Amy Tan

[sculpturedsound]

Just had to take a minute to encourage everyone to read Amy Tan's books. She is my favorite author, has been for years!! Many of you have probably read "The Joy Luck Club", but I highly recommend you check out her other novels. My favorite is "The Bonesetter's Daughter". The book is brilliant, it had me laughing out loud and then crying my eyes out. The story is intense and dynamic. I am currently reading her new book "Saving Fish from Drowning" and I love it. Many people don't realize she has also written 2 children's books and they are on par with her novels, the illustrations are also amazing!

Her books are:

NOVELS
The Joy Luck Club
The Hundred Secret Senses
The Kitchen God's Wife
The Bonesetter's Daughter
Saving Fish From Drowning

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat
The Moon Lady

BIOGRAPHY
The Opposite of Fate

Please please please check her out!

[texasgal]

Thank you very much for your recommended reading list. Great idea.

A few months ago, one of the Wilsonettes had asked for advice about writing. So sorry that I can't remember which one of us it was. I had made some suggestions but, perhaps, I'd missed the best advice I could have given: a good way to become a good writer is to read, read, read. And then read some more.

Why not start with Amy Tan? Sounds like a good choice to me.

Others had given good advice too. Someone suggested listening to life stories one overhears waiting in lines, riding on the bus, etc. That was good advice. Something like that happened to me although the idea came from my sister.

My sister Laurie and her husband, John, were traveling through Wyoming a year or so ago. I remember her saying they were driving north on I-25. They stopped to eat at a roadside cafe, although the place was populated mostly by locals, not tourists. They noticed an older couple seated at a nearby table. The couple was sitting oddly in relation to each other: instead of sitting next to each other or across from each other, they were sitting kitty-corner to each other. Not only that, they weren't speaking to each other, and never made eye contact with each other. They got the distinct impression that it was the woman in that twosome who was in charge and wore the pants, so to speak. While Laurie and John were observing all this, a gentleman entered the cafe, walked past this other couples' table, and stopped abruptly with the exclamation: "Frank! I haven't seen you in 20 years!"

Laurie & John were taken aback by this, of course, and marveled at what the story-behind-story of THAT incident could be. They imagined

Sounds like maybe a good start to a story, anyone? (Like...maybe...a Stephen King-type story?)

OK, sorry, Sculpty, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. But see how inspiring you are?

[Nana]

You know, I love this topic too. And an idea just cross my mind...

...we should have our own book club.

What do you think?

[britgirl]

I think that's a great idea Nanabanana

[Librarian]

I am a big Amy Tan reader as well -- but I didn't know she wrote children's books. Thanks! Sculpty!

[spartangirl06]

I read Joy Luck Club in high school. I highly reconmend it.

[texasgal]

I haven't yet had the pleasure of reading Amy Tan.

Is there one of her books in particular you'd recommend to a newbie?

[spartangirl06]

texasgal said:

I haven't yet had the pleasure of reading Amy Tan.

Is there one of her books in particular you'd recommend to a newbie?

Joy Luck Club is the only book of hers I've read. It's enjoyable and easy to get through.

[texasgal]

Amy Tan was interviewed and her new book featured this morning on National Public Radio. You can listen to the broadcast here:

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5020636