Tamara Faith Berger is a Canadian author and novelist. She is best known for her novel Maidenhead, which won the Believer Book Award in 2012. Berger is a self-described feminist.
After completing her bachelor's degree, she worked as a writer of erotic stories. Her themes include women's desire and sexuality, often describing obscene scenarios. Many of her novels explore issues of race and class. Her literary influences include Georges Bataille and Judy Blume.
Her debut novel Lie With Me was adapted into a 2006 film by her husband, the filmmaker Clement Virgo.
She wrote the screenplay for Virgo's 2025 film Steal Away, adapted from a non-fiction book by Karolyn Smardz Frost.Kim Izzo, "Clement Virgo’s Steal Away wraps principal photography in Belgium". Playback, July 19, 2024.
Awards and honours In 2018, The Walrus included Queen Solomon on their "Ten Canadian Authors on the Best Books of 2018" list. +Awards for Berger's writingYearTitleAwardResultRef.2012MaidenheadTrillium Book Award, EnglishNominee"Finalists for Trillium Book Award announced". Canada NewsWire, May 30, 2013.2012MaidenheadBeliever Book AwardWinner2013MaidenheadReLit Award for NovelShortlist2018Queen SolomonTrillium Book Award, EnglishNominee2019Queen SolomonReLit Award for NovelShortlist
Publications Lie With Me (2001) The Way of the Whore (2004) A Woman Alone at Night (2007) Maidenhead (2012) Kuntalini (2016) Queen Solomon (2018) Yara (2023)
References
External links
"Excerpt: Queen Solomon by Tamara Faith Berger" (The Globe and Mail) "An Interview with Tamara Faith Berger" (Jewish Book Council)