Her books, mostly memoirs, are known for their views into the. Michelle teas books include the novel rose of no mans land, the illustrated memoir rent girl, and valencia. Teas third book, the chelsea whistle, was nominated for a lambda literary award in the autobiography category, and was selected by the chronicle as one of. Michelle tea born michelle tomasik is an american author, poet, and literary arts organizer whose autobiographical works explore queer culture, feminism, race, class, prostitution, and other topics. Books how a nycbased germanlanguage literary festival will make you rethink queerness. She is the founder of radar productions, a literary nonprofit which produces the monthly radar reading series at the san francisco public library. In 2003, michelle founded radar productions, a literary non. Valencia is a fastpaced if slightly meandering memoir of 20something michelle tea s substancefueled adventures in the 90s san francisco lesbian scene. Valencia is a dramafilled account of the narrators own personal experiences in san franciscos queer neighborhoods. Memoirs of a girlhood among ghosts, maxine hong kingston the white album, slouching towards bethlehem, joan didion. Michelle tea on failure, trump voters, and her fantasy for the. Michelle tea, a favorite on the spokenword scene and beloved in literary circles for books such as valencia, chelsea whistle and most recently rose of no mans land, has gathered new work by twentytwo of the most outstanding emerging voices in queer girl writing.
Her critically acclaimed books have appeared on books of the year lists in publications ranging from the voice literary supplement to. The movie valencia, based on michelle teas 2000 novel of the same name, radiates with the spirit of collaborative filmmaking, a do it our damn selves sister spit mentality and the. Her memoir valencia is an underground classic and is currently being made into a feature film by 21 different filmmakers. Michelle tea is the author of ten books of memoir, fiction, and poetry, including the awardwinning valencia now a film and the speculative memoir black wave. Tea s books are mostly autobiographical works and she has written mostly memoirs. She is originally from chelsea, massachusetts and currently lives in san francisco. The book launched tea into local and literary fame, especially after winning the 2001 lambda literary award for lesbian fiction. Fiction is matched in excitement by graphic novel excerpts and personal essays. It follows her through her teenage years and early twenties in provincetown and ends with her. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
Michelle tea is the author of eleven books of poetry, memoir and fiction that explore the queer, feminist, working class experience in the united states. This is one of those books i would be willing to read several times. Rhiannon nobodysgrrl this rent girl memoir is dangerous. Tea had 20 different filmmakers including cheryl dunye and jill soloway each take a chapter from her book, cast their own actress to play the role of michelle and then, with the help of director hilary goldberg, bring the pieces together to make valencia, the film, which is screening at outfest on sunday. Michelle teas second book is just as good as her first. Fast paced and diaristic, valencia sketches a vibrant portrait of lesbian life in 90s san francisco.
Michelle tea came on the literary scene in the mid 90s, the product of queer san francisco nightlife, telling stories of drugs, sex work and everything in between. Michelle tea is a prolific and beloved author who has written extensively on bluecollar queer themes. Influenced by poet eileen myles and photographer nan goldin, tea writes narrative poetry and prose that explore issues of class, queer identity, feminism, and autobiography. Tea, who is also the author of the novels valencia. Valencia is a 2000 lambda literary awardwinning novel by michelle tea. See all books authored by michelle tea, including valencia, and modern tarot. It is an autobiographical novel detailing the narrators experiences in san francisco s queer subculture. Valencia by tea, michelle the roughandtumble world of san franciscos radical lesbian underground is laid bare in this actionpacked novel, which follows a young gay woman down into the often dangerous world inhabited by the citys dyke community. It includes experimentation with consensual sadomasochism after the author meets petra, a knifewielder.
Michelle tea turns a radical eye on ya in mermaid in chelsea. This book is made hysterical through teas amazingly detailed descriptions of sights, sounds, and experiences. Her memoir valencia is an underground classic, and was made into a collaborative feature film using the work of 21 queer filmmakers. I lay on whatever shitty couch i owned at the time and read. Iris, the beautiful boydyke who ran away from the south in a.
