"An extended love letter to a magical San Francisco."
--"New York Times Book Review"
--"New York Times Book Review"
When an ordinary househusband and his ambitious wife dec... read full description
reviews
Aug 14, 2010
Molly
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Here's my issue: the Tales are ridiculous, I know that by this point in the series. But at least they were outrageously ridiculous, and you didn't know what direction you were going in. And some mystery. This one? Alright, AIDS epidemic had to come up- and I'm glad he didn't ignore it. And it's interesting how little they knew at this point- still considered a 'gay disease,' and only 1000 people had died from it. Interesting. But... not played up to its full potential. And the character
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Apr 20, 2011
Mark
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The "Tales" books are back on form, after the slightly disappointing "Further Tales...". I have to admit, I enjoy the "Tales" books when they are at their most sentimental and the bittersweet thread of loss and remembrance that runs through this book kept me coasting along on a wave of heartbreaking empathy. It felt like a bit of a change in direction; sure, the characters are still larger than life, (or smaller, in the case of Nanny Treves,) but it feels more down
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Jun 30, 2009
Nicole
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I really like this installment of the Tales of the City series. I was afraid the books would start getting a little depressing as they entered the AIDS era, but this was mostly good fun, and I think Maupin became a better writer as he went along. He was always a really good storyteller, but in this book he had some really good turns of phrase. I only wish I had not waited so long between book 3 and this one. Maupin's storylines are so zany that it's easy to forget who everyone is, and what their
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May 07, 2009
Jaclyn
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I undertook reading the Tales of the City series when I discovered I was moving to SF and I wanted to know more about the city before I lived there (neighborhoods, street names, overall character, etc...). I found all of the books enjoyable and the characters interesting and likeable. I began to tire of the series as it wore on, but I really liked the first three and I did read all of them just to round out the series though. I can't really write a review of each book because even though I on
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Nov 20, 2010
Sean
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The first book set in the eighties during the Tales of the City oeuvre is a pretty somber one. Regarded for being the first book to mention the AIDS crisis, it seems strange to have the death of what has been a major character in the series to die off-page. This is also where we see Mary Ann start to go from likable ingenue to almost-shrew. With the changes in Mona as well, at times it feels like the characters have taken a major leap forward and we have missed the reasons why they have becom
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Oct 12, 2009
Paul
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I have to say that this was my least favorite on the original Tales books. Mostly this is because we begin to see the "breakup" of the Barbary Lane family and the transformation of Mary Ann from innocence to almost ruthless by the series end. The writing is as sharp as ever and I think my reaction to this was very much more of not wanting to see the characters change as radically as some of them did. Not Maupin's fault. People grow and he does it well in this book. The attention p
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Apr 10, 2008
Janice
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wow.
the thing i like very most about the tales of the city novels is the way in which they are capsules of san francisco history, snapshots based on real places and real people, with a healthy dose of absurdity thrown in. they are lightly-sleazy real-time soap operas of a city i happen to like quite a bit, of a time i feel nostalgic for, despite barely being alive on the other side of the continent.
this installment brings us screeching into the 80's, with a direct stop at the AIDS e More...
the thing i like very most about the tales of the city novels is the way in which they are capsules of san francisco history, snapshots based on real places and real people, with a healthy dose of absurdity thrown in. they are lightly-sleazy real-time soap operas of a city i happen to like quite a bit, of a time i feel nostalgic for, despite barely being alive on the other side of the continent.
this installment brings us screeching into the 80's, with a direct stop at the AIDS e More...
Oct 19, 2011
Sarah
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Probably not my favorite of the series, but still surprised me all over the place. It was also refreshing to read something sinful and fun after so much heavy stuff I've been reading lately. Looking forward to the next installment after I've killed a few more serious pieces.
I do own this one, but I'm not sure where to drop it for BookCrossing yet, so I'll drop it in a tote to donate when and where the time is right.
"Significant Others," you're up. :)
I do own this one, but I'm not sure where to drop it for BookCrossing yet, so I'll drop it in a tote to donate when and where the time is right.
"Significant Others," you're up. :)
Apr 21, 2011
Laura
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The Tales of the City series is always a fun read and this one was know exception. I have to admit though, I did see where the plot was going with Mary Ann, Simon and Brian, but I liked the other little plot twists. These books are kind of the equivalent of a soap opera: unrealistic, playful and addicting. It is always interesting to see where Armistead Maupin will take his characters next.
May 20, 2009
Stig
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I wasn't quite as impressed with this book as with the earlier entries in the series, but it's still good stuff. We lose a character, another one behaves in a way that I think is out of character, and there is a change of scene from San Francisco to London and rural England. Everything falls nicely into place in the end, and I'm moving on to the next volume, Significant Others.
Aug 25, 2009
Suzanne
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Maupin enters the AIDS era and all that it means... and the series takes a serious turn. Some of the characters do things I wasn't expecting and almost didn't believe -- but for characters this long-lived I suppose the author can allow them to change. Read this while on honeymoon in San Francisco.
Feb 12, 2012
mkld
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Un nuevo tomo en la saga de Maupin. Considero que la saga está organizada en trilogías, y este sería el primero de la segunda, a partir de donde no se hicieron películas.
El libro tiene otro tono, la aparición del sida tiene gran importancia. En general es menos positivo y divertido, los temas tratados son más serios. Pero sigue en la línea. En este caso también hay ciertos personajes que acaparan más tiempo y más trama, mientras que otros solo hacen apariciones fugaces, pero es una buena co More...
