Tales of the City

I first read "Tales of the City" by Amistead Maupin 15 to 20 years ago, I can't really remember the year. I can't really remember much about the novel as well or the mini-series I'm almost sure I watched on PBS at one time. All I can recall from that time was I enjoyed Maupin's story greatly. Having just finished the novel, again, I still do.

"Tales of the City" takes place in San Francisco in the late 1970's. It chronicles the tenants of 28 Barbary Lane and how their lives intermingle. The tales of the characters and their flow with each other offers a glimpse into varying lifestyles in northern California in a period after the Vietnam War and Watergate and before the explosion of AIDS. The novel is somewhat overly dramatic, almost like a soap opera, but it is charming and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

"Tales of the City" is an easy novel that I tore through quickly. I think I clocked in over 100 pages an hour. The book can be easily picked up and put down due to the short chapters, each one consisting of only a few pages at the most. The stories were originally published as a serial in the San Francisco Chronicle, the most likely explanation for such short entries.

Often referred to as a gay novel, "Tales in the City" covers a wide range of topics and characters both gay and heterosexual