Miracles happen all the time. In our last two series, we explored both miracles and the prayers that often precede them. In our new series, Hurricane, we put miracles aside for a while to focus on everyday reality, where miracles often come wrapped in the ordinary.
A New York Times best seller and Oprah Book Club selection, The Emperor of Gladness is a thought-provoking novel. The author is Ocean Vuong, known for his innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to combine grit with grace through tenderness.
The setting is the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, where the story begins as nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in steady rain, ready to jump. It was a late summer evening when Hai heard someone shout from across the river, urging him not to jump.
Grazina is an elderly widow dealing with dementia. She also appears to be out of options and persuades Hai to become her caretaker. Over the following months, the unlikely pair forms a life-changing bond based on empathy, spiritual reflection, and heartbreak. Through this, their relationship changes Hai’s view of himself, his family, and a community on the edge.
Ocean Vuong is also the author of the poetry collections Night Sky with Exit Wounds and Time Is a Mother. He wrote another New York Times bestselling novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. And, he received the MacArthur Fellowship and the American Book Award. Vuong was born in Saigon, Vietnam.
In our companion book for our new worship series, Vuong creatively illustrates the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. It is a story of loss, hope, and how far we’re willing to go for a second chance.
If you choose to follow along, I suggest using the following schedule:
| Sundays | Pages | Chapters |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 14 | 1 – 69 | 1 – 4 |
| Sept 21 | 70 – 133 | 5 – 7 |
| Sept 28 | 134 – 208 | 8 – 13 |
| October 5 | 209 – 274 | 14 – 17 |
| October 12 | 275 – 344 | 18 – 21 |
| October 19 | 345 – 401 | 22 – 25 |
We’ll have a few books available for purchase for $15. New copies of the hardcover edition are available through Amazon for $19.08, and used copies in good condition are in short supply, starting at $17.47, including shipping. This book may also be available at the local library.
Our Book Club does not meet as a group. However, our weekly messages reference that week’s chapters. You can anticipate spoiler alerts unless you keep up with the pace. You can purchase your own copy or visit your local library.
You can contact our office with questions by phone or simply type your question or enter a prayer request on our website’s homepage — FlintAsburyChurch.org.
Pastor Tommy
Ocean Vuong. The Emperor of Gladness. NY: Penguin Press, 2025.