大象传媒

Poet Daljit Nagra selects In The Studio - Ocean Vuong: Becoming Briefly Gorgeous

This features the young Vietnamese writer who has been called 鈥渙ne of our most gifted poets鈥�.

Ocean came to public attention when his poetry collection 鈥淣ight Sky With Exit Wounds鈥� was showered with awards. His first novel 鈥淥n Earth We鈥檙e Briefly Gorgeous鈥� followed and has also been critically acclaimed.

Ocean鈥檚 work often mirrors his own experience as an immigrant. He was born in Saigon, Vietnam but at a young age he and members of his family left Vietnam, as refugees for the United States.

After attempting a degree in business, Ocean found his true vocation as a writer and now divides his time between creating new work and teaching university students.

Oonagh Cousins talks to Ocean about the way he creates his work, how ideas and images come to him and the importance of being uncomfortable when he鈥檚 writing.

Producer: Emma Kingsley

First broadcast on the 大象传媒 World Service in 2020.

* Plus Daljit reads a poem from his Poetry Extra Book of the Month - Battery Rocks by Katrina Naomi.