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Amy Tan
Tan in 2018
Tan in 2018
Born Amy Ruth Tan
(1952-02-19) February 19, 1952 (age 73)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Occupation Writer
Education San Jose State University (BA, MA)
Notable works The Joy Luck Club (1989), The Bonesetter's Daughter (2001)
Notable awards
  • National Humanities Medal
Spouse Lou DeMattei (m. 1974)
Signature
Amy Tan's signature.svg
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 譚恩美
Simplified Chinese 谭恩美
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Tán Ēnměi
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping Taam4 Jan1mei5

Amy Ruth Tan (born February 19, 1952) is an American author. She is famous for her novel The Joy Luck Club (1989). This book was later made into a movie in 1993.

Amy Tan has written many other novels, short stories, and books for children. She has also written a memoir about her life. She has received several awards for her writing. These include the National Humanities Medal and the Carl Sandburg Literary Award.

Her other novels include The Kitchen God's Wife (1991) and The Bonesetter's Daughter (2001). She also wrote two children's books: The Moon Lady (1992) and The Chinese Siamese Cat (1994). The Chinese Siamese Cat became an animated TV show on PBS. Her most recent book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles (2024), shares her experiences with bird watching.

Early Life and Education

Amy Tan was born in Oakland, California. She was the second of three children. Her parents, John and Daisy Tan, were Chinese immigrants. Her father was an electrical engineer and a Baptist minister. He came to the United States to escape the Chinese Civil War.

Amy's father loved words, and they often read the thesaurus together. This helped Amy start her journey as a writer. She wanted to use words to tell stories and help people understand her.

When Amy was fifteen, her father and older brother both passed away from brain tumors. This happened within six months of each other. After this, her mother moved Amy and her younger brother to Switzerland. Amy finished high school there.

During this time, Amy learned about her mother's past in China. Her mother had been married before and had four children. She had to leave those children in Shanghai. This story became a big part of Amy's first novel, The Joy Luck Club. In 1987, Amy and her mother visited China. Amy met her three half-sisters there.

Amy's relationship with her mother was sometimes difficult. Her mother wanted Amy to be strong and independent. Amy later earned bachelor's and master's degrees in English and linguistics from San José State University.

Becoming a Writer

Before becoming a full-time writer, Amy Tan worked many different jobs. She was a switchboard operator, a carhop, a bartender, and even a pizza maker. She then became a freelance business writer. She wrote for big companies like AT&T and IBM. She often used different names for these projects.

Writing The Joy Luck Club

In 1985, Amy Tan started writing her first novel, The Joy Luck Club. She was still working as a business writer at the time. She joined a writers' workshop to improve her story. She sent a part of her book to a magazine, and it was published. Another story from her book was also published in Seventeen magazine.

These early successes encouraged her. In 1987, a literary agent named Sandra Dijkstra helped Amy. Amy worked with her to publish more parts of her novel as short stories. Eventually, she sent the full book manuscript to publishers.

Many big publishing houses wanted to publish her book. Amy accepted an offer from G. P. Putnam's Sons in December 1987. The Joy Luck Club tells the stories of four Chinese–American mothers and their daughters. The book is dedicated to her mother.

Amy thought her book would only be popular for a short time. But it became a huge success! By 1991, the book had been translated into 17 languages.

The Kitchen God's Wife

Amy Tan's second novel, The Kitchen God's Wife, also explores the bond between a Chinese immigrant mother and her American-born daughter. Amy's mother encouraged her to write this book. She wanted Amy to tell her own story.

This novel also shares important history from China in the 1930s and 1940s. This includes events like the Nanjing Massacre. The book was released in June 1991.

Other Books by Amy Tan

Amy Tan's third novel, The Hundred Secret Senses, was different. It focused on the relationships between sisters. This idea came partly from one of her half-sisters who moved to the United States.

Her fourth novel, The Bonesetter's Daughter, returned to the theme of Chinese immigrant mothers and their American daughters.

In 2024, Amy Tan published The Backyard Bird Chronicles. This book is filled with illustrations and describes how bird watching helped her during a challenging time in 2016.

Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir

In October 2017, Amy Tan released her memoir, Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir. In this book, she shares personal stories using family photos and journal entries. She writes about her relationship with her mother and her life as a writer. She also shares about her family in China.

Other Media and Adaptations

Amy Tan was part of a band called the Rock Bottom Remainders. This band was made up of writers. They raised over a million dollars for programs that help people learn to read. Amy also appeared as herself in an episode of The Simpsons.

Many of Amy Tan's works have been adapted into other forms. The Joy Luck Club was made into a play and a movie in 1993. The Bonesetter's Daughter became an opera in 2008. Her children's book, Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat, was adapted into an animated TV show on PBS.

In May 2021, a documentary about her life, Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir, was released. It was part of the American Masters series on PBS.

Personal Life

Amy Tan lives near San Francisco in Sausalito, California. She lives with her husband, Lou DeMattei, whom she married in 1974. They designed their house to feel open and comfortable.

In recent years, she has become very interested in birding and keeping a nature journal.

Awards and Recognition

Amy Tan has received many awards for her writing:

Interesting Facts About Amy Tan

  • She is the second of three children in her family.
  • When she was 15, her father and older brother both died from brain tumors. This happened within six months of each other.
  • While she was in college, her roommate tragically passed away. This event made Amy temporarily unable to speak. She said that for ten years, on the anniversary of that day, she would lose her voice.
  • Amy and her mother did not speak for six months at one point. This was after Amy left a college her mother wanted her to attend.
  • Amy thought The Joy Luck Club would only be in bookstores for six weeks. She believed most first novels disappear quickly.
  • She lives near San Francisco in Sausalito, California.
  • In recent years, she has become very interested in birding. This means watching and identifying birds. She also enjoys nature journaling.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Amy Tan para niños

  • Chinese American literature
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