Omnibus

Born in the United States to immigrant parents from China, Amy Tan rejected her mother’s expectations that she become a doctor and concert pianist by choosing to write fiction instead. Her novels The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish from Drowning, and The Valley of Amazement all became New York Times bestsellers.

Other works include a memoir, The Opposite of Fate, and two children’s books, The Moon Lady and Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat. Tan’s newest book is Where the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir. Her writing has appeared in 35 languages around the world.

Tan has lectured at universities including Stanford, Oxford, Jagiellonian, Beijing, in both Washington, DC, and Doha, Qatar. She has delivered a TED Talk, spoken at the White House, and appeared on the popular NPR program Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me and Sesame Street on PBS.

To raise money for literacy programs, Tan joined Stephen King, Dave Barry, and Scott Turow in their literary garage band, the Rock Bottom Remainders. She served as lead rhythm “dominatrix,” backup singer, and second tambourine.