Amy Tan

Amy Tan wrote her first published essay, "What the Library Means to Me," at age eight. She has since become the author of two highly praised works of fiction: The Joy Luck Club, which was chosen by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults; and The Kitchen God's Wife, named a 1991 Booklist Editors' Choice. Her recent essay, "Mother Tongue," was included in the 1991 edition of Best American Essays. Prior to writing fiction, Ms. Tan worked as a language development consultant to programs serving developmentally disabled children. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Lou DeMattei.