NPR's Book of the Day Tamara Yajia’s memoir recounts a chaotic upbringing between the U.S. and Argentina
Sep 8, 2025
Tamara Yajia opens up about her wild upbringing straddling Argentine and American cultures. She shares jaw-dropping stories of her family’s radical openness and her unconventional childhood experiences. A standout moment involves a talent show performance of Madonna’s 'Like a Prayer,' which became a creative outlet and a means of coping. With humor as her survival tool, Yajia explores deep themes of sexuality, healing, and breaking the cycle of dysfunction in her life.
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Iconic Talent-Show Moment
- At nine, Tamara lip-synced Madonna's Like a Prayer in a Hebrew school talent show and dramatically stripped an American flag shirt to reveal a garter belt and tiny bralette.
- She remembers being the happiest she'd ever been on stage despite the shocked adult audience.
Madonna Bridged Two Cultures
- After moving back to Argentina, Tamara felt lonely and discovered Madonna as a bridge between her two cultures which made her feel seen for the first time.
- That discovery motivated her to perform Madonna at the talent show to prove she was 'cool' to other kids.
Sexual Openness As Family Norm
- Tamara describes her family as openly sexual and even took outings to Buenos Aires' red-light district with her grandfather present.
- She says this constant exposure normalized sexual topics and shaped her early expectations about being sexualized.
