Julie Gale

Julie Wu, born in 1967, is a Taiwanese-American author and medical doctor. She pursued a medical career, believing it would inform her writing, and completed her residency in internal medicine before practicing as a primary care physician. Wu eventually stepped away from her medical practice to dedicate more time to her writing and family.

Her literary pursuits have been recognized with accolades such as a 2012 Massachusetts Cultural Council fellowship and a grant from the Vermont Studio Center. Wu holds degrees from Harvard University and Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. She also had a period of enrollment in a vocal performance master's program at Indiana University at Bloomington.

Wu's novel, 'The Third Son' (2013), is set in 1950s Taiwan and America during the early space age, centering on a boy named Saburo. The book garnered positive reviews from various publications.

Julie Wu's decision to enter the medical field was partly motivated by a belief that it would enhance her capabilities as a writer. After completing her internal medicine residency and practicing as a primary care physician, she chose to close her practice. This shift allowed her to concentrate her energies on her writing projects and her children. Her dedication to her craft has been acknowledged through a 2012 Massachusetts Cultural Council fellowship and a writing grant from the Vermont Studio Center.

The novel 'The Third Son' was inspired by Wu's research into Taiwan's political history, particularly the "2/28" incident. She aimed to illuminate the experiences of Taiwanese people under Japanese rule and address the historical silence surrounding this period. Wu stated that her initial ambition to write a "Great American Novel" evolved into a desire to give voice to the Taiwanese people and their history. A key objective was to educate the American public about Taiwanese history, even as she fictionalized elements of her parents' experiences to make the narrative accessible.

“...[the novel] evolved partly from [my parents'] story but...I really fictionalized it...so that it would introduce people who wouldn't normally learn about Taiwanese history to Taiwanese history.”