On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: ‘A masterpiece’ – Max Porter

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THE TIKTOK SENSATION’A marvel’ Marlon James Brilliant, heart-breaking and highly original, discover Ocean Vuong’s shattering coming of age novel. This is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born. It tells of Vietnam, of the lasting impact of war, and of his family’s struggle to forge a new future.And it serves as a doorway into parts of Little Dog’s life his mother has never known – episodes of bewilderment, fear and passion – all the while moving closer to an unforgettable revelation.’Reminded me that every word can be an incantation, and that beauty does hard and important work’ Rebecca Solnit