Valencia driven more by style and attitude than by narrative, this freefrom adaptation of michelle teas cult novelmemoir is always stimulating but a little exhausting. Valencia by michelle tea meet your next favorite book. Valencia by michelle tea order valencia valencia is the fastpaced account of one girls search for love and high times in the dramafilled dyke world of san franciscos mission district. Valencia, by michelle tea i cant think of anyone who has done a better job telling the story of the dark, but enticing queeraddict world. May 10, 20 new york michelle tea has been a horoscope writer, an activist and a sex worker. Valencia by michelle tea book cover, description, publication history. Michelle tea turns a radical eye on ya in mermaid in. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Collected poems 2003, the novels valencia 2000 and rose of no mans. She was a 1999 recipient of a rona jaffe foundation writers award for fiction. Jul 14, 20 tea had 20 different filmmakers including cheryl dunye and jill soloway each take a chapter from her book, cast their own actress to play the role of michelle and then, with the help of director hilary goldberg, bring the pieces together to make valencia, the film, which is screening at outfest on sunday. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This book is made hysterical through tea s amazingly detailed descriptions of sights, sounds, and experiences.
The book chronicled the life of michelle, a young lesbian poet, in the mission district of san francisco. Valencia live girls kindle edition by tea, michelle. Michelle tea mines her colorful past for a graphic memoir. In 2003, michelle founded radar productions, a literary nonprofit that oversees queercentric projects. Due to covid19, we are closed to foot traffic, but are available by phone during our temporary hours monsat 106 and sun 116, and online 247. Michelle tea is the author of five memoirs, including the cult favorite valencia, the illustrated rent girl, and most recently how to grow up. Through a string of narrative moments, tea records a year lived in a world of girls. Valencia is a fastpaced if slightly meandering memoir of 20something michelle teas substancefueled adventures in the 90s san francisco lesbian scene. Postpunk performance poet and writer michelle tea grew up in chelsea, massachusetts. Michelle tea is the author of several books including the passionate mistakes and intricate corruption of one girl in america, valencia, the chelsea whistle, rent girl, how to grow up, mermaid in chelsea creek and girl at the bottom of the sea, rose of no mans land. Connecting with your higher self through the wisdom of the cards, and more on. Michelle tea s second book is just as good as her first. If you can call that professional, she says of her youthful self. With valencia, you get the feeling that tea has more of a handle on her identity, but not so much that she takes herself too seriously.
Michelle tea is the author of many books, including memoirs. Michelle tea is an american author, poet, and literary arts organizer whose works explore queer culture and other topics like feminism, race, class, prostitution, and more. Michelle tea is the prolific author of the lambda awardwinning valencia, the graphic novel rent girl, the inspired queer bildungsroman rose of no mans land, and other books. Dec 04, 2010 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Michelle tea born michelle tomasik, 1971 is an american author, poet, and literary arts organizer whose autobiographical works explore queer culture, feminism, race, class, sex work, and other topics. It is an autobiographical novel detailing the narrators experiences in san franciscos queer subculture. Preinternet, her books were spread amongst counterculture weirdos like map points to a rave, through word of. She is the editor of the sister spit imprint of city lights publishers and of the amethyst editions imprint of the feminist press. Recalling eileen myles chelsea girls the autobiographical novel is told from the candid perspective of authornarrator michelle, a twentysomething queer woman recently moved to the mission district, who recounts her sundry hook ups, romances, gigs, fights, and adventures from the time. Valencia by michelle tea overdrive rakuten overdrive. Michelle tea is currently considered a single author. Michelle tea is the author of numerous books, including rent girl, valencia, how to grow up and, most recently, black wave. Michelle tea books list of books by author michelle tea. In 2012, tea partnered with city lights publishers to.
Her numerous books include the poetry collection the beautiful. Michelle tea records a year lived in a world of girls. More than 25 years ago, author michelle tea started reading tarot professionally in san francisco, trading spiritual advisement for cigarettes from hippie kids on haight street, before relocating to a store called love. It was valencia, and i read itno, inhaled itin the way i inhaled all of teas books. Teas books are mostly autobiographical works and she has written mostly memoirs. Valencia is the fastpaced account of one girls search for love and high. Michelle teas second novel valencia was made into a film and translated into several. She never graduated from college, but she has written a novel, a poetry collection and four memoirs one of. Michelle tea has come a long way since her days as a poor young writer, penning drugfueled memoirs and novels like valencia and rent girl about her colorful life as a sex worker and queer artist in the 90sera mission district. A literary organiser in queer and feminist circles, she cocreated the longrunning perfor. Now, she lives in a cozy house in the outer sunset, not so far geographically from the gritty streets where her diy literary career ignited. Michelle tea, the high priestess the author who chronicled lesbian san francisco in the 1990s now gives us a full treatment of the tarot, which shes practiced for nearly 30 years.