difficult questions. Every day, Glennon Doyle spirals around the same questions: Why am I like this? How do I figure out what I want? How do I know what to do? Why can't I be happy? Am I doing this right? The harder life gets, the less likely she is to remember the answers she's spent her life learning. In a particularly difficult year, Glennon was diagnosed with anorexia, her sister Amanda was diagnosed with breast cancer, and her wife Abby's beloved brother died. For the first time, they were all lost at the same time. So they asked each other, their dearest friends, and 118 of the world's most brilliant wayfinders, among them, Jane Fonda, Brandi Carlile, Esther Perel and Ocean Vuong what wisdom might help others find their way. Now they share their discoveries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss the ominous juxtaposition of Trump sending National Guard troops and Marines to quell mostly peaceful protests in LA with his impending military parade in DC, RFK Jr. firing the entire CDC vaccine advisory board and what this means for the future of vaccines, and a unanimous Supreme Court decision that makes it easier to win “reverse discrimination” cases. Here are this week's chatters:   Emily: David Marchese for the New York Times: The Interview: Ocean Vuong Was Ready to Kill. Then a Moment of Grace Changed His Life; Ocean Vuong for the New York Times (Opinion): My Brother's Keeper.   John: The University of Cambridge: Medieval Murder Maps; podcast series: Medieval Murders.   Juliette: Graham Dunbar for the Associated Press: What the Trump travel ban means for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games; Chelsea Jones for CBS News Miami: Will ICE agents be at Miami's FIFA Club World Cup games? Sheriff Cordero-Stutz responds after deleted CBP post.   Listener chatter from Katie Johnston in Bangor, Northern Ireland: Sophie Hardach for the BBC: How the humble chestnut traced the rise and fall of the Roman Empire   For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss favorite dark comedy drama Hacks, which tackles the relationship between two women of differing generations and clashing opinions with witty banter and emotional richness.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with author Susan Dominus about her new book, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Research by Emily Ditto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss the ominous juxtaposition of Trump sending National Guard troops and Marines to quell mostly peaceful protests in LA with his impending military parade in DC, RFK Jr. firing the entire CDC vaccine advisory board and what this means for the future of vaccines, and a unanimous Supreme Court decision that makes it easier to win “reverse discrimination” cases. Here are this week's chatters:   Emily: David Marchese for the New York Times: The Interview: Ocean Vuong Was Ready to Kill. Then a Moment of Grace Changed His Life; Ocean Vuong for the New York Times (Opinion): My Brother's Keeper.   John: The University of Cambridge: Medieval Murder Maps; podcast series: Medieval Murders.   Juliette: Graham Dunbar for the Associated Press: What the Trump travel ban means for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games; Chelsea Jones for CBS News Miami: Will ICE agents be at Miami's FIFA Club World Cup games? Sheriff Cordero-Stutz responds after deleted CBP post.   Listener chatter from Katie Johnston in Bangor, Northern Ireland: Sophie Hardach for the BBC: How the humble chestnut traced the rise and fall of the Roman Empire   For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss favorite dark comedy drama Hacks, which tackles the relationship between two women of differing generations and clashing opinions with witty banter and emotional richness.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with author Susan Dominus about her new book, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Research by Emily Ditto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss the ominous juxtaposition of Trump sending National Guard troops and Marines to quell mostly peaceful protests in LA with his impending military parade in DC, RFK Jr. firing the entire CDC vaccine advisory board and what this means for the future of vaccines, and a unanimous Supreme Court decision that makes it easier to win “reverse discrimination” cases. Here are this week's chatters:   Emily: David Marchese for the New York Times: The Interview: Ocean Vuong Was Ready to Kill. Then a Moment of Grace Changed His Life; Ocean Vuong for the New York Times (Opinion): My Brother's Keeper.   John: The University of Cambridge: Medieval Murder Maps; podcast series: Medieval Murders.   Juliette: Graham Dunbar for the Associated Press: What the Trump travel ban means for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games; Chelsea Jones for CBS News Miami: Will ICE agents be at Miami's FIFA Club World Cup games? Sheriff Cordero-Stutz responds after deleted CBP post.   Listener chatter from Katie Johnston in Bangor, Northern Ireland: Sophie Hardach for the BBC: How the humble chestnut traced the rise and fall of the Roman Empire   For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss favorite dark comedy drama Hacks, which tackles the relationship between two women of differing generations and clashing opinions with witty banter and emotional richness.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with author Susan Dominus about her new book, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Research by Emily Ditto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before becoming a writer, Kyle Edwards had dreams of playing hockey … and as an Indigenous player, he grapples with complex feelings about the game and its place in Canadian culture. He explores this in his debut novel, Small Ceremonies. The story follows the Tigers, a hockey team made up of Indigenous teens from Winnipeg. The teens are coming of age in the rink — and the dynamics on the ice often mirror the tensions off of it. Kyle tells Mattea Roach about how sports reflect society, how hockey serves as its own kind of ceremony and why Winnipeg is so special to him.If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shift David A. Robertson puts stories at the heart of reconciliation

