Amy Tan

Violet Minturn, a half-Chinese/half-American courtesan who has honed her ability to become any man's fantasy since her start as a 'Virgin Courtesan' at the age of twelve, struggles to find her place in the world, while her mother, Lucia, tries to make sense of the choices she has made and the men who have shaped her. Violet is the privileged daughter of the American madam of the city's most exclusive courtesan house. But when the Ching dynasty is...

A Chinese immigrant who is convinced she is dying threatens to celebrate the Chinese New Year by unburdening herself of everybody's hidden truths, thus prompting a series of comic misunderstandings.

"From New York Times bestselling author Amy Tan, a memoir on her life as a writer, her childhood, and the symbiotic relationship between fiction and emotional memory"-- "In Where the Past Begins, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club and The Valley of Amazement Amy Tan is at her most intimate, revealing the truths and inspirations that underlie her extraordinary fiction. By delving into vivid memories of her traumatic childhood, confessions of...

"In 2016, author Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds flocking to the feeders in her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater--an opportunity to savor quiet moments during...

Nai-nai tells her granddaughters the story of her outing, as a seven-year-old girl in China, to see the Moon Lady and be granted a secret wish.

"...he took his hands off the controls in a paroxysm of joy and shouted, 'Strap on your safety belt, Mrs. Gadshill! We're going to make a loop-the-loop!'"

—From Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor by John Cheever

A compilation of classic tales by great American writers performed by terrific actors, with a lineup including Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award winners, and PEN Award winners.

Amy Tan's

Rules

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Ming Miao tells her kittens about the antics of one of their ancestors, Sagwa of China, that produced the unusual markings they have had for thousands of years.

"I︠A︡ tak dolgo vgli︠a︡dyvalas' v kartinu, chto zaboleli glaza. I︠A︡ izuchila peĭzazh do mel'chaĭshikh detaleĭ, no razgadat' ego ne poluchalos'... Neuzheli ėto rasskaz o prostake, kotoryĭ gnalsi︠a︡ za d'i︠a︡vol'skoĭ mechtoĭ i teper' s beznadezhnoĭ toskoĭ smotrit na gorshok s zolotom, zapri︠a︡tannyĭ v nedostupnoĭ sii︠a︡i︠u︡shcheĭ dali? U Vaĭolet schastlivoe detstvo - ona zhivet v roskoshi i okruzhena li︠u︡bov'i︠u︡...

"Vic Brown did not want to go to camp this summer. It's nice being back with her friends in the woods of New Hampshire, but Vic still can't forget about the secret reason her mom wanted her and her brother out of the house--or how much her family is going to change. When her homelife is blowing up, it can be hard to focus on campfires and canoeing. But there is something about summer and surprises that goes together like blueberry pancakes and maple...