The acclaimed best-seller by the author of Significant Other, Babycakes, and Sure of You follows the experiences of Anna Madrigal, doyenne of 28 Barbary Lane. Reprint. TV tie-in. 75,000 first printing. $30,000 ad/promo.
Since 1976, Maupin's Tales of the City has etched itself upon the hearts and minds of its readers, both straight and gay. From a groundbreaking newspaper serial in the San Francisco Chronicle to a bestselling novel to a critically acclaimed PBS series, Tales (all six of them) contains the universe--if not in a grain of sand, then in one apartment house.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Maupin: Well known, but new to me.:
Who am I to review this man's writings? Still, it's fun to be asked to share my ignorance. Many books, by todays' authors, are touted as being hysterically funny, etc. Unfortunately, for me, I find that although I am said to have an excellent sense of humor, these fall rather flat well before the end of the stories. Maupin allows us to enter the world of the Gay and Straight communities, without forcing either on us as being the "correct" one. I enjoyed how brief he made each chapter, yet (at any given... more info
An All-Time Favorite:
This book will make you laugh, cry, and leave you hungry for more. Do yourself a favor and read the entire series. Maupin creates a coterie of friends that I love and revisit often. They may be fictional, but I think of his characters as family.
Sister Carrie Goes to San Francisco:
This is a fun, late-20th Century take on the old theme of the virtuous midwestern girl who moves to the big city. Ulnlike Sister Carrie, though, Mary Ann Singleton is not so much the focus of the book as she is the touchstone by which other characters are measured and reveal themselves. Unfortunately, she lacks some of the emotional depth and appeal of Siste Carrie. Indeed, most of the characters in the book are paper thin. The result can be amusing and an excellent vehicle for satire, but not something... more info
If you can't wear some flowers in your hair:
If you are going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair, someone sang. If you are not going - but you want to, just for starters pick a copy of Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" a novel that was first serialized in the mid-70's in a local newspaper and some time later was published in a single volume. But he didn't stop, and last year he reached the seventh installment. "Tales of the City" is a quick read - what doesn't mean is a disposable one. The characters are unforgettable... more info