Poet and novelist Ocean Vuong joins us to discuss his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Set in a fictional small town in Connecticut, it follows a 19-year-old grappling with addiction and despair, who forms an unexpected bond with an 82-year-old widow living with dementia. Together, they navigate memory and survival. He also talks about teaching and why he's put an end date on the number of books he'll write in his lifetime.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's Friday so host Raheel Ramzanali is breaking down the big stories of the week in H-Town. Today, he's joined by ABC-13's Pooja Lodhia to talk about her story on a mail theft ring that was busted this week and why victims can't find out if their identity was stolen. They also have the latest on a lawsuit that could derail Houston's budget and share good news with more neighborhood pools opening this summer. Plus, why our Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is throwing TCH products at reporters!  Stories we talked about on today's show:  Mental Health of America of Greater Houston Texas Ren Fest king's cause of death revealed by authorities Texas Senate passes THC ban bill as Lt. Gov. Patrick raises mental health concerns Worst States For Drunk Driving In 2025 Mayor John Whitmire's drainage settlement should be rejected, advocacy group tells judge 42 credit and debit cards, over a dozen stolen checks found in mail theft ring bust, records show Houston to open most public pools this summer, boosts lifeguard hiring with pay and age change Could Houston solve the lifeguard shortage and open more city pools by hiring 15-year-olds? Former FOX 26 Houston anchor José Griñán has died Ocean Vuong's latest novel explores unlikely friendships and families formed among fast-food workers Learn more about the sponsors of this May 30th episode: Texas Monthly Taco Fest Comicpalooza Bandera County Convention & Visitors Bureau Downtown Houston+ Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Photo: Chris Valdez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beginning today, and for the next six weeks in the On Being podcast feed and Substack, we're opening a reflection/course experience curated by Krista and drawing upon her conversations with several visionary humans: adrienne maree brown, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ocean Vuong, Joy Harjo, Joanna Macy, and Ross Gay. Together, they extend rich and actionable invitations for a muscular, reality-based hope. They offer ways of seeing and living to lay our hands and our hearts, our imaginations and life force on the generative possibilities of life in this time.  Journaling Prompts for Session 1Preparing inwardly after listening, ask these questions:Right now, today, what is filling you with despair? And what is giving you hope?What is hope? Answer this question through the story of your life.Who have been the “live human signposts” of muscular hope in your life across time?  Hold their faces and the qualities of their presence in your heart and in your mind's eye in the days to come.We've created a beautiful journal for the whole seven weeks, with full-size printable pages, that you can download for free HERE.A Possible Way to Organize This ExperienceTake each week's brief listening offering, each around 15 minutes long, as a meditation to move through the week ahead. And as none of the great virtues — and certainly not hope — is meant to be carried alone, we encourage you to undertake this experience alongside others, perhaps your life partner or family or colleagues or friends, book group or study group.For example, you could:●  Listen to one Wisdom Practice (roughly 15 minutes) — together or separately — around the same time each week. Listen again and/or read the transcript as often as is useful.●  Carry the ideas, invitations, and journal prompts for the session into your ordinary interactions of the days that follow.●  Commit to some time journaling every day, even it's just for a few minutes or a few words.●  Meet with or Zoom/call your companion(s) at the end of the week to share, converse, commune.The Hope Portal and this series are adventures in opening the deep enduring teaching that lives inside the 20 years of On Being. We would be so grateful if you would let us know how it goes for you and how it might be refined, by writing to us at mail@onbeing.org.Sign yourself and others up for The Pause to be first to know about all things On Being and to receive Krista's monthly Saturday morning newsletter, including a heads-up on new episodes, special offerings, recommendations, and event invitations.

