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Amy Tan
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Pages: 398 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0007170408
Pub: HarperPerennial
Pub date: 2004-07-05
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 62161
Reader Reviews:
Wanted to like it but couldn't get into it (0/0 people found this helpful)
I have read a couple of Amy Tan's fiction books and enjoyed them immensely. I was, in fact, given this book by a cousin who noticed I was reading "Saving Fish from Drowning".
I liked the idea of a non-fiction book by an author who has obviously had an interesting life but found the language too rambling and too elaborate. The same style I think is perfect for fiction but I prefer non-fiction to be much more straightforward and not spen so much time talking around the story.
I'll read more of her novels but would avoid any other autobiographical works.
Youy need to read her novels first (1/1 people found this helpful)
I read this book for a book group and I definitely feel that it looses a lot if you haven't read previous books written by this author.
It is interesting in parts, especially the story of her early life in the first few chapters; her Chinese heritage and her overbearing mother.
After that I struggled through with no great interest.
There are many references to her fiction, particularly The Joy Luck Club, which has now become a film in which she was very involved.
There is also a very tedious section on theories of writing and lectures she has given on the subject. At this stage I skipped 50 pages to the end of the book where she relates a mysterious illness that had haunted her for several years and which turned out to be Lyme's Disease.
I suspect that the onset of these debilitating problems explains why the author wrote this style of book - a memoir combined with previous essays and speeches. Unfortunately it did not grab me at all and I am not left feeling inspired to try her fiction.
Collection of episodes from Amy Tans life.... (4/5 people found this helpful)
Unlike the other reviews, I would not say this is either Amy Tans 'best' or 'worst' book - it's different in that it is autobiographical (not fiction) and consists of much shorter pieces. When I picked this up, I didn't realise it wasn't fiction, and I am not a particular fan of short pieces of writing. HOWEVER - this is an amazing book that gives a wonderful insight into Amy Tans (extraordinary) life. Some of it is dramatic (getting caught in floods) and traumatic (her experience of a close friends murder). It also examines the experience of what it is to be writer, and her piece on reading her own 'Cliff notes' is very funny. Definitely worth a read....
Repetive and rambling (10/13 people found this helpful)
First let me say, I'm a big fan of Amy Tan's fiction books. They are truly amazing and totally absorb you into her world I've read them all and so I was excited to find she had written a book about herself and her family. However I found the book deeply disappointing as it is a just collection of musings with no order or structure but a lot of repetition. While there are some interesting stories buried in amongst the ramblings I felt the book was just a money-spinner -taking previously written articles, interviews etc and just bunging them altogether without spending the time to make it coherent. Save your money until Amy chooses to take the time and effort to write a real autobiography. Im sure that would be well worth reading
The best yet (5/11 people found this helpful)
This again like the others is a collection of stories or rather experiences. Amy Tan as ever keeps the reader captivated with the book. The stories are amusing, sentimental and some sad. The book provides a great insight into Amy Tan's life, as well as answering some questions that readers may have had from the other books. This is a must read, which is hard to put down.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Poetry, Drama & Criticism -> Poetry -> By Period -> 19th Century
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback