Ocean Vuong Shares Emotional Tribute To Oprah’s Impact On His Life

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The author Ocean Vuong went quite emotional when pondering the indelible effect that Oprah Winfrey had on his life in a heartfelt chat of his in her book club. The talks about his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness, turned quite personal when Vuong started explaining how Oprah’s voice became a soothing presence during his childhood.

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Vuong reminisced about the first-hour occasion of hearing Oprah on the phone-the same Oprah he had been hearing since he was eight at 4 P.M. every day. He furthered to explain that his mother then opened a nail salon where the workers and the customers would feel free to say less guarded stuff while listening to the show. His mother, who was not always well versed in English, gauged when to join in on the conversation from the emphasis of Oprah’s words and started uttering “oh boy” quite a few times herself, beginning respectable discussions.

This tender moment was much appreciated by the audience, as many shared their memories of Oprah being on air throughout their childhood. One comment read: “There is an entire generation raised by Oprah. And I am one.” Others applauded Vuong for expressing those quiet, yet tangible thoughts: “His observations are so subtle and beautiful.”

The emotional strength of Vuong’s tale made some users cry. One wrote, “Why am I crying? So beautifully said.” Another added, “This brought me to tears.” One person shared, “It was the only routine I had as a young child…now I know it calmed my mum,” showing how the show brought tranquility to their tumultuous childhoods.

Another giant stride for the acclaimed writer is now set to be Grammed with Hochzipp under the umbrella of issues about family, migration, and quiet resilience. The Oprah audience clearly got behind the depth he was able to find in ordinary moments, from women chatting over a manicure to a mother learning English from a TV program. One whispering fan summed it up, “He is telling the story of how far she reached, and the connection between us all.”

The entire interview, courtesy of a joint venture between Oprah Daily and Starbucks, promises to give more insight into Vuong’s writing process and the specific experiences spurring the writing of the novel. For folks that came up with Oprah on air, the pair are a reminder, sad at times, of television coming together to bond strangers unexpectedly. The association holds even for nail salons, living rooms, and bridging generations in a very different sort of way!

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One recent related discussion even highlighted that Chicago mayor jokingly referenced needing Beyonce to fix the budget crisis, showing the unexpected connections made through pop culture. Beyonce continues to surprise us all!