Significant Others

Tales of the City #5

by Armistead Maupin

"An extended love letter to a magical San Francisco."
--New York Times Book Review

Tranquillity reigns in the ancient redwood forest until a women-only music festival sets up camp downriver from an all-male retreat for the ruling class. Among those entangled in the ensuing mayhem are a lovesick nurseryman, a panic-stricken philanderer and the world's most beautiful fat woman. Significant Others is Armistead Maupin's cunningly observed meditation on marriage, friendship, and sexual nostalgia.

"Comedy in its most classical form...some of the sharpest and most speakable dialogue you are ever likely to read."
--The Guardian "The color is wonderful, the line bold and flowing. It is also wise, witty, loving and caring about the foibles and frailties we all seem to have."
--David Hockney

Genres: Fiction, LGBT, Gay, Queer, Gay Fiction, Contemporary, Novels

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Armistead Maupin was born in Washington, D.C., in 1944 but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, he served as a naval officer in the Mediterranean and with the River Patrol Force in Vietnam.

Maupin worked as a reporter for a newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina, before being assigned to the San Francisco bureau of the Associated Press in 1971. In 1976 he launched his groundbreaking Tales of the City serial in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Maupin is the author of nine novels, including the six-volume Tales of the City series, Maybe the Moon, The Night Listener and, most recently, Michael Tolliver Lives. Three miniseries starring Olympia Dukakis and Laura Linney were made from the first three Tales novels. The Night Listener became a feature film starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette.

He is currently writing a musical version of Tales of the City with Jason Sellards (aka Jake Shears) and John Garden (aka JJ) of the disco and glam rock-inspired pop group Scissor Sisters. Tales will be directed by Jason Moore (Avenue Q and Shrek).

Maupin lives in San Francisco with his husband, Christopher Turner.

Reviews

[Fabian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's this fifth one that (finally) falters...

I read the first four Tales of the City books last year, and just to inject this year with that same sense of plot/character preposterousness, I get to this one, the one that actually has two characters seriously contend with the AIDS epidemic. As the series gains heft in terms of drama and historical importance, it suffers from making the situations (the different vignettes that portend the picaresque appeal) all-too familiar to previous installments in their swift execution.

"Simply connect," this by-now needlepoint philosophy by E. M. Forster is abused so much by the always magnificent Maupin. It is, again, no surprise that all the plot unravels, not in the city in which it is based, glorious San Fran, but ALWAYS elsewhere (here, twin camps in the woods: basically city-gone-rural). Plus, what is up with everyone having children and just never taking care of them? This is supposed to make us care MORE for the characters? Michael, the ever-egomaniac; Brian, the mopey cheater and altogether mess; Mary Anne, the sophisticated professional? Gag. Plus, where are Mona and Madrigal in this one? Their absence is yet another distressing detraction.

This is unfortunately my first "who cares?" moment with the very colorful A. Maupin.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one and thought Maupin did a great job with the new character of "the world's most beautiful fat woman" - because introducing a character into the mix of well-established characters is a tricky proposition, but she was a welcome addition. Also, even though it's a bit disconcerting, I like how the characters reveal new and unexpected facets in each book - and I think that Maupin does a great job in switching things up while remaining true to his characters.

At any rate, one of my peeves with this series - which has nothing to do with the books - is how the books are often slotted into GLBT fiction or thought of as such; this seems inaccurate, because Maupin's books feature all kinds of characters ala some of John Irving's novels - and so far as I know, Irving's books aren't usually slotted in GLBT fiction - and one possible reason is because Irving identifies as *mostly* straight and Maupin identifies as gay.

Nonetheless, if one had to slot Maupin into a category of fiction, I'd say a more apt category is: "Inclusiveness and Diversity." End of rant.

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 5 in the Tales of the City series.Critics are full of praise for the author.My impressions are mixed.

In terms of coherent storytelling,this book doesn't deliver.But what the author does have is a wicked sense of humour.There are some hilarious,laugh out loud moments and that is the saving grace of the book.

2.5 stars,rounded up.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another enjoyable installment in the "Tales" series. Being based around a "Wimmin's" camp and a businessmen's summer retreat, it seems slightly odd and out of step with the other books, but marks Maupin's growing interest in the inner lives of the characters, rather than the fantastic exploits that they get up to. Even though the experience is unmistakeably American, it still resonates with the Gay and gender politics of the 1980s in the UK.

