Picture a Chinese-American storyteller who turned the immigrant narrative into a rollicking road trip adventure—meet Jade Chang! With her debut novel, The Wangs vs. the World, Chang burst onto the literary scene, blending humor, heart, and sharp cultural insights. Her fresh take on the Asian American experience has made her a standout voice in contemporary fiction.
The Making of Jade Chang
Born in Ohio and raised in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, Jade Chang grew up in a family shaped by migration. Her parents, originally from China, fled to Taiwan in 1949 before settling in the U.S., where they met in graduate school. This rich heritage of movement and resilience subtly informs Chang’s storytelling. After studying English literature and political philosophy at Cornell University, she dove into journalism, interning at LA Weekly and later working as an arts and culture editor for outlets like Glamour and The Los Angeles Times Magazine. Her nights, however, were spent crafting fiction, fueled by a passion for stories that defy stereotypes.
Jade Chang’s Unforgettable Stories
Chang’s breakout novel, The Wangs vs. the World (2016), is a vibrant, comedic saga about a wealthy Chinese-American family navigating the 2008 financial crisis. After cosmetics mogul Charles Wang loses his fortune, he embarks on a cross-country road trip with his kids and second wife, Barbra, to reclaim his ancestral land in China. Critics praised its witty dialogue, vivid characters, and refusal to portray immigrants as outsiders. Chang spent eight years perfecting this debut, which earned spots on best-of-the-year lists from NPR, Buzzfeed, and Amazon, plus the VCU-Cabell First Novelist Prize. Her style—playful, raw, and emotionally honest—blends the manic energy of a road trip with poignant reflections on identity and belonging.
Beyond novels, Chang has ventured into screenwriting, contributing an episode to Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club (2020) that explores Japanese-American history. She’s also authored The List and You’ve Already Changed Your Life, though these works are less prominent. Her writing consistently challenges the “model minority” myth, offering characters who are bold, flawed, and unapologetically themselves.
Why Jade Chang Matters
Jade Chang’s work redefines the immigrant story, moving beyond tales of struggle to celebrate joy, ambition, and complexity. By crafting a Chinese-American family that’s central to the American narrative, she dismantles stereotypes and invites readers of all backgrounds to see themselves in her characters. Her novel’s adaptation into a Hulu series (in development since 2018) signals her growing influence. Chang’s ability to weave humor with social commentary has cemented her as a vital voice in Asian American literature, inspiring a new generation of writers to tell their own unconventional stories.
About Jade Chang
- Born: Ohio, USA
- Key Work: The Wangs vs. the World (2016)
- Awards: VCU-Cabell First Novelist Prize
- Fun Fact: Chang once worked as a luxury magazine editor, inspiring her novel’s sharp take on wealth.
Ready to laugh, cry, and hit the road with the Wangs? Snag The Wangs vs. the World and dive into Jade Chang’s hilarious, heartfelt world!