giant 'tao lin information for journalists' post

BIOGRAPHY

Tao Lin (b. 1983, Virginia) grew up in Orlando, FL and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Tao's parents were born in Taiwan. Tao has a B.A. in Journalism from New York University.

Tao is the author of a story-collection, BED, and a novel, EEEEE EEE EEEE, published simultaneously by Melville House on May 15, 2007 in the first two-book story-collection/novel debut since Ann Beattie in 1976. Tao is the author of a poetry collection, YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT HAPPIER THAN I AM, which is regularly a bestseller (#4, #2, #4, #2) and two e-books, of poetry and stories, on bear parade.

Tao's second poetry-collection, COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, was published May 15, 2008 by Melville House, who will also publish his second novel in 2009 or 2010.

Tao is a poetry editor for 3:AM Magazine. Tao's writing has appeared in the following venues: Noon, Nerve, Esquire, Vice, The Stranger, Mississippi Review, Cincinnati Review, Bear Parade, Adbusters, etc.

Tao has art here. He was pardoned by Gawker. His first solo art showing was reviewed unfavorably by Gothamist commenters.

SELECTED PRESS

Feature, De Zeit (Germany) (June, 2008)
Feature, Paste Magazine (May, 2008)
Feature, Time Out New York
Feature, South China Morning Post

Review, COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY in The Constant Critic
Review, EEEEE EEE EEEE & BED in the San Francisco Bay Guardian
Review, EEEEE EEE EEEE & BED in Bookmunch
Review, EEEEE EEE EEEE in Bookslut
Review, BED in The Stranger

Interview, BBC Radio 2, "The Chris Evans Show" (August, 2008)
Interview, 3AM: Magazine (May, 2008)
Interview, Psychopedia (May, 2008)
Interview, ANP Quarterly Issue 10
Interview, Bookslut
Interview, Popmatters
Interview, Litpark

SELECTED LITERATURE

Poems, "Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy" (first seven pages)
Poems, "A Stoic Philosophy..." "The Power of Ethical Reasoning"

Poem, "I'm Going To Touch You Very Hard"
Poem, "A Poem Written By A Bear"
Poem, "Some Of My Happiest Moments In Life Occur On AOL Instant Messenger"
Poem, "I Went Fishing With My Family When I Was Five"
Poem, "Opposite Of Song Of Myself"

Story, "The Gay Stepdad"
Story, "The Existentially Fucked Megamouth Shark"
Story, "We Will Drink our Coffee and Complete our Novels..."
Story, "Love is a Thing on Sale For More Money Than There Exists"
Story, "Leftover Crack in Red Hook"
Story, "Sex After Not Seeing Each Other For A Few Days"
Story, "Shoplifting from American Apparel"
Story, "Exactly What I Want"
Story, "Should"

Essay, What I Can Tell You About Seattle Based on the People I've Met Who Are From There
Essay, Levels of Greatness a Fiction Writer can Achieve in America
Essay, Fighting Elliott Bay Audience
Essay, Bed (Largeheartedboy's Booknotes)
Essay, Cho Seung-Hui
Essay, Novel Writing

BLURBS

"Tao Lin writes from moods that less radical writers would let pass - from laziness, from vacancy, from boredom. And it turns out that his report from these places is moving and necessary, not to mention frequently hilarious." - Miranda July

"I hope this new publisher uses my blurb this time. I was a little sad that the other one didn't use it. And it was really funny. At least I thought it was. They could have sold tens of copies if they'd put my blurb on that book. How else do people know that the book is any good? No one can actually concentrate in a book store. Because their feet hurt. So that is where I come in: I say that these poems are serious and funny and more than they appear. I am a big fan of Tao Lin's writing and this book makes me happy." - Matthew Rohrer

“Tao Lin's poetry passes by slacker era irony and self-indulgent formalism to dig up something deeper and more human, even when that something seems on first reading to merely be depressed hamsters. ” - Jeffrey Brown