I particularly remember one year when we were going to London from Manchester, to attend the London Gay Pride and were waiting for the specially contracted double-decker buses. A group of us, young Gay men and lesbians, were all laughing and joking together, having found that we had at least one friend in common, and the festival atmosphere was very much evident, even at 6.30 in the morning. When the buses turned up, I naively assumed that we would all pile onto the same bus together - but no! All the lesbians climbed aboard the "women only" bus. It seemed so pointless and divisive to me; the women certainly didn't face any threat from the Gay men, so the only possible reason for segregating themselves was because they preferred the exclusive company of their own sex. If that was the case, why wasn't there a "men only" bus?

I'm not digressing here; this idea of seperatist politics as lunacy runs throughout this book. Maupin is always interested in pointing out that, within the diversity of humankind, the common humanity is the thing that binds us together. For me, the best of Maupin's writing is when he meets comedy head on with sentiment, without ever being mawkish. It might just be a line, but it will strike right to your heart and resonate with an experience in your own life; such as when Booter is rescued by Mabel and confesses to her about the death of the man he considered to be his best friend and she says, "Never told him, huh?" "No." Another nod. Another drag of her cigarette. "Doesn't matter," she said. "No, I guess not." "It's just words," she said.

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the moment when all the different storylines clicked; he’s a master of entertainment. This one also has deeply human, real, diverse conversations about the characters and their loved ones being diagnosed with AIDS—Maupin underscores its omnipresence and impact on San Francisco (beyond the gay community), while not making AIDS the central characteristic of any person.

[Richard Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

When in search of a lighter read, Armistead Maupin never fails, or at least he hasn't up to now.

Not that there aren't serious events taking place in the fifth Tales of the City book. We are now in the era of Aids and it is having repercussions for gay and straight characters.

But what I come back to these novels for is the family of familiar characters who I have grown to love and cherish, as well as the wit and humanity of Maupin's writing.

Significant Others doesn't disappoint on that score. Maupin dispatches his characters to the Russian River area of San Francisco. D'Orothea and DeDe are going to Wimminwood, a lesbian arts festival - something that will cause significant tensions in their relationship. At the same time Michael and Brian get mixed up in a male bonding camp nearby, as Brian wrestles with a personal crisis.

Significant Others may not reach the heights of the early books, but there is still much to enjoy. Not enough Anna Madrigal perhaps, but new character Wren Douglas - a plus-size model - is a treat.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I'd review these in preparation for the Anna Madrigal book coming out in January 2014. I honestly didn't expect to be catapulted head over heels back to Barbary Lane, back to the late 80s. Some of my intense reaction to this story/timeline must be attributed to my recent reading of the unutterably brilliant Two Boys Kissing, but much of it is down to Maupin's lovely writing. The narration is great, too.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4:
More from the Tales of the City series by Armistead Maupin. Here Lin Coghlan dramatises stories from the novels Significant Others and Sure of You . Back in Barbary Lane, Mrs Madrigal is still attending her sensamilla plants .. Michael has found love again with his new boyfriend Thack. Brian and Mary Anne have gone to higher ground. living in a house which looms over Barbary Lane on The Summit .

Produced by Charlotte Riches
Directed in Salford by Susan Roberts.

[Dennis Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Barbary Lane 90210 gang get out of San Francisco and go to camp. A wonderfully witty, warm-hearted and wise distraction from the stylized and serialized Ryan Murphy tv dramas that have also been vying for my attention.

[Mandy Partridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armistead Maupin is the master of writing modern accepting communities, in all their glorious difference. I found his first four books bound together with string at a church school fete. Armistead graciously signed my aged paperbacks when he attended Brisbane Writers Festival, I told him Brisbane's Highgate Hill was just like San Fransisco's Hill, a colourful tolerant Mecca for the rainbow community of Queensland. He's a Londonner now.

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always, I loved this book when I read it years ago, and it has stood the test of time (in my opinion)

We've said goodbye to old friends, said hello to new ones, and really got the bottom of what makes a significant other.

The story takes us away from Barbary Lane quite a lot, but it still has that warm feeling of logical family, support, and love.

Rereading these have really sparked nostalgia and memories of hot Summers in the 90's for me, back when I first read these books.

[Yaroslav · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the fifth book you become a member of the family. You just live nearby. There are fewer wow effects, but it's still interesting.

