Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" Series
a list by Peter Steinberg, avid reader
I distinctly remember coming across this six-book series my during finals week of my senior year of college. I lived in a group house and at least three of us were reading them at the same time. People were harassed to hurry up and finish, books were snatched away whenever one was set down for a moment, and the qualities of each was hotly debated.
While not high literature, these serial novels -- each chapter only two or three pages long -- are the consummate beach read. Easy, engaging, evocative, transporting and easy to pick up and put down.
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by Armistead Maupin
Ok, so there are a few things to know about these books.
First, they take place in San Francisco. Second, the characters are a great mix of gay, straight and... well, you have to read to find out. Third, the books started as regular column in the S.F. Chronicle so each chapter is only a few pages long and frequently a bit of a cliff-hanger. Lastly, they're just darned fun reading.
(Now that I think about it, they sort of read like an intelligent, honest, mixed-sexuality version of "Three's Company.")
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400 page paperback
|$11.16
|107 reviews
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by Armistead Maupin
As I recall (though it's been a few years) because the first book was SO enjoyable, this one was a bit disappointing -- but still thoroughly enjoyable.
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352 page paperback
|$11.16
|25 reviews
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by Armistead Maupin
And I recall this one being great -- almost as great as the first one. Ultimately all of us who read them concurred that the books ebb and flow. The odd-numbered books (#1, #3 and #5) were excellent. The even-numbered ones (#2 and #4) were not as good -- with #4 bordering on absurd.
And #6? That one... well, I don't want to ruin it for you, but by #6 the tone and events of the books start to reflect current events among the gay community in the early 1980's.
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384 page paperback
|$11.16
|19 reviews
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by Armistead Maupin
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336 page paperback
|$11.16
|16 reviews
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by Armistead Maupin
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336 page paperback
|$12.30
|15 reviews
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by Armistead Maupin
As I alluded to above, this volume is a bit different. It reflects the real-world events that were affecting the gay community in the late 1980's -- not a happy topic but an important one that's tackled head-on and in a seamless manner.
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272 page paperback
|$11.16
|17 reviews
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by Armistead Maupin
With this volume coming out 20 years after the previous six, I'll admit to not having read it... yet. From what Amazon reviewers say, it's a nice, nostalgic return for any fan of the originals.
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288 page paperback
|$9.77
|137 reviews
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