Ocean Vuong
From Vietnamese Refugee to Literary Voice of a Generation
Net Worth
$2M
Born
October 13, 1988 (age 37)
Country
Vietnam
Occupation
Poet, Novelist, Professor
Gender
male
Generation
Millennial
Marital Status
single
Children
0
Single Parent Household
Yes
Education
Master's
University
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Bard College
Industries
creative, education
Wealth Category
multi-millionaire
Wealth Origin
self-made
First-Gen Wealth
Yes
Immigrant
Yes
Overcame
- • Born in Saigon just before Vietnam opened to the West
- • Illiterate until age 11 due to lack of formal education
- • Grew up in poverty, working on a tobacco farm in Connecticut
- • Father abandoned the family; raised by mother and grandmother
- • Faced discrimination as a Vietnamese immigrant and gay man
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American poet and novelist known for his lyrical, devastating work exploring trauma, identity, love, and survival. His debut novel 'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' became a New York Times bestseller, and his poetry collection 'Night Sky with Exit Wounds' won numerous awards. He is considered one of the most important literary voices of his generation.
Career Timeline
Notable Quotes
"In the body, where everything has a price, I was a blessing. I was not for sale."
"The most beautiful part of your body is where it's headed. And memory, your server, is eroding."
"Let no one mistake us for the fruit of violence—but that violence, having passed through the garden, is the fruit."
"The thing about being an immigrant is you don't have the luxury of nostalgia."