Ocean Vuong's debut novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous placed him in an elite club of American writers. He teaches at NYU and is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, among many other honors. But before all this, the author was raised by working-class Vietnamese immigrant parents in Hartford, Connecticut. Vuong's new novel The Emperor of Gladness takes place in a similar environment and centers on an unlikely friendship between a 19 year-old college dropout named Hai and an 82-year-old with dementia named Grazina. In today's episode, Vuong joins NPR's Ari Shapiro for a conversation about reframing our view of the United States and the American dream, describing ugly things in a beautiful way, and Vuong's experience working in close quarters at a fast food restaurant.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Escola gives former first lady Mary Todd Lincoln a wild second act in the Tony-nominated play Oh, Mary! "This play is about a woman with a dream that no one around her understands," Escola says. The actor spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about growing up in rural Oregon, the inspiration for the play, and making sense of its surprise success. Maureen Corrigan reviews Ocean Vuong's new novel, The Emperor of Gladness.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

He’s a writer who mines his own history to look deeply at broader currents of working-class American life. In his new novel, Ocean Vuong crafts a narrative that weaves together themes of grief, healing and resilience. Senior Arts Correspondent Jeffrey Brown sat down with Vuong to discuss "The Emperor of Gladness" for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese American poet, essayist, novelist and professor of modern poetry and poetics at New York University. Some of you may already be familiar with his best-selling debut novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, which received a MacArthur “Genius” grant and was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2019.  Vuong's award-winning poetry collections include, Time Is a Mother (2022) and Night Sky with Exit Wounds (2016).  His latest novel is  “The Emperor of Gladness. A Novel.”   

Celebrated poet and author Ocean Vuong discusses his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. It follows the relationship between a young man and an elderly woman who meet after the man's suicide attempt. Vuong will be speaking tonight at St. Joseph's University with Alexander Chee.

Today's poem is Someday I'll Love Ocean Vuong by Ocean Vuong.The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We'll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we're going back into the archive to revisit Tracy K. Smith's time as host. Today's episode was originally released on May 18, 2020. In this episode, Tracy writes… “Today's poem models another critical aspect of self-care: being honest about how difficult life feels, and striving to be tender, patient and consoling with oneself.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

Ocean Vuong is the author of the novel The Emperor of Gladness, available from Penguin Press. Ocean's other books include 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 MacArthur Fellowship and the American Book Award, he used to work as a fast-food server, which inspired The Emperor of Gladness. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently splits his time between Northampton, Massachusetts, and New York City. *** ⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠Brad Listi's email newsletter⁠⁠. ⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠  ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ocean Vuong is perhaps best-known for his 2019 novel “On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous” and deeply intimate poetry collections such as “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” (2016) and “Time Is a Mother” (2022). In his new novel, the Vietnamese-American author tells the story of friendship and acting with kindness even when you're filled with hopelessness. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

There are the books you read and then there are the books you experience, like The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. Poet, photographer and bestselling author, Vuong's novels are spun from gorgeous prose and vibrant, original imagery. Ocean joins us to talk about autofiction, language, wonder, characterization and more with Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong Suttree by Cormac McCarthy Another Country by James Baldwin The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow Ways of Seeing by John Berger Featured Books (TBR Top Off): The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong Dayspring by Anthony Oliveira My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

Glennon's son, Chase, joins Glennon for a special conversation with his hero, author Ocean Vuong, to discuss: 1. Chase shares with Ocean the impact his work has had in his life–and Glennon thanks Ocean for helping mother her son. 2. What Ocean learned from his mother about how to navigate being an Asian boy in America–and Glennon's recognition that she did not prepare Chase for the same realities. 3. Ocean's new book, Time is a Mother, and why watching his own mother die gave Ocean a deep empathy and connection to every person. 4. His relationship to maleness–and why Ocean is interested in “staying and complicating” masculinity. About Ocean: Ocean Vuong, author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds, and the New York Times bestselling novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a recipient of the 2019 MacArthur "Genius Grant" and the winner of the Whiting Award and the T. S. Eliot Prize. In Time Is a Mother, Ocean's newest poetry collection available now, he reckons with his mother's death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it. His writings have been featured in The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine, The Nation, The New Republic, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts. IG: ⁠ocean_vuong To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long before he became a bestselling writer, Ocean Vuong sold rotisserie chickens at Boston Market. In his latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness, he explores the meaning that can be found in the daily grind of a fast food restaurant. The book follows a young addict named Hai as he unexpectedly becomes caretaker to an elderly woman and makes unlikely connections at the fast-food restaurant where he works. Ocean tells Mattea Roach about challenging the American Dream, how being raised by women shaped him and why this novel is his most self indulgent yet. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's triumphant return to fictionTeresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments

