Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 7:00-8:00pm.

Amy Tan, born in 1952 to Chinese immigrant parents, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in Linguistics, working as a specialist for children with disabilities before becoming a freelance business writer. Her fiction career began in 1985, leading to her debut novel The Joy Luck Club, a bestseller.

Tan has authored numerous novels, memoirs, and children’s books, with her works translated into 35 languages. She co-produced the film adaptation of The Joy Luck Club and contributed to the Emmy-nominated PBS series Sagwa. Honored with multiple awards, including the National Humanities Medal in 2023, she remains an influential literary figure.

Recently, Tan published The Backyard Bird Chronicles which she wrote and illustrated. She lives with her husband and dog in California and New York.

This conversation will be presented virtually via Zoom. Save your Zoom seats to tune in from home.

This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).