Where the Past Begins (Tan) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
In this wise and profound memoir, novelist Tan, now 65, looks back on her life, illuminating the path that led her to writing. Tan’s fans and writers of all kinds will find her latest work fascinating.
Publishers Weekly


[Tan's] new book digs deeper [than The Opposite of Fate], revealing more about he difficult childhood, her … relationship with her father, family secrets, and how all these experiences led inevitably to her becoming a writer.
Library Journal


(Starred review.) In her…revealing memoir, beloved novelist Tan chronicles with striking candor, sharp wit, and storytelling magic stranger-than-fiction traumas.… A profound work of endless fascination, discovery, and compassion.
Booklist


Tan's candid revelations make much of the book entertaining, but the slight journal entries and short pieces she calls "quirks" read like filler, and many chapters would have benefited from further editing. A composite portrait that should appeal to the author's fans.
Kirkus Reviews