On earth we’re briefly gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong

This highly acclaimed book by Vietnamese-American writer Ocean Vuong, who was under thirty when it was published, is a mix of memoir, history, and literary fiction. That his first published work was poetry is evident in the rich, evocative language throughout. Ostensibly, the text is a letter written by the narrator, Little Dog, to his mother, who is an illiterate immigrant refugee from the Vietnam War. (The author, himself, didn’t learn to read until he was eleven.) Like his mother's, "Little Dog's" real name is concealed – no one will try to harm just a little dog. Growing up impoverished in Hartford, Connecticut, Little Dog is bullied at school but finds odd solace and an erotic relationship with the owner’s son Trevor, while working on a tobacco farm. Trevor, however, doesn’t value himself, or admit his own gayness, and falls victim to the opioid crisis sweeping the country. I can understand the rapturous reviews, many from authors I admire, but think I personally would enjoy his poetry more. 242 pp.