"On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" is a letter from a son to his illiterate mother. Little Dog, an American of Vietnamese descent, brings to light his family's history from the Vietnam War to their settlement in America, focusing on the dramatic life of his loving but often violent mother and grandmother. At the same time, by probing the wounds of the past, he reveals thoughts and aspects of his life that his mother was unaware of: his anxieties, fears, and a powerful love. A raw, yet deeply lyrical and sincere confession that culminates in the courageous revelation of shocking personal moments. Ocean Vuong was born in 1988 in a rice field in Vietnam. Today, he is considered one of the most talented young writers in American literature. His poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds was honored with the prestigious T.S. Eliot Prize.