Comments on: Tales of the City (# 1) by Armistead Maupin http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/ Reviews of books as queer as a three dollar bill Sun, 13 May 2012 08:02:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Cary http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-794 Cary Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:47:40 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-794 Good review. I read Tales as the original serial in the SF Chronicle. Two friends and I had moved to California after college and were renting a flat in SF and would read it at the kitchen table. Nostalgia fest to run across this review. I second Paul's recommendation of The Night Listener. I thought it was very good and tightly plotted, where the Tales of the City books are more episodic (not that there's anything wrong with that). Good review. I read Tales as the original serial in the SF Chronicle. Two friends and I had moved to California after college and were renting a flat in SF and would read it at the kitchen table. Nostalgia fest to run across this review.

I second Paul’s recommendation of The Night Listener. I thought it was very good and tightly plotted, where the Tales of the City books are more episodic (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

]]> By: Paul Bens http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-786 Paul Bens Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:40:20 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-786 Night Listener is done brilliantly (the movie was awful), but fair warning...a friend who read it called it "The most depressing book ever written." I don't agree with that assessment, but it is not the easiest of reads emotionally. Maybe the Moon is kinda darkly funny, but very touching. Night Listener is done brilliantly (the movie was awful), but fair warning…a friend who read it called it “The most depressing book ever written.” I don’t agree with that assessment, but it is not the easiest of reads emotionally.

Maybe the Moon is kinda darkly funny, but very touching.

]]> By: Rikki http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-782 Rikki Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:58:43 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-782 Thanks for reviewing this. It must be decades since I've read the tales (I never even knew what gay fiction was at the time) and I have forgotten all about them. Must dig them out again and re-read. Great review! Thanks for reviewing this. It must be decades since I’ve read the tales (I never even knew what gay fiction was at the time) and I have forgotten all about them. Must dig them out again and re-read. Great review!

]]> By: Kassa http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-781 Kassa Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:08:49 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-781 OO thank you! I'll definitely look for those two suggestions. I like his tales but don't want to read them all at once so I'll check out those others. I don't mind dark if it's well done. OO thank you! I’ll definitely look for those two suggestions. I like his tales but don’t want to read them all at once so I’ll check out those others. I don’t mind dark if it’s well done.

]]> By: Kassa http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-780 Kassa Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:07:17 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-780 It does! The great setting of the city makes a huge difference in the novel. It'd be good in an anonymous city no doubt but it's that much better with the sharp detail and named places. Makes you feel like you're experiencing it right along with the characters. It does! The great setting of the city makes a huge difference in the novel. It’d be good in an anonymous city no doubt but it’s that much better with the sharp detail and named places. Makes you feel like you’re experiencing it right along with the characters.

]]> By: Kassa http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-779 Kassa Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:05:51 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-779 Welcome! I feel like one of the last ones to read this series and I was shocked and surprised how well it aged. Hopefully your re-read stands up to the first time. Welcome! I feel like one of the last ones to read this series and I was shocked and surprised how well it aged. Hopefully your re-read stands up to the first time.

]]> By: Paul Bens http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-778 Paul Bens Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:17:10 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-778 Great review. Most all of the Tales books are excellent. You should try "Maybe the Moon" (which is not tales) as well. But his most brilliant is the very, very dark "The Night Listener." Great review. Most all of the Tales books are excellent. You should try “Maybe the Moon” (which is not tales) as well. But his most brilliant is the very, very dark “The Night Listener.”

]]> By: Val Kovalin http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-776 Val Kovalin Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:37:59 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-776 Doesn't that vivid setting make a difference? Great review, Kassa! I first read this book like a million years ago (well, probably during the 1980s). Thanks for a trip down memory lane! Doesn’t that vivid setting make a difference? Great review, Kassa! I first read this book like a million years ago (well, probably during the 1980s). Thanks for a trip down memory lane!

]]> By: Oddmonster http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/04/22/tales-of-the-city-1-by-armistead-maupin/#comment-775 Oddmonster Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:32:20 +0000 http://threedollarbillreviews.com/?p=769#comment-775 Oh I completely agree with your review. This is such a great book, and it's aged really, really well. I remember reading the whole series when I was a teenager, and it's definitely time for a re-read. Thanks for the reminder! Oh I completely agree with your review. This is such a great book, and it’s aged really, really well. I remember reading the whole series when I was a teenager, and it’s definitely time for a re-read. Thanks for the reminder!

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