Vietnamese-American writer Vương Quốc Vinh, also known as Ocean Vuong, was BOTD in 1988. Born in Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam, his family claimed political asylum and moved to the United States when he was two. He grew up in Connecticut, and was raised by his mother and relatives after his father abandoned the family. After completing high school, he moved to New York to attend Brooklyn College, followed by postgraduate study in poetry at New York University. His debut poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds was published in 2016, winning the T. S. Eliot Prize. His 2019 debut novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous was shortlisted for the National Book Award, bringing him to wider public attention and attracting celebrity fans including Oprah Winfrey and Björk. His work explores identity, sexuality, post-colonial politics and his experiences with drug addiction. His second novel The Emperor of Gladness was published in 2025. Openly gay since forever, he lives in Massachusetts with his partner Peter Bienkowski, and teaches creative writing at New York University.