Tamai Kobayashi Books

A beautifully written series of interlocked stories about a small group of women, all either friends, family, or exlovers. Kobayashi evokes in a sort of poetic fire clearly the sometimes joyful, sometimes painful ties people have with each other. Even though the characters are women and most are lesbians, the overall story can clearly portray parallels in any family unit, whether chosen or hereditary. Resonates along with Sarah Schulman's "Rat Bohemia" or Alison Bechdel's series "Dykes to Watch out for".

This eagerly awaited follow-up to "Exile and the Heart" is a collection of short stories exploring lesbian desire, sex, and love. The first half is populated with sensual erotica, ranging from love stories to kink. In the second half, Kobayashi adds elements of fantasy to her tales, merging the mythic with the erotic. "Quixotic Erotic" is a glorious example of reader seduction. Kobayashi is a marvelous storyteller and this collection just whets whatever appetites the readers bring. I hope it won't be so long before she gives us more.