Tales of the City Audio Collection

Rating:
Summary: Didn't Read The Book But Saw The Miniseries
Review: Okay, okay, I guess I'm cheating because I never actually read the book. But just this past New Years I saw the previews for the miniseries that was going to be on Bravo (it was a rerun I guess). The previews looked pretty good so I started taping the six episodes at like one in the morning. I was extremely tired but once I saw the beginning I was enraptured for the next thirty minutes before I tore myself away! The next two days all I did was watch Tales of the City and be involved with this hilarious and wacky bunch of creepy and good people! There were so many twists and turns and dirty secrets...It was amazing. I'm sure the book is good. The other reviews make it sound amazing as well as the other volumes. But even if you don't read the book somehow you have to find a copy of the miniseries because even if the book is better the miniseries is SOOOOOO GOOOD! I CANNOT STOP TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT! IT'S THE BEST THING I HAVE SEEN ALL YEAR! And I'm not gay or anything either. No offense to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Tales of San Fracisco
Review: I really liked this book. It's all about San Fracisco in the 70's. It tells the story about a few people that live in an apartment building on Barbery Lane. There's: a druggy,a swinger,a gay guy, an innocent girl from Cleavland, a pot head for a landlady, and an old rich guy who's dieing. This book takes you through the lives of all these people and gives you a glimps of the rawness of the 70's. I recomend this book to anyone who has an open mind and that wants to basiclly read a well written book by a GREAT author.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely wonderful
Review: My eyes started to well up when I had about five pages left to read of "Sure of You." I have never wanted a series of books to not end so much. These six volumes added something to the world.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever
Review: I read the first three tales of the city books this summer After watching the films and they were all pretty good but the first one was sooo good I love the Comunity and the humor and secrets

Rating:
Summary: The first volume is the best
Review: This, the first volume is Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY series, is by far the best. It is the first book to make me laugh out loud in years. It is warm, funny (make that HILARIOUS), and fascinating. I just couldn't put it down. Unfortunately, none of the rest of the volumes live up to the quality of the first. The second book is less amusing and less interesting, and the others aren't worth your time at all. But *this* one! Oh yeah! Buy it and read it. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you will laugh again.

Rating:
Summary: Better and cheaper than Prozac
Review: Ever had the impression that life was not worth living? that no one cares about you? that we live in an absurd world? Before you grab that big rope to tighten a few loose ends, just order the whole serie of "The Tales of the City" 1) it is just like a soap opera (but a hippie, gay, funny, exhuberant one): the chapters (and the books) always end right when it is getting interesting: you won't be able to just drop those novels in the middle of the story. Well done Maupin-Sheherazade! 2) you'll realize that the world is full of people who care (but where can I find Maupin's address in Frisco to move in with him?) 3) if you still feel blue afterwards, then I guess there is nothing anybody can do, pal! Want a last joint? 4) if you don't find it funny, "go fly a kite!" I hope you'll enjoy these novels as much as I do.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the best set of novels ever written
Review: The UK was lucky enough to get the tv version of Tales of the City due to the forward thinking of channel 4 - as a result large portions of the UK were turned on to Mr Maupin and his wonderful fictious friends. I read the whole set of novels after seeing the tv series in less than five days - turned off the telephone, unplugged the telly and withdrew from normal, dull everyday life and sunk into the world of Mouse and Mona. The warm and familiar style of writting just whisks you to SF and Barbary Lane in an instant. I've now read the whole set at least 10 times and intend to spend considerable time in 1998 reading then again and again and again and again! Mr Maupin has found a simple formula in the Tales of the City - one I hope he repeats in the future.

Rating:
Summary: A must read book
Review: This is the best book you will ever read. The charaters are great. When they are happy, you will be happy. When they are sad you will be sad. I couldn't put this book down.

Rating:
Summary: God, I love good melodrama...
Review: When Mary Ann Singleton decides not to return to Cleveland, the reader becomes sucked into a world of entangled alliances, full of heart, soul and wit. This book is both kitschy and relevant, enlightening and fluffy. It's entertaining and enthralling from start to finish, full of characters that are both ridiculous and real at the same time. When you finish, you'll want to be magically transported to San Francisco and declared an unofficial member of Mrs. Madrigal's family at 28 Barbary Lane.

Rating:
Summary: Non-stop fun to the very last page
Review: I first discovered Armistead Maupin's work through the PBS Miniseries. I picked up the book and within minutes I was hooked. His characters are well-defined, alive, complex, funny, sad... totally lovable - even the unlovable ones. I loved the interaction between the landlady's life and all of her tenants. I've read most of the series, and plan to finish it soon. I look forward to the next installment in the miniseries, too, but wouldn't miss the books for the world. I highly recommend these books to any student of human nature and to anyone interested in first-class literary enjoyment