AN EVENING WITH AMY TAN

“...no one will deny the pleasure of Tan’s seductive prose and the skill with which she unfolds...many-layered narrative.”  —Publishers Weekly

Amy Tan has captivated readers worldwide with her novels The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish from Drowning, and The Valley of Amazement, all New York Times bestsellers.  

Amy Tan will discuss the art of writing and ideas from her latest release, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, which records—with a novelist’s eye—the birds and other creatures in her own backyard, as well as personal reflections and original color illustrations. The evening will include a Q&A with the audience followed by a book signing in the lobby. 

With her work translated into an astounding 35 languages, Amy Tan's stories transcend cultural boundaries. She has written a memoir, The Opposite of Fate, and a book about writing titled Where the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir. Her essays and stories are found in hundreds of anthologies and textbooks. Recognized for her profound contributions to culture and the arts, she was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was bestowed with the esteemed 2021 National Humanities Medal by President Biden, in a ceremony held at the White House. 

This event will be moderated by Maria Hall-Brown, senior director at PBS SoCal.
 
Maria Hall-Brown has been a producer and director for nearly 30 years. She recently won a Telly Award and was nominated for an L.A. Area Emmy for her documentary American Voices. Maria has worked on numerous other documentaries and programs, including Henry T. Segerstrom: Imagining the Future, Real Orange, and LAaRT. She has earned two L.A. Area Emmys, seven Golden Mike Awards, and a Distinguished Alumni Award from UC Irvine.