biography of Amy Tan provides

detailed information about her

childhood, life, achievements and
timeline.

QUICK FACTS
Nationalit

American

y
Born on

19 February

Zodiac

1952
Aquarius

Sign
Born in

Oakland,
California

Amy Tan is an American author of

Chinese

origin

who

mainly

explores the elements of motherdaughter

relationships

in

her

works. She has produced several

works of fiction, as well as nonfiction, the best known of which is
The Joy Luck Club , which
revolves around the lives of four
mothers and their four daughter.
Amy Tan is well- known author
famous for her bestselling book

The book won many prizes and

The

has been translated into several

Joy

Luck

Club

This

languages. Many of her other

Childhood and Early Life

novels such as The Kitchen

Amy Tan was born to Chinese

Gods

Wife

Bonesetters
also

and

The

Daughter

have

become

bestsellers.

Immigrants

John

Daisy.

father

Her

Tan
was

and
an

electrical engineer and Baptist

critically acclaimed author today,

minister.

she

of

previously been married to an

making a career in writing. When

abusive man with whom she

she was a student, her parents

three daughters.

had

expected

always

her

had

Tragedy struck the household

defied

when both her father and

them by joining an English Major

brother died of brain tumour

course. After working as technical

within a year. Her mother took

writer for some time, she took to

15 year old Amy and her

writing fiction.

younger

but

become

mother

neurosurgeon

to

dreamed

Her

she

brother

to

Switzerland.
Her first novel The Joy Luck Club

Her mother wanted her to be

become a New York Times

a doctor but Amy wanted to

bestseller and won her many

persue a career in writing.

accolades and prizes. The book

She attended the San Jose

also has been adapted into a

State University from where

successful movie for which she

she

co- wrote

degree

received
in

her

masters

English

and

Linguistics.
the screenplay. She also writes

She

complete

her

doctoral

books for

studies in Linguistics from the

children. One of her childrens

University of California.

books,

Sagwa,

the

chinese

Siamese Cat was adapted into a

Career

television program.

After

completing

her

education,
working

she
as

started

freelance

technical writer, often putting

hurdles

in

open

communication.
Her first book for children,

in ninety working hours per

The

week.

published

in

workaholic by her friends, but

followed

by

she found no joy in her work.

Chinese

Siamese

She

was

labeled

She began writing fiction as a

Moon

ilustrated

her workaholism. Her stories

Schields.

appreciated

invited

to

join

and

the

was

Squaw

Valley Community of Writers,

a fiction writers workshop.
Club was published in 1989.
Though commonly referred to

It

was

Sagwa,

the

Cat

in

by

Gretchen

1995- published The Hundred

Secret Senses
1999- she edited a volume in
The

Her first novel The Joy Luck

1992.

was

1994. Both the books were

hobby to distract herself from

were

Lady

Best

Stories

American

series

along

Short
with

Katrina Kennison.
2001-

The

Bonesetters

as a novel, the book actually a

Daughter, Tans fourth novel

collection

published and later made into

of

16

interconnected short stories.

The novel become a critically
acclaimed
prompting

best
Tan

to

published

novel,

Kitchen

come

up

with

her

autobiography The Opposite

persue

of Fate: A Book of Musings. In

second

her autobiography she share

her

experience

with

Lyme

Gods

disease- a becterial infection

Wife after a gap of two years

that spread through the bite

in 1991. This book dealt with

of one of several types of

the issue of generation gap

ticks.

that exists between a mother

2005-

and

The

her

2003-

seller

fiction writing as a career.

She

an opera.

daughter,

and

creates

Saving

Fish

from

Drowing

Disease Association.

2011- she published Rules

for Virgins - her first novel
after a gap

She is a dog lover and has pet

dogs at home

of six years.
2013-

Trivia

The

Valley

of

Author Frank Chin criticized

her on the grounds that she

Amazement

encourages cultural and racist

Awards

stereotypes.

1. USC Scripter Award [1991]

2. United

Writer

of

She likes outdoor activities

American

[1994]- Best Script

3. BAFTA

Film

Awards

[1995]-

Best Screenplay. Adapted The Joy

Luck Club ( 1993 )
4. Chicago
Festival

International

[2001]-

Won

Film
Silver

Plaque )

Personal Life and Legacy

She met tax attorney Louis

DeMattei

on

blind

and

married him in 1974. The

couple does not have any
children.
She was diagnosed with Lyme
Disease in 1999. She helped
to form LymeAid 4 Kids in
collaboration with the Lyme

like skiing and hiking.

[2012]
Amy Tan Books List
Adult Fiction:

[2013]

[1989]
[1995]
[2000]
[2005]

[1991]