What happens when a voice emerges? What happens when one is lost? Is something gained? A couple months ago, Lulu guest edited an issue of the nature magazine Orion. She called the issue “Queer Planet: A Celebration of Biodiversity,” and it was a wide-ranging celebration of queerness in nature. It featured work by amazing writers like Ocean Vuong, Kristen Arnett, Carmen Maria Machado and adrienne maree brown, among many others. But one piece in particular struck Lulu as something that was really meant to be made into audio, an essay called “Key Changes,” by the writer Sabrina Imbler. If their name sounds familiar, it might be because they've been on the show before. In this episode, we bring you Sabrina's essay – which takes us from the beginning of time, to a field of crickets, to a karaoke bar – read by the phenomenal actor Becca Blackwell, and scored by our director of sound design Dylan Keefe. Stay to the end for a special surprise … from Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls!Special thanks to Jay Gallagher from UC Davis.EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by - Sabrina ImblerProduced by - Annie McEwen and Pat Walterswith help from - Maria Paz GutiérrezOriginal music from - Dylan KeefeFact-checking by - Kim Schmidtand Edited by  - Tajja Isen and Pat WaltersEPISODE CITATIONS:Articles - Check out Queer Planet: A Celebration of Biodiversity, Orion Magazine (Spring 2025)Read Sabrina Imbler's original essay, “Key Changes,” Orion Magazine (Spring 2025)Read Lulu Miller's mini-essay, “Astonishing Immobility,” Orion Magazine (Spring 2025)Check out Sabrina Imbler's Defector column Creaturefector all about animalsAudio - Listen to Amy Ray's song “Chuck Will's Widow” from her solo album If It All Goes SouthBooks - How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures, by Sabrina ImblerSignup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Description: In the span of a single year, Abby Wambach lost her beloved brother, her wife Glennon Doyle  was diagnosed with anorexia, and her sister-in-law Amanda Doyle was diagnosed with breast cancer. For the first time, the trio who host the wildly popular We Can Do Hard Things podcast, all found themselves simultaneously lost, looking for answers. So they turned toward the only thing that's ever helped them find their way: deep, honest conversations with other brave, kind, wise people. What resulted from those conversations was a myriad of guideposts, words of wisdom from some of the most brilliant wayfinders in the zeitgeist today. In this episode, Jen and Amy talk with Abby and Amanda about some of the most meaningful bits of guidance that they have received from inspirational voices like Elizabeth Gilbert, Jane Fonda, Michelle Obama, Ocean Vuong, Esther Perel,  Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and others that they have gathered into a new book called, We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life's 20 Questions. Some of the conversations they delve into include: Why are we like this? How do we figure out what we really want? How do we let go, or forgive, or get unstuck? Why do we wake up every day having forgotten everything we know? Why self-loyalty is so damn hard for women? Thought-provoking Quotes: “I'm just trying to remain a human in this political environment, in this place of deep fear where so much is at risk. And I think the way we do that is continuing to see each other as human and continuing to let our hearts break over what should break our hearts.” – Amanda Doyle “Having played on many different teams, I'm well suited to work well with others. I just have to be here and be myself. That is the way that I add value. I am not gonna add value in the way that Glennon and Amanda do. I know that. But that doesn't give me any lack of confidence because I know I bring something to the team.” – Abby Wambach “After 400 or so conversations, it was so wild that, whether we were talking to a person who's been a therapist for 40 years, or a person who's a poet, or a person who's an activist, there were just a handful of questions that all of these people are struggling with. The smartest people in the world are trying to figure out the same things that we are.” – Amanda Doyle Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Forward: A Memoir by Abby Wambach - https://amzn.to/4ckZOFi WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game by Abby Wambach - https://amzn.to/4cpazqg We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life's 20 Questions by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle - https://amzn.to/3EfeZ6r Glennon Doyle - https://momastery.com/ Amanda Doyle Stops Keeping Score And Stays In The Moment - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-60/amanda-doyle-stops-keeping-score-and-stays-in-the-moment/ Brené Brown - https://brenebrown.com/ Kate Bowler - https://katebowler.com/about/ Suzanne Stabile - https://suzannestabile.com/ Guest's Links: Website - https://abbywambach.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/abbywambach/ Twitter - https://x.com/abbywambach Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/abbywambach/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCej3anJvC-rSMd63asN8cXg Podcast - https://wecandohardthingspodcast.com/ Guest's Links: Twitter - https://x.com/amandafdoyle Podcast - https://wecandohardthingspodcast.com/ Connect with Jen!Jen's Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The poet and novelist on the real reason he became a writer.Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.