No one in my family was a reader of literary fiction. So, I didn't have encouragement, but I didn't have discouragement, because I don't think anybody knew what that meant. Amy Tan discouragementencouragementfamily Change image and share on social
I think I've always been somebody, since the deaths of my father and brother, who was afraid to hope. So, I was more prepared for failure and for rejection than for success. Amy Tan afraidbrotherdeath Change image and share on social
Chinese artists have been subversive over thousands of years, taking what they think of the government and embedding it in their art. There might be censorship of not going as far as they might. Amy Tan artartistcensorship Change image and share on social
I used to think that my mother got into arguments with people because they didn't understand her English, because she was Chinese. Amy Tan argumentchineseenglish Change image and share on social
I saw my mother in a different light. We all need to do that. You have to be displaced from what's comfortable and routine, and then you get to see things with fresh eyes, with new eyes. Amy Tan comfortabledisplaceeye Change image and share on social
My writing often contains souvenirs of the day - a song I heard, a bird I saw - which I then put into the novel. Amy Tan birddayhear Change image and share on social
I would never require anyone to read any book. That seems antithetical to why we read - which is to choose a book for our personal reasons. I always shudder when I'm told my books are on required reading lists. Amy Tan antitheticalbookchoose share on social
I did not lose myself all at once. I rubbed out my face over the years washing away my pain, the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water. Amy Tan carvingfacelose Change image and share on social
I also thought of playing improvisational jazz and I did take lessons for a while. At first I tried to write fiction by making up things that were completely alien to my life. Amy Tan aliencompletelyfiction Change image and share on social