El libro tiene otro tono, la aparición del sida tiene gran importancia. En general es menos positivo y divertido, los temas tratados son más serios. Pero sigue en la línea. En este caso también hay ciertos personajes que acaparan más tiempo y más trama, mientras que otros solo hacen apariciones fugaces, pero es una buena co More...
Oct 30, 2007
Writerlibrarian
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Fourth novel in his Tales of the City series. We reunite with Mary-Ann and Brian who desperately want a baby, Mary-Ann goes to extreme lengths to achieve this dream, lengths that the reader can see will backfire on her dramatically. But you expect drama from Maupin, you also expect twists and unexpected turns of faith. We find Mouse grieving and traveling to England to shake the melancholy he's feeling. We reconnect with Mona, who's been MIA for a while. Set in the early '80s, we have the AIDS s
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Dec 01, 2008
Kate
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Started reading this because it was in our hotel room on our honeymoon in Ptown (of course). Then went back and read the first 2 in the series - which was interesting because it was like reading them as prequels. They are all compulsively readable and very fun (although this one gets more serious now that AIDS is in the picture). I think Babycakes is the first one he wrote as a book in its entirety instead of as a daily serial - and it does help the plot that it seems a little more planned ou
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Apr 07, 2011
Mitchell
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A good continuation of the 'Tales of the City' series, but I wish there had been more than just 2 storylines: 1) Is Mary Ann trying to surreptitiously get pregnant? and 2) Is that really Mona in England? and that their revelations weren't so obvious early on.
Jan 11, 2009
Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)
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Barbary Lane goes Burberry. If someone had told me that this installment of the Tales of the City Chronicles tool place in England I would have read it a lot sooner. Mary Ann is a dumb shite though...you kind of just want to smack her.
Nov 18, 2011
Teotakuu
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The sub plot which included The Queen and Prince Philip was unexpected but amusing. I also have an actress in mind to play Nanny Treves!!
It was good to fill in another gap in this series
It was good to fill in another gap in this series
Dec 13, 2011
Hannasol
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Un quatrième épisode désenchanté : des personnages désormais trentenaires, l'apparition du VIH, l'appréhension d'un avenir incertain... La fin d'une époque.
Feb 22, 2008
Dannii (lilbob1980)
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Another superb book in this series that i finished in a couple of days as i couldn't put it down. It was not as good a story as the last one, but it was great to see the return of Mona and be involved in the lives of everyone at Barbary Lane. These characters have become so real to me i was even scowling at Mary-Ann. I know she isn't a goody-goody, and also that until the previous book i didn't even like Brian but that didn't stop me feeling incredibly disappointed in her. Unfortunately i am
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Dec 07, 2009
Sweetman
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This ended my love affair with the tales of the city. I didn't like the PBS series at all either. It was way time to move on for me
Aug 26, 2011
Carrie
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The Jesus on the tortilla story had me laughing out loud in public. Also, this book contains my favorite description of a bitchy character to date:
"Her hair, dirty-blond and center-parted, curved inward beneath her jaw, like a pair or parentheses containing a superfluous concept."
"Her hair, dirty-blond and center-parted, curved inward beneath her jaw, like a pair or parentheses containing a superfluous concept."
Jan 04, 2009
Sara
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I re-read this series about every 2 years or so. Never ceases to make me laugh or cry. I love all these characters.
Jun 27, 2009
Linda
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Another interesting book in the series. Character development is exceptional. Surprised me at the end.
Jun 01, 2010
Valeriane
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Encore une étonnante suite pour ces Chroniques, dont je ne me suis toujours pas lassée.
Ici, il sera question d'un voyage en Angleterre pour Mouse, de retrouvailles avec Mona et de la récente relation amoureuse entre Mary Ann et Brian.
La vie change, tout n'est pas toujours rose, mais il faut bien avancer malgré les coups durs que l'on peut rencontrer. Certains tentent d'avoir des enfants, d'autres de se trouver une nouvelle vie ou encore de remonter à la surface et avancer. le lecte More...
Ici, il sera question d'un voyage en Angleterre pour Mouse, de retrouvailles avec Mona et de la récente relation amoureuse entre Mary Ann et Brian.
La vie change, tout n'est pas toujours rose, mais il faut bien avancer malgré les coups durs que l'on peut rencontrer. Certains tentent d'avoir des enfants, d'autres de se trouver une nouvelle vie ou encore de remonter à la surface et avancer. le lecte More...
May 26, 2011
Carrie
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About halfway through, I thought this was when the series was going to derail for me, but then things came together when Mouse went to England. I guess it needed some adventures in a foreign land with a precocious youngster to balance out Mary Ann and Brian being ridiculous.
Was I angry that a fairly major character death happened between novels? Yeah, but by the end of the book I was okay with it.
Plus, Mona is back!
Was I angry that a fairly major character death happened between novels? Yeah, but by the end of the book I was okay with it.
Plus, Mona is back!
May 08, 2011
Chamie
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I read this several montes ago. I forgot to put it on my goodreads. Love some armistead.
Mar 31, 2011
Mary
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Maupin holds up after all these years. Solid writing, great characters and great character portrayal. And an accurate snapshot of a very different San Francisco of not so long ago.
Jul 10, 2010
Wickedmirror
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Brilliant, a true page turner and in my opinion one of the best in the series.
