The Joy Luck Club: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Amy Tan’s modern classic that examines the sometimes painful, often tender, and always deep connection between mothers and daughters—now with a new preface
“For me, [The Joy Luck Club] was one of those once-in-a-lifetime reading experiences that you cherish forever. It inspired me as a writer and still remains hugely inspirational.”—Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians
“Brilliant.”—The Washington Post Book World
“A jewel of a book.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Amy Tan [is] a writer of dazzling talent.”—Chicago Tribune
In 1949, four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to play mah jong, remember the past, and gossip into the night. United in unspeakable loss and new hope, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club.
With wit and sensitivity, Amy Tan examines the memories that display these women’s strength, worries, and determination. As each woman reveals her secrets, trying to unravel the truth about her life, the strings become more tangled, more entwined. Mothers boast or despair over daughters, and daughters roll their eyes even as they feel the inextricable tightening of the matriarchal ties that they believe have stymied their ability to face the uncertainties of the future.
Intimate and moving, The Joy Luck Club shows us how the inheritance of pain and unspoken secrets can lead to misunderstanding—and yet how love can still offer the promise of reconciliation.
“For me, [The Joy Luck Club] was one of those once-in-a-lifetime reading experiences that you cherish forever. It inspired me as a writer and still remains hugely inspirational.”—Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians
“Brilliant.”—The Washington Post Book World
“A jewel of a book.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Amy Tan [is] a writer of dazzling talent.”—Chicago Tribune
In 1949, four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to play mah jong, remember the past, and gossip into the night. United in unspeakable loss and new hope, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club.
With wit and sensitivity, Amy Tan examines the memories that display these women’s strength, worries, and determination. As each woman reveals her secrets, trying to unravel the truth about her life, the strings become more tangled, more entwined. Mothers boast or despair over daughters, and daughters roll their eyes even as they feel the inextricable tightening of the matriarchal ties that they believe have stymied their ability to face the uncertainties of the future.
Intimate and moving, The Joy Luck Club shows us how the inheritance of pain and unspoken secrets can lead to misunderstanding—and yet how love can still offer the promise of reconciliation.
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Community Reviews
Beautiful, touching, moving story. I was surprised it was from the perspective of 3 living women and 4 daughters. At times it was hard to keep track of whose childhood was who and whose mother is who. It did add an interesting element to the story. Loved the themes and story telling. I would read again.
It is a very beautiful book, telling the story of Chinese mothers with daughters raised in the USA. All the clashes they have, and the female heritage of their families. My only criticism is that it doesn't connect the stories well, and I got a little lost, but otherwise it's excellent.
Good book. I'd recommend reading an actual book rather than an e-version so you can flip back and forth.
I've read this book several times since it came out, my first year of college. I drank the book in knowing every character, amazed that I finally could see someone like me in a book-- even if I am only 1/32 Chinese-- but I still could relate to so many things Jing Mei and Waverly go through in their lives and with their mothers. I just had such a deep understanding and connection to this book. Likewise, reading this again 35 years later with my Book Club friends-- was yet another revelation. Yet now-- I'm relating much more to the mothers in the book, rather than the daughters. It was such a great re-read, and I'm so glad I suggested it for our June Book Club read. I only hope others have the same reaction that I have had to Tan's writing. This is just one of those books everyone needs to read. It's a classic.
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