Amy Tan

Amy Tan was born in Oakland, California on February 19th, 1952. One of three siblings, Tan was born to Chinese immigrants named Daisy and John.
When she was just fifteen years old, Tan's father and brother, Peter both died of brain tumors in the same year. After this tragedy, Tan's mother moved the remaining family to Switzerland where Amy attended high school. It was while living there that Tan discovered that her mother was formerly in an abusive marriage and had been forced to leave her children from that marriage in Shanghi when she left. Tan later traveled to China to met her three half-sisters.

Tan attended college at Linfield College in Oregon before moving to San Jose State University in San Jose, California from which she graduated with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in English and Linguistics. While attending San Jose State University, Tan met her husband, Lou Demattei on a blind date and the two quickly fell in love. They married in 1974.After college, Tan worked odd jobs to support herself such as a switchboard operator and a pizza maker, before beginning her writing career.

After college, Tan worked odd jobs to support herself such as a switchboard operator and a pizza maker, before beginning her writing career. In 1989, Tan's first novel, "The Joy Luck Club" was published and received critical success. It was adapted into a movie in 1993 for which Tan penned the screenplay.In 1991, Tan's second novel, 'The Kitchen God's Wife', was published and received more success, making her a household name at the time and ensuring that she was able to create a

In 1991, Tan's second novel, "The Kitchen God's Wife", was published and received more success, making her a household name at the time and ensuring that she was able to create a full-time career as an author. Tan has since written five more bestselling novels with the most recent being released in 2013 and been the author of two popular children's books exploring Chinese culture and five more non-fiction bestsellers.

She has won many awards for her work, including the American Library Association's Award on two separate occasions and a Commonwealth Gold Award. She was also nominated for a BAFTA for her screenplay for "The Joy Luck Club".In 1998, Tan was diagnosed with Lyme disease and, having gone untreated for some time, she still suffers from complications of the disease, including occasional epileptic seizures. As a result of this, Tan founded a charity called LymeAid 4 Kids, which helps children who have the disease but do not have insurance pay for treatment.

In 1998, Tan was diagnosed with Lyme disease and, having gone untreated for some time, she still suffers from complications of the disease, including occasional epileptic seizures. As a result of this, Tan founded a charity called LymeAid 4 Kids, which helps children who have the disease but do not have insurance pay for treatment.Tan currently lives in San Francisco, California with her husband and often plays in a band called the Rock Bottom Remainders with other famous authors like Barbara Kingsolver and Stephen King.

Tan currently lives in San Francisco, California with her husband and often plays in a band called the Rock Bottom Remainders with other famous authors like Barbara Kingsolver and Stephen King.