Drew Hayden Taylor Books In Order

Publication Order of Funny You Don't Look Like One Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Plays

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Drew Hayden Taylor

Drew Hayden Taylor is a writer from Canada who belongs to the Curve Lake First Nation. He works as a playwright, an author, and a journalist. His stories often focus on Indigenous life, but they avoid heavy or sad tones. Instead, he uses humor and sharp observation to keep things light and smart.

Taylor has a real skill for building characters who feel like real people you might know. His protagonists are not perfect or heroic in a fake way; they talk and act like everyday folks with funny habits and honest problems. That is why his plays and books stay entertaining to read. A reader can laugh, think, and feel curious all at once without being told how to feel.

His gift for creating compelling stories comes from mixing normal situations with surprising twists. The dialogue moves fast, and the scenes switch between quiet moments and lively arguments. Nothing is too fancy or slow. This approach makes each narrative feel fresh and direct, so anyone can pick up his work and enjoy it right away.

He entertains readers around the world by staying true to his own voice. He does not change his style to fit trends or outside expectations. His work feels honest because it comes from his experiences and observations. That honesty travels well across different cultures.

His stories mix funny moments with sharp, real life details. A reader in Japan or Germany can laugh at a character’s awkward family dinner. The humor is not hidden in local references. It comes from universal things like bad luck, pride, and trying to fit in.

Taylor writes what he knows without turning it into a lesson. He keeps his characters flawed and kind in equal measure. That balance makes his books and plays feel fresh no matter where you live. People keep reading because the stories are never stiff or forced.

Taylor shows no sign of slowing down. New plays and books are reportedly in the works. He continues to write with the same honest and funny approach. Readers can expect more fresh stories from him for years to come.

Early and Personal Life

Born 1962, and growing up in Curve Lake, Ontario during the 1960s, Drew Hayden Taylor was surrounded by both Ojibwe and white family roots. He has joked about starting his own nation called the Occasions, since he is half Ojibwe and half Caucasian. That playful way of looking at identity shows up a lot in his later work as a writer.

As a young person, he found his way into reading and then writing without a big fuss. He has said that fighting over status or skin color only brings more problems to any community. So he turned to stories instead, using plays, short stories, essays, and columns for magazines like This Magazine to share what he saw.

Over time, Taylor grew as an author by working in many different creative jobs. He led Native Earth Performing Arts as artistic director, taught at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, and wrote for TV shows like The Beachcombers and North of 60. He also made documentary films for CBC, held writer in residence spots at several universities and festivals, and served on an advisory committee for the Ontario Ministry of Culture.

Writing Career

Drew Hayden Taylor has built a long and busy writing career across many forms. His books include nonfiction titles like Funny, You Don’t Look Like One and its follow ups, plus novels such as Motorcycles and Sweetgrass and the later Cold from 2024. He has also edited several collections, including Me Funny and Me Artsy, and published short story collections like Take Us To Your Chief.

On top of his books, Taylor has written many stage plays starting with Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock in 1989. Later plays included Dead White Writer on the Floor, God and The Indian, and Cottagers and Indians from 2018. He also published a novel called Open House coming in 2025, and his writing career is far from finished.

Motorcycles and Sweetgrass

Knopf Canada released Drew Hayden Taylor’s novel Motorcycles and Sweetgrass on March 9, 2010. The book came out in hardcover from that Canadian publisher. It is a magical realist fantasy written by the Indigenous author.

A stranger on a vintage 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle shows up in the small Anishnawbe community of Otter Lake. The reserve’s chief, a woman named Maggie, quickly falls for him. Her son Virgil does not trust the newcomer, so he joins forces with his uncle Wayne, who knows aboriginal martial arts. Together they try to push the stranger out, and a group of raccoons decides to help them.

Readers will find this book hard to put down once started. The mix of family drama and strange new faces keeps the pages turning. Small funny moments, like the raccoons helping out, add a lot of charm. It is a good pick for anyone wanting a light but clever story.

Cold

McClelland and Stewart put out Drew Hayden Taylor’s novel Cold on January 9, 2024. The book is a horror mystery thriller from the Indigenous Canadian writer. It’s a tense and suspense fuelled story, that essentially grips the reader from start to finish, holding their attention every step of the way.

A plane crash leaves two women stranded with no help in sight. Professor Elmore Trent teaches Indigenous studies but is stuck in a bad affair that hurts his marriage. Paul North plays hockey in the Indigenous league, while Detective Ruby Birch looks for a killer whose clues point to both men. Fabiola Halan, a former journalist who survived that same crash, now tours the country with her book.

Once again anyone will find this book hard to set down once the plane crashes early on. The mix of murder mystery, horror, and small funny moments keeps things interesting throughout. Watching the detective chase clues while the hockey player and professor get tangled up is very engaging. It is a great pick for someone who likes thrillers with a fresh twist.