Amy Tan

Amy Tan is an acclaimed American author, best known for her work in Chinese American literature. She was born on February 19, 1952, in Oakland, California, to Chinese immigrant parents, John Tan and Daisy Li. Tan's father was a Baptist minister and an electrical engineer. One of the major themes in Tan's work is the exploration of the relationship between mother and daughter, which may have been influenced by her own life experiences. When she was a teenager, her brother and father both died of brain tumors in quick succession. Following this tragedy, her mother revealed that she had three daughters in China from a previous marriage to an abusive husband.

Tan is particularly famous for her novel, The Joy Luck Club, which has been translated into 35 foreign languages and adapted into a successful commercial movie and play. The book, along with others in her repertoire, such as The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and Saving Fish From Drowing, has cemented her reputation as a masterful storyteller. In addition to her novels, Tan has written two memoirs, The Opposite of Fate and Where the Past Begins, as well as children's books like The Chinese Siamese Cat and The Moon Lady. She has also ventured into other creative realms, serving as a co-screenwriter for the film adaptation of The Joy Luck Club and the creative consultant for the PBS animated series Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat.

In recent years, Tan has turned her attention to the natural world and has become an avid birdwatcher and sketcher. Her forthcoming book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, documents her observations and drawings of the various bird species that have visited her backyard in Marin County. The book, set to be released in April 2024, has already received high praise from notable authors and critics. Tan is also an instructor with MasterClass on writing, memory, and imagination and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She currently serves on the board of American Bird Conservancy.