Maxine Hong Kingston
(b. 1940)

Maxine Hong Kingston's writing is a unique combination of autobiography, history, legend, and pure fiction that defies traditional categories. When she writes, she draws on all of the experiences in her life—real and imaginary. In The Woman Warrior (1976), Kingston writes, "Night after night my mother would talk-story until we fell asleep. I could not tell where the stories left off and the dreams began."

Kingston has been criticized by some for incorporating fiction into her autobiographical writing. She responds to her critics by explaining that she is simply trying to portray her own experiences.

However controversial in academic circles, Kingston's works have earned her worldwide acclaim and numerous awards. These honors include the American Book Award for China Men, and a place in Time magazine's top ten nonfiction books of the 1970s for The Woman Warrior.

Today, Kingston continues to write and publish, and also serves as Senior Lecturer for Creative Writing at the University of California, Berkeley.

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