True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice

by Mariko Tamaki

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.

Genres: Canada, Queer, Short Stories, Autobiography, Nonfiction, Essays, Memoir

131 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

About the author

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]

Reviews

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humour—what exactly each person finds funny—is such a personal thing. I mean, it’s about as personal as what turns you on and what kind of erotica/porn you like. So reviewing True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice, Mariko Tamaki’s collection of funny essays/stories-that-are-true-but-kind-of-not-true, and telling you which ones I thought were funny feels a bit weird. I mean, how am I to know what I think is funny is what anyone else would find funny?

So let me tell you all about this odd little book of writing that doesn’t quite know what it is. It reads very much like a comedy set, actually; you can just picture Mariko Tamaki standing up on a stage with a mic walking around telling you hilarious embellished stories about her life. (A lot of these stories were performed on various stages in Toronto, in fact). Reading this book is like sitting down for coffee with your really funny friend, and having to ask them when they’re finished, “No, but really. Did it really happen like that?”

Tamaki warns in the introduction: “I have no problem admitting that I am a liar at heart. It’s true. I am.” She then goes on to “compare lies to pearls: they look better strung together in a set.” Of course, when you’re reading the stories, you have no idea where the truth ends and the lies begin. But does it really matter?...

See the rest of my review on my blog.

[Katlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit gritty and pretty explicit but very fun to read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the cat essay.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't really what I was expecting. I thought it would be funnier. There were a few moments when I laughed out loud but mostly I found it just kind of meh. It is a quick Canadian read. I liked the references to Toronto.

[Three O'Clock Press]

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.

[Sasha Boersma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a somewhat memoir-ish, with the author collecting various stories of various uncomfortable topics in narrative-essay form. It starts a bit slow and dark, but if you stick with it, her stories get a bit more lighthearted (in perspective). Having only read her later YA work, (and being a fan of it) I was surprised to read such edge, but I liked it! Not quite my sense of humour, but a worthwhile read.

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great quick, short stories about amusing topics. I highly recommend it for some mindless, entertaining reading. One of my favorites was titled, "Cats Are Not People: Questions you should ask yourself when considering the line (and how you cross it) between cats and people."
I really would like to give it a 3.5 instead of a 3.0, but I guess that's not possible.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my go-to favourites when I'm in need of a seriously good LOL.