True Lies

The Book of Bad Advice

By Mariko Tamaki

2002

First Published

3.59

Average Rating

131

Number of Pages

4H00M

Audio Length

The unsuspecting public is in for a treat in this book as Mariko Tamaki shares humour, sensitivity, love, joy, pain, social commentary, and complaints (about everything and everyone and all places, spaces, evens and things). Her in-your-face humorous commentary on social life is innovative, clever, intelligent, artistic and sweet. The sweetness comes at the reader in a subliminal way, so that it is upon reflection that the warmth from the heart washes over you. Tamaki's love of the world and the people in it shines in her work. Even as she takes pot shots at social behaviour, there lies at the core of the work a feeling of deep, soft love. One moment, you will howl with laughter until the tears run from your eyes. By the next line of True Lies, you will find yourself reflecting on the social implications of the topics Tamaki raises. This writer's gift as an orator and writer lies in her capacity to disarm the reader, using humour as a great leveller. She brings the reader face to face with idosyncracies, prejudices, conservatism, hostilities, narrowness of vision and all of the small (and large) negative behaviours that make life difficult.

Avg Rating

3.59

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

27%

4 STARS

25%

3 STARS

33%

2 STARS

12%

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

Mariko Tamaki

Author · 71 books

Mariko Tamaki is a Toronto writer, playwright, activist and performer. She works and performs with fat activists Pretty Porky and Pissed Off and the theatre troupe TOA, whose recent play, A vs. B, was staged at the 2004 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Her well-received novel, Cover Me (McGilligan Books) was followed by a short fiction collection, True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (Women's Press). Mariko's third book, FAKE ID, is due out in spring 2005. Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies. [MacMIllan Books]