[Senne Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fifth instalment of the 'Tales of the City' series has some of Armistead Maupin's most memorable and touching lines yet, especially when he touches on LGBT people during the AIDS crisis. The moving parts work well because they stem from well-established relationships between beloved characters that have been around since book one.

Unfortunately, Maupin feels the need to cram each new book in the series with new characters rather than relying on older characters to write a compelling story. As a result, many favourite characters are underused or even absent to make room for new people that aren't nearly as interesting.

3,5/5

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

To me, simply, this is not as good as 'Babycakes', the fourth in this series. 'Significant Others' isn't very playful/funny/sweet nor is it as sad/dark as previous outings. It's middle of the road events, not much is memorable. True, the characters are older but big, ridiculous, funny things happen to everyone at all age. Just okay for an afternoon read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I still really enjoyed this, it was probably my least favourite of the series so far. Mary-Ann has become very unlikeable and is more or less absent, as is Mrs Madrigal. I enjoyed the new characters we got to meet, but Michael is most certainly the star now and I very much like the way it's going. I'm still looking forward to seeing where we end up in the next book.

[Sheikha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the tales of the city series but honestly, I felt like this book featured too many new characters and the only sections that I really enjoyed were the ones with the characters that I’ve always been most interested in like Michael, Brian, Mary Anne, and Anna.

like why were there so many chapters dedicated to Didi’s stepfather!!!!! enough😭

[LenaRibka · Rating 5 out of 5]

[George Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is many people’s least favorite book in the tales of the city series, but I really enjoyed it. Perhaps I’m biased because I had lower expectations going in, and I had just read a slew of depressing & serious books. But Significant Others was a breath of fresh air both in tone and plot. It’s set mostly in the woods rather than San Francisco, introduced us to some new characters, and focused on secondary characters more than previous books. I didn’t mind that because Mary Ann seemed to be pretty unlikeable in the few pages she’s in so I’m glad it didn’t focus on her. BUT I want to see more of Mrs. Madrigal!!!! Anyways, Maupin does an excellent job balancing lightheartedness with some serious emotional moments. Perfect summer read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've now reread a couple of these in less than a week. They're really a delightful and distracting read. On one level they read like a form of trashy fiction. But they also serve as time capsules to a particular time and place. And it's San Francisco during the AIDS epidemic--at least in this one. That makes them of more substantive interest, I think. While I remember that time there is an immediacy to reading about it in these books that is quite thought-provoking.

[Siobhán McIlveen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a lot of fun reading about my favourite San Franciscans as always!
I will say that this book does feature less of the campy soapy twisty turny plot points that I have enjoyed in all the previous novels of the series, but I love these characters and Maupin’s writing so much that I’m willing to forgive a lot more than just that.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this series about every 2 years or so. Never ceases to make me laugh or cry. I love all these characters.

[Anita Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

My least favorite of the "Tales of the City" series so far.

[Clemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mit dem fünften Band der Stadtgeschichten-Reihe umfasst der erzählte Zeitraum bereits zehn Jahre. Mit „Am Busen der Natur“ sind wir im Jahre 1986 angekommen. Von der Hippieseligkeit der ersten Bände der ersten Bände sind nur noch homöopathische Spuren vorhanden. Das Lebensgefühl der achtziger Jahre dominiert nun endgültig die gesamte Erzählung. Maupin hat manchen der Figuren ein kompletten Wandel verpasst, so dass es mir zum ersten Mal in dieser Reihe so ging, dass mir eine früher sympathische Figur eher unangenehm geworden ist.
Die zwei Erzählungsstränge entfaltet Maupin wieder nur langsam, aber wie schon in den vorangegangenen Bänden nimmt die Handlung immer mehr an Fahrt auf, um in einem überdrehten Finale auszuklingen.
Trotz all der überdrehten Wendungen und komischen Szenen liegt über den ganzen Roman eine unabweisliche Melancholie, die sich aus der AIDS-Krise der achtziger Jahre speiste. Maupin zeigt in ungeschönter Weise, wie sich dadurch das Leben in San Francisco für immer veränderte. Der Tod ist somit in diesem Roman immer allgegenwärtig.
Und es wird auch deutlich, dass die Reihe auf die Schlussgerade einbiegt. Mal sehen, wie Maupin die Reihe mit dem sechsten Band zu Ende bringt.

[Sophia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the worst book in the series so far. There were still parts that I enjoyed. Michael's storyline, while a bit repetitive, is still interesting to me. I really like and feel for him as a character. The conversation around AIDs is also a really impactful part of the book. This series has always shined brightest for me when it's dealing with serious topics, and that remains true. There was a moment in this book that hit me especially hard, when Michael is talking to a straight friend who is getting tested. The friend expresses how bad this would be for him because of his family, implying that it would be more tragic for him than for someone like Michael. Michael calls him out on it, and it's clear that the friend doesn't mean it that way, but subconsciously that thought was still there because that's the message he's receiving from most of the world. It's a heartbreaking and insightful moment.

Unfortunately the rest of the book didn't work for me. The fondness I feel toward Michael is not directed toward the other characters. Mary Ann and Brian annoy me, separately and as a couple. Ditto for De-De and D'or. The side characters that were introduced for this book had their moments but overall, I didn't care about them. And the other characters I do like were barely in the book or not in it at all. (Anna and Mona respectively.)

I've said it before, but this series also continues to be racist. I'm thinking particularly of De-De's mother and her maid, neither of whose names I can remember right now. There's a scene where the mother refers to the maid as the n-word, but it's portrayed as bickering between two people who are very close and the maid remains completely loyal to her. I truly don't understand how this was considered acceptable.

So overall, I didn't enjoy this book very much and I found certain aspects very problematic. Considering how far into the series I am, I will finish it. I'm especially curious to see what will change in the books that were written more recently. From what I've read about the author and the Netflix adaption, he regrets not representing POC better in the books (though I've not seen any specific acknowledgment of the outright racism directed towards them.) I'm hoping the books will show improvement and I'm curious to see what else happens to the characters.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tales of the City series is an old friend by now. I’ve read the first couple books twice and thrice. This is the fifth and the characters are a bit older now, and so am I. They venture up into the Russian River area of the Bay Area, into Bohemian Grove — not too far from here. And also they continue through the AIDS crisis of the 80s — also not too distant in memory. The stories here are of enduring friendships, and new. A lovely autumn read.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

1985, and AIDS holds San Francisco in its grip. Life is fragile. Relationships are fragile. Even the wooden stairway leading to 28 Barbary Lane is fragile. People must learn how to live fully in a time of fear, how to commit to one another, and how to protect one another.

This fifth entry in the Tales of the City series begins when Brian learns that a woman with whom he had slept is dying of AIDS related complications. Fearfully, he asks his HIV+ friend Michael Tolliver to go with him for an HIV test. After learning that it will take ten days to get the results, Brian panics and wonders how he will tell his wife, Mary Ann Singleton.

The novel then focuses on three camping adventures in the Russian River area: Dee Dee and D’orothea attend Wimminwood, an all-female music and arts festival while Dee Dee’s stepfather attends an all-male gathering of high-level politicians, CEOs, and others at Bohemian Grove. Finally, to support Brian, Michael goes with his friend to stay at a cabin.

As the reader might expect, these three worlds collide.

Maupin also introduces into the story two other characters: Thack, a gay man to whom Michael finds himself attracted, and Wren, a plus-sized model who agrees to accompany Dee Dee’s stepfather.

This fifth book in the Tales of the City series may sometimes seems to falter unless the reader considers Maupin’s dilemma: how to keep light and breezy tales of San Francisco as thousands of men die around him, straight people begin to experience the disease, and the city itself is affected by the AIDS epidemic. By the time Maupin wrote this novel, it was becoming impossible to “tip-toe” around the epidemic.

Still, Maupin reminds us that even in such dark times it is possible to commit, care, protect, and even love. In the end, even Mrs. Madrigal has chained herself to the deteriorating steps leading to Barbary Lane in hope of saving them.

Though different in tone and energy from the previous four novels in the series, this is still one to read.

[Lauren Burlew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot better than the last. This one was more substantial, set in the shadow of the AIDS crisis, while the last seemed more hijink-y. I don't rate these books individually very highly, but I rate the series as a whole highly. I like seeing the characters grow.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7, As usual Tales of the City brings the comfort reading I need. I continue to enjoy seeing how Maupin's writing and characterization has progressed and the topics he explores through his books. Still so many subjects in this book remain relevant. On the other hand why does he have such a soft spot for Brian? Other Brian's good relationship with Mouse, he is such a dirtbag to the rest of the characters.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to see this one made into a movie, it would be hilarious.
This may be my favorite one so far. He tells great stories. Loved Wren and her individuality.

[Tansy Hepton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love portrayed in many forms. It continues to be a joy to follow these characters as they develop and grow.