Our February pick is one of the most anticipated releases of 2025: The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong.
In a small Connecticut town, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to give up — until a voice calls out to him from across the water. That voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow losing herself to dementia. What follows is a luminous story about chosen family, kindness between strangers, and the fragile ways we hold one another through grief and survival.
Join us for an online discussion filled with warmth and reflection then meet us for a high-energy, all-American-style brunch at The 411, Angel. Expect music, cocktails, and cowboy boots.
See you at brunch! 🥂📚🥑
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The 411, Angel
Saddle up for the best Bottomless Brunch in town.
We’ve wrangled DJs and live performers to play the biggest party hits, lassoed a dream cocktail menu for 90 minutes of bottomless fun and roped in your favourite brunch plates to devour; all rounded off with a ‘build your own’ ice cream sundae. For just £50pp!
Once the sun sets on your sundae, you can dance the day away ‘till the cows come home.
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong returns with an achingly beautiful novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive
One summer evening in the town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond.
The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which our lives are changed by the most unexpected of people. When Hai takes a job at a diner to support himself and Grazina, his fellow workers become the family he didn’t expect to find. United by desperation and circumstance, and existing on the fringes of society, together they bear witness to each other’s survival.
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PLEASE NOTE: This is an all day event starting with our online book discussion at 10:30am followed by brunch in the afternoon. To ensure you have all details please sign up to our mailing list where you'll receive a full itinerary, discussion questions, Online Discussion link and much more.
PREORDER & PREPAYMENT POLICY: To confirm your place, we require a full preorder and prepayment one week in advance of the event. If these aren’t received by the deadline, your ticket will be forfeited. A preorder form will be sent to attendees via email two weeks before the event. To ensure you receive all communications please add admin@brunchbookclub.com to your contacts and always check your spam.