Amy Tan

English II

Biotechnology High School

Birth and growing up

Born in 1952 in CaliforniaBicultural and bilingual householdMiddle childOnly daughter

Parents

Father emigrated from China in late 1940sBefore Communist RevolutionBecame Baptist minister

Mother left Shanghai in 1949Had 3 daughters from arranged marriageDivorced first husband

Parents married; 3 children

Family History

GrandmotherJing-MeiLost husband to flu epidemicRaped by wealthy man

Forced her to be concubineSuicide

opium

Name

American name: AmyChinese name: An-mei QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

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Expectations

Mother wanted her to become doctorTo play piano in concert

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Jobs

Switchboard operatorCarhop

A&W Root Beer

Pizza baker/server

Never taught

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College

Attended FIVE colleges!B.A.: San Jose State UniversityM.A.: San Jose State University

Studied for Ph.D. from UC BerkeleyNever completed program

Honorary doctoratesParking spots!

Novels

The Joy Luck ClubThe Kitchen God’s WifeThe Hundred Secret SensesThe Bonesetter’s DaughterSaving Fish from Drowning

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Connection with Joy Luck

Mother’s heart attackInterest in Chinese heritageTraveled to ChinaMet three half-sisters QuickTime™ and a

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Marriage

Married to Lou DeMattei since 1974No childrenTwo dogs (Bubba and Lilli)Had a cat

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Awards

Nominated for National Book AwardNominated for Los Angeles Times Book

PrizePulitzer??

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Interesting facts

Agent encouraged her writingContracted Lyme disease

Helped set up foundationLives in a condo in San Francisco

Lots of stairs!Performs in a garage band

Rock Bottom RemaindersWears red wig!

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