The more Ocean Vuong writes, the more he sees his craft as less of a skill and more a condition. He feels compelled to pay attention to the small details around him and turn those details into a story. But he tells Rachel that he actually hopes a day comes when he can stop writing. Vuong’s latest book is “The Emperor of Gladness.” To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at <a href="http://plus.npr.org/wildcard"target="_blank" >plus.npr.org/wildcard</a> Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

The more Ocean Vuong writes, the more he sees his craft as less of a skill and more a condition. He feels compelled to pay attention to the small details around him and turn those details into a story. But he tells Rachel that he actually hopes a day comes when he can stop writing. Vuong’s latest book is “The Emperor of Gladness.” To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The more Ocean Vuong writes, the more he sees his craft as less of a skill and more a condition. He feels compelled to pay attention to the small details around him and turn those details into a story. But he tells Rachel that he actually hopes a day comes when he can stop writing. Vuong’s latest book is “The Emperor of Gladness.” To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at <a href="http://plus.npr.org/wildcard" rel="noopener noreferrer">plus.npr.org/wildcard</a> Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy" rel="noopener noreferrer">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Ocean Vuong doesn’t erase pain from beauty

Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God. Named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity. Want to listen to Wild Card sponsor-free? Support NPR by subscribing to Wild Card+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/wildcard.

Society & Culture

Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God. Named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity. Want to listen to Wild Card sponsor-free? Support NPR by subscribing to Wild Card+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/wildcard.

Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God.&nbsp;Named one of&nbsp;the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity. Want to listen to Wild Card sponsor-free? Support NPR by subscribing to Wild Card+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/wildcard.

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Ocean Vuong doesn’t erase pain from beauty

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