Amy Tan’s memoir is unlike any autobiography that I’ve ever digested. Much of the book deals with the writing process. She goes into detail about how life events impacted her writing. Her complicated relationship with her mother is beautifully explored. You will get insights into her previously published novels which began with The Joy Luck Club. ( )

I kept getting angry as I read the passages describing her mother's behavior during the author's childhood, until it clicked: her mother was mentally ill. Of course. Once the author explicitly named it for what it was, I began to understand. Suddenly this shifted from simply a memoir (albeit one written in a really interesting format) to a memoir about being raised by a mentally ill parent. Well then - onward.

The section containing the email exchange between the author and her editor was fun and interesting. I couldn't identify which book they were talking about, and that was good because it left me free to enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at how a book is born rather than try to reconcile the finished book with the potential variations they discussed.

Another highlight was the section describing the author's links to classical music, writing, and stories. It actually started out a little dull, but then the author takes the reader on a little adventure: she narrates the story that always forms in her mind's eye when she listens to one of her favorite pieces of classical music. She maps this story against the precise minute and second of the music, and this allows the reader to put her book down, pull up the specific version of the concerto on a streaming service, and then read the story set against the music that conjured it. The effect is fantastic.

And finally, there is the story of the author's grandmother, mother, and self, nestled together like Matryoshka dolls. ( )

I sought this book out after watching the gripping documentary based on it - An Unintended Memoir. Tan's unique history does more than fuel her writing - I was reminded of [[David Morrell]]'s [Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing], as he explained the therapeutic nature of his own writing experience and it bears a striking resemblance to Tan's, even though she doesn't characterize it quite that way.

A couple reviews here bemoan that the book isn't a straight memoir - just the facts, ma'am. But Tan makes it clear from the start she wasn't interested in that sort of a book. She was more interested in giving us a peek inside her head, and she does that more than most any other writer I've ever read. (A recent example of this kind of glimpse might be the back material of [[Chaim Potok]]'s book [The Chosen].) One section of her book actually has her transcribing a piece of music she's expanded into a fairytale; another section has her dipping into her linguistic knowledge and curiosities; and throughout, there are snippets of her journal. I felt like a tourist in a grand house, peeking into various rooms and enjoying the sights displayed.

All along, she lays out the bread crumbs of her life and history, always careful to explain how they affected her emotionally. Memory and emotion are really the thematic pillars of the book.

Anyone who considers themselves a writer would do well to read this one. ( )

Sometimes this is tough to read. Amy's childhood with a suicidal, undiagnosed, untreated mentally ill mother. Her mother and grandmother has tragic stories.
There are good times too.
She reflects on how she came to be a writer. ( )

The best description for this book/series in 10 words or less:
"Famous author writes about her childhood, culture, and trials."

This novel is very different from her other books (because it is a memoir rather than fiction), but this novel has similar writing aspects to her fictional pieces. The book has a structure but a different kind of structure than all her other books. This novel is more fluid in the way that it goes from one idea to the next. Amy Tan makes reading this novel feel like it is like you're in a really nice dream and you're going for the ride.

The writing reminds me of concocting a chemistry experiment because this book is part journal, part diary, and part genealogy. The reader gets to be in the mind of Amy Tan as she writes with less restraint as she discovers more of her past and better understands both her life and family.

The way the parts are organized are creative and unexpected. Instead of titling for family or herself, she titles them with what people encourage others to do.

It's really interesting because you get a glimpse of how her characters in her books relate to people in her life, such as Amy Tan's mother as June's mother in The Joy Luck Club.

This memoir gives the reader an idea of what Asian American culture is like in some aspects because not every Asian American family is the same, especially in different generations. Academics and music become emphasized on perfection and nothing short of it because Asian parents want only the best for their children through achievement.

There is very little that I disliked about this book. The only thing I wish Amy Tan explored more is her relationships with her brothers, particularly her younger one. Her older brother is written a little more than her younger brother.

Refer to my blog for a different view of this review:
https://axarr.blogspot.com/2017/10/new-release-review-where-past-begins.html

Check out other books in my personal library for reviews and recommendations:
https://literarymary.libib.com/ ( )