Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1)

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San Francisco, 1976 A na ve young secretary, fresh out of Cleveland, tumbles headlong into a brave new world of laundromat Lotharios, pot growing landladies, cut throat debutantes, and Jockey Shorts dance contests The saga that ensues is manic, romantic, tawdry, touching, and outrageous unmistakably the handiwork of Armistead Maupin. New Read Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1) [ By ] Armistead Maupin [ Kindle ePUB or eBook ] – kino-fada.fr What did I do between finishing this novel and writing its review I ordered More Tales of the City and Further Tales of the City on ebay I m THAT invested confident that they ll match this one It is uproarious and uber funny It stars the cute Mary Ann Singleton think amodern Holly Golightly but less of a prostitute and a vibrant array of costars It is concise, like Vile Bodies and perhaps in that same realm of Evelyn Waugh type social satire And what else Authentic pluses i What did I do between finishing this novel and writing its review I ordered More Tales of the City and Further Tales of the City on ebay I m THAT invested confident that they ll match this one It is uproarious and uber funny It stars the cute Mary Ann Singleton think amodern Holly G...Tales of the City is not great literature That s not what Maupin s aiming for In what is the first and best book in a six part series constructed from a serial column in the San Francisco Chronicle, Tales of the City is smart, guilty entertainment at its best It s a soap opera But like, say, Six Feet Under, Tales of the City purports to be littlethan a creative and intelligent soap opera Taken as such, it is a delight Vivid characters A setting San Francisco that Maupin gives Tales of the City is not great literature That s not what Maupin s aiming for In what is the first and best book in a six part series constructed from a serial column in the San Francisco Chronicle, Tales of the City is smart, guilty entertainment at its best It s a soap opera But like, say, Six Feet Under, Tales of the City purports to be littlethan a creative and intelligent soap opera Taken as such, it is a delight Vivid characters A setting San Francisco that Maupin gives an alm...my favorite of Maupin s books a time capsule to San Fran 1976Obviously a re read Having recently read the latest in the series, Mary Ann in Autumn, I wanted to re read the entire series Unfortunately, I am so familiar with the first three books, which were also made into TV adaptations, that I know the stories and most of the dialogue off by heart, so I can t get the same, mind blowing enjoyment that I did on my first reading Although that is one of the pleasures of reading, for instance, Michael Tolliver Lives, where past events are mentioned and you Obviously a re read Having recently read the latest in the series, Mary Ann in Autumn, I wanted to re read the entire series Unfortunately, I am so familiar with the first three books, which were also made into TV adaptations, ...I think I am either too old or too young to fully appreciate this book If I were older, I might appreciate the groundbreaking nature of its matter of fact approach to a variety of characters of different sexuality and gender at a time when social s were drastically changing And if I were younger, I might be totally enchanted by all the entertaining drama, good and bad and self absorbed, that comes with being young, single and in your twenties in a big city But I wasn t able to really conn I think I am either too old or too young to fully appreciate this book If I were older, I might appreciate the groundbreaking nature of its matter of fact approach to a variety of characters of different sexuality and gender at a time when social s were drastically changing And if I were younger, I might be totally enchanted by all the entertaining drama, good and bad and self absorbed, that comes with being young, single and in your twenties in a big city But I wasn t able to really connect with the characters, who seemed fairly one dimensional to me, for all that they were supposed to be exactly the opposite And when I finally finished, I just felt tired and depressed and irritated, in the way that ...I guess I was destined to discover Armistead Maupin in 2017 Although, to be fair, he s hardly a secret he s been writing for four decades and has generations of loyal readers.Back in the spring, I gave a favourable review to the documentary The Untold Tales Of Armistead Maupin A few months after that, the galleys to Maupin s memoir, Logical Family, arrived on my desk I d already read his stand alone and excellent novel Maybe The Moon, but it seemed to me that in order to appreciate the I guess I was destined to discover Armistead Maupin in 2017 Although, to be fair, he s hardly a secret he s been writing for four decades and has generations of loyal readers.Back in the spring, I gave a favourable review to the documentary The Untold Tales Of Armistead Maupin A few months after that, the galleys to Maupin s memoir, Logical Family, arrived on my desk I d already read his stand alone and excellent novel Maybe The Moon, but it seemed to me that in order to appreciate the memoir and avoid any spoilers revealed in it I d have to read at least the first of his famous Tales Of The City books.So I began the nine novel cycle And, as friends both IRL and on here had told me, the writing was so much breezy fun the literary equivalent of eating candy that I tore through the first book quickly After reading the memoir, I finished book two.It took no time at all to get caught up in the adventures of the denizens of San Francisco s 28 Barbary Lane bright eyed 20...3,5 stars rounded up to 4 stars I think aboutsome things1 Could I have liked itif I had read it shortly after the release date The answer is SURE OF COURSE NO DOUBTS 2 Could I have liked itif I hadn t read Boystown series Probably yes BEFORE reading Tales of the City I was sure that Jake Biondi has discovered a totally new genre Only Armistead Maupin published his Tales around 35 years earlier than Jake Biondi his Boystown series San Francisco vs Chicago, calm n 3,5 stars rounded up to 4 stars I think aboutsome things1 Could I have liked itif I had read it shortly after the release date The answer is SURE OF COURSE NO DOUBTS 2 Could I have liked itif I hadn t read Boystown series Probably yes BEFORE reading Tales of the City I was sure that Jake Biondi has discovered a totally new genre Only Armistead Maupin published his Tales around 35 years earlier than Jake Biondi his Boystown series San Francisco vs Chicago, calm narration vs wild action non stop The structure is very similar, the writing is different, but I don t want to be the main judge in the competition what is better between ...i really don t get what all the fuss is about this is some kind of modern classic the writing is so pedestrian, it s like i fell into a deep sleep and somehow continued reading B O R I N G P R O S E still, an extra star because of the surprisingly intricate narrative and that sa...I know I am going to be in the minority here, but this is the most overrated novel I have read in a very long time In fact, I did not even keep it after reading, but rather donated it to charity.I had heard many good things about this text for years, and finally picked it up Based on reviews, and what I had heard I was expecting a book in the vein of Dickens, with characters that leapt off the pages and spoke to the human condition Only one character, in my view, lived up to that expectation I know I am going to be in the minority here, but this is the most overrated novel I have read in a very long time In fact, I did not even keep it after reading, but rather donated it to charity.I had heard many good things about this text for years, and finally picked it up Based on reviews, and what I had heard I was expe...Fluffy hetero homo romantic nonsense set in San Fran in a time period which I am not really clear on but it might be the end of the 1970s I think Nixon gets a mention Or maybe it was Carter Anyway it s not the summer of love and that s what is important as most of the characters in the book seem to spend a lot of time bemoaning the passing of 67 and wondering what will become of them now that all the free love has gone away or at least becomeillusive People are still producing their o Fluffy hetero homo romantic nonsense set in San Fran in a time period which I am not really clear on but it might be the end of the 1970s I think Nixon gets a mention Or maybe it was Carter Anyway it s not the summer of love and that s what is important as most of the characters in the book seem to spend a lot of time bemoaning the pass...

Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1)
  • English
  • 16 July 2017
  • Paperback
  • 272 pages
  • 0552998761
  • Armistead Maupin
  • Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1)