Read this when
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
He wrote his mom a whole novel knowing she'd never be able to read it. Some letters are for the person who writes them. ✉️
Who it's for
The book is a letter from Little Dog to his mother Rose, who cannot read it, which gives readers permission to say things to a parent that can't be said out loud.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Ocean Vuong's 2019 debut novel, written as a letter from a Vietnamese American son, Little Dog, to his mother Rose, who cannot read. Little Dog recounts his family history, including his grandmother's and mother's lives during the Vietnam War, and his childhood in Hartford, Connecticut, where he experienced abuse from his mother while growing up as a refugee.
Where to find it
In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain in the US.
Before you start
Heads up: Child abuse and an overdose death.
Age: Adult (18+)
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, “On Pain”
