Ocean Vuong: A Poetic Voice of Intimacy, Loss, and Resilience
Early Life and Influences
Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 1988, Vuong immigrated to the United States with his family as a child. His upbringing in a working-class immigrant household in Hartford, Connecticut, played a crucial role in shaping his literary voice. Growing up, he was drawn to storytelling, especially as a way to bridge the cultural and linguistic gaps between himself and the world around him. He learned English at a later age, and this delayed acquisition of language informs much of his work, particularly his fascination with words, their meanings, and their limitations.