OCEAN VUONG: THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS
Following the worldwide success of “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”, OCEAN VUONG presents his new, moving novel, THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS. Hai, the queer son of a Vietnamese mother, lives in a desolate dump of a town in New England. The streets still bear the “Yes, we can” signs of the Obama campaign, but Hai is taking pills and considering suicide. Until he meets Grazina from Lithuania, a survivor of the Second World War. Hai becomes her caregiver and starts working in a diner where the customers are underdogs like him. “This is where the interplay of class, background, sexuality, young versus old and urban versus rural becomes crystal-clear.” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung). German text: FABIAN BUSCH; Host: SENTHURAN VARATHARAJAH
Contributors
Fabian Busch
Fabian Busch wurde 1992 von Wolfgang Kohlhaase entdeckt. Neben… This text was shortened for this overview. Follow the more-link to read the full text.
Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong wurde 1988 in Saigon, Vietnam, geboren und zog im Alter… This text was shortened for this overview. Follow the more-link to read the full text.
Senthuran Varatharajah
Senthuran Varatharajah was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in 1984 and… This text was shortened for this overview. Follow the more-link to read the full text.
Books
Der Kaiser der Freude
Ocean Vuong
Übersetzt von Nikolaus Stingl & Anne-Kristin Mittag
Hanser
978-3-446-28274-2
Event data
-
Date:
Thursday
18. September 2025
18:00 -
Pre Pre sale price (fees excluded) 28 € | 24 € erm.
Eve Evening fund price 36 € | 31 € erm.
-
WDR Funkhaus
Klaus-von-Bismarck-SaalWallrafplatz 5
Köln-InnenstadtPlease follow the checkroom instructions.
Bitte Garderobenhinweise beachten.
-
Accessibility
- Induction loop Available
- Wheelchair friendly + toilets Available
- Assistance dogs welcome Available
-
Languages
- Englisch
- Deutsch
Partners
