The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings [B1589]

2003 HCDJ 1st edition in nice clean condition. Delve into the stories from Amy Tan's life that inspired bestselling novels like The Joy Luck Club and The Valley of Amazement and the new memoir, Where the Past Begins. Amy Tan has touched millions of readers with haunting and sympathetic novels of cultural complexity and profound empathy. With the same spirit and humor that characterize her acclaimed novels, she now shares her insight into her own life and how she escaped the curses of her past to make a future of her own. She takes us on a journey from her childhood of tragedy and comedy to the present day and her arrival as one of the world's best-loved novelists. Whether recalling arguments with her mother in suburban California or introducing us to the ghosts that inhabit her computer, The Opposite of Fate offers vivid portraits of choices, attitudes, charms, and luck in action--a refreshing antidote to the world-weariness and uncertainties we all face today.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Really enjoyed reading Amy's memories. So humble, honest and witty. Highly recommend this book for aspiring writers."; "While not usually a huge fan of autobiographical memoirs, I thought this one was truly special due to how incredibly she writes. Actually prompted me to start a list of words I didn't know the meanings of - her vocabulary is absolutely outstanding. And what a life - in several cases it actually did seem stranger than fiction. Definitely want to read more of Amy Tan."; "Tan has some laugh out loud stories in this memoir. I really enjoyed it since I've read most of her books."; "It's not exactly a memoir, but a collection of her essays, writings and musing. It's quite interesting to hear what a writer thinks about as she writes, and then what she thinks of her reviews. Often, she says she learns about herself as many reviewers state what she was thinking when she wrote and what literary tools she used. Many times, these reviewers are dead wrong."; "How do we know how much of what Amy Tan writes is true? She says she often starts with a kernel of something true, & then embroiders it as necessary to tell a story, or to investigate something that she finds interesting. Where does she live? Does it even matter? What is her writing journey? What are her sources and inspirations? Read this book and find out."