Mariko Tamaki

published works

Fake ID

Fake ID is Mariko's second collection of short stories. It features "The Tea Party Chronicles" a tale of gothic broken hearts and bad Canadian rock and roll, "God Bless America" a story about being a Canadian in Kansas on the forth of July, and "Tale of Two Cities" about why Montrealers hate Torontonians (which they do).

Women's Press, 2005

Reviews

NOW Book Review by Susan G. Cole

FAKE ID is a quiet implosion of a book. It is fearless and funny and sad and true. I would follow Mariko Tamaki anywhere. ~ Will Ferguson

True Lies: A Book of Bad Advice

Mariko Tamaki shares her social commentary on love, joy, pain, sex, people, places, spaces, events and many things that irk her. Tamaki's in your face humorous social commentary is innovative, clever, intelligent, artistic and sweet. The sweetness arrives in a subliminal way, and it is upon reflection that her warmth from the heart washes over you.

Chapters include: A Tawdry Dukes of Hazzard Tale, Reasons to Give a Blowjob, Cats are Not People, Angry Naked Woman, Secretary 101, Do you Practice Stupid Sex?, The Epilady vs. The Hairy Asian, and more!

Women's Press, 2002

Reviews

...any writer who can frankly admit that her childhood sexuality was awakened by a combination of imagining Luke Duke sliding across his car while pondering the vague mystery of the word 'molester' gets my vote. Sue McCluskey, This Magazine

Mariko Tamaki is a natural born bossy boots. RM Vaughn, Xtra Magazine

Waxing poetic ...Tamaki reminds me of a much younger Fran Lebowitz, but in a saucy vintage dress. Leah Rumack, Now Magazine

Cover Me

With purple hair and sequined boots Traci Yamoto stars in a wicked riot-grrl rumble against family expectations and private school poseurs. Craving the protection of a thick skin, she picks up a razor and begins to carve. A slip of the hand lands Traci in psych ward 7, but a tattoo gun, a Goth boy, and a microphone offer her a way of of the 'burbs and into her own skin.

McGilligan Books, 2000

Reviews

Mariko Tamaki's first novel is a stunner ...short but artfully rendered. This book offered a believable and poignant tale of one young woman's struggle for identity and self-discovery. - Alexis Kienlen, Rice Paper Magazine

Short but very sweet, Cover Me packs a whole lotta punch ... Melinda Mattos, Now Magazine

Cover Me is a funny-sad tale delivered by an interesting new voice. Marnie Woodrow, Quill and Quire

GO AND BUY FROM ...

Bookstores:

Toronto Women's Bookstore

73 Harbord Street
Toronto, Ontario
416-922-8744

These chicks are fierce and fabulous. The backbone not only of the feminist literary community but the Toronto feminist movement as a whole. Buy books, zines, cds, etcetera and be nice to everyone who works there. Likely they are working too hard. Check out their workshops as well.

This Ain't The Rosedale Library

483 Church Street
Toronto, Ontario
416-929-9912

This is the ultimate local book haunt for the booklovers of Toronto. Their best picks and staff picks are almost always genuine gems. Periodically they host fabulous readings that reflect the Rosedale's overall philosophy of celebrating everything that is unique about the literary universe. If you see a white haired be-speckled older gentleman chatting up the customers, it's probably Charlie. Go poke him on the shoulder and tell him Mariko said to say Hi.

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