ABOUT ME
I'm a Bestselling Author, Screenwriter & Memoirist
I was born in the U.S. in 1952 to immigrant parents from China. I hold a B.A. in English and Linguistics and an M.A. in Linguistics, and I began my career working in language development for children with disabilities. My journey as a writer took off in 1986, with The Joy Luck Club (1989) becoming a bestseller, followed by other novels like The Kitchen God's Wife and The Bonesetter's Daughter. My work has since been translated into 35 languages and adapted for film and television.
Beyond novels, I co-produced and co-wrote the screenplay for The Joy Luck Club film and wrote the libretto for the opera The Bonesetter’s Daughter. I’ve contributed to numerous anthologies, taught on MasterClass, and am featured in the documentary Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir. Some of my honors include the National Humanities Medal from President Biden and the Commonwealth Gold Award. Recently, I published The Backyard Bird Chronicles, which became a #1 bestseller.
I stay active in both the literary and conservation communities, serving on the boards of the American Bird Conservancy and the National Poetry Series. Currently, I live with my husband in California and New York.
