C Pam Zhang (born 1990) is an American writer. Her

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

, '' How Much of These Hills Is Gold'', was released by Riverhead Books in 2020 and was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction and longlisted for the 2020

Booker Prize The Booker Prize, formerly the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a prestigious literary award conferred each year for the best single work of sustained fiction written in the English language, wh ...

; she was named a " 5 Under 35" writer by the

National Book Foundation The National Book Foundation (NBF) is an American nonprofit organization established with the goal "to raise the cultural appreciation of great writing in America." Established in 1989 by National Book Awards, Inc.,Edwin McDowell. "Book Notes: ...

subsequent to its release. Her second novel, ''Land of Milk and Honey'', was released in 2023.

Early life and education

Zhang was born in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

in 1990 and moved to the United States when she was four years old. While growing up, Zhang moved to ten new homes by the time she was eighteen. She attended

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

and studied at

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

. Zhang was a 2017 Truman Capote Fellow at the

Iowa Writers' Workshop The Iowa Writers' Workshop, at the University of Iowa, is a graduate-level creative writing program. At 89 years, it is the oldest writing program offering a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in the United States. Its acceptance rate is between 2 ...

Career

''How Much of These Hills Is Gold''

Zhang's debut novel, '' How Much of These Hills Is Gold'', published in 2020, follows two recently orphaned children of immigrants on the run, trying not just to survive but to find a home. The novel is set against the twilight of the American gold rush. ''How Much of These Hills Is Gold'' is inspired by Zhang's childhood of moving homes often. It reckons with the grief she experienced after losing her father when she was twenty-two. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' said, "C Pam Zhang’s arresting, beautiful first novel is filled with myths of her own making as well as sorrows and joys." '' The San Francisco Chronicle'' wrote that Zhang's novel is a "a fully immersive epic drama packed with narrative riches and exquisitely crafted prose … . Zhang captures not only the mesmeric beauty and storied history of America's sacred landscape, but also the harsh sacrifices countless people were forced to make in hopes of laying claim to its bounty." Zhang has been awarded support from Tin House, Bread Loaf, and Aspen Words. In 2020, Zhang was nominated for the

. The same year, Zhang was named a

" 5 Under 35" Honoree.

''Land of Milk and Honey''

Zhang's second novel, ''Land of Milk and Honey'', published in 2023, is set in a near-future ecological crisis where a global smog has wiped out biodiversity and collapsed agriculture. The protagonist, a 29-year-old unnamed Asian American chef, leaves collapsed England to work in a secluded elite research facility in the Italian Alps. The mountain enclave, owned by a reclusive capitalist, is one of the few places where food still grows. It serves as both a biobank and a sanctuary for investors and scientists developing genetically engineered plants and animals. The chef is hired to prepare elaborate meals from rare and extinct ingredients for wealthy backers. Her culinary work is used to evoke emotion and secure financial support. The novel explores moral dilemmas about resource hoarding, scientific elitism, and survival amid collapse. The book was listed in ''The New York Times'' 100 Notable Books for 2023. It was longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize and the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.

Awards

Selected texts

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References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, C Pam 21st-century American women writers 21st-century American novelists American writers of Chinese descent American women novelists Living people Chinese emigrants to the United States Brown University alumni Alumni of the University of Cambridge Iowa Writers' Workshop alumni Year of birth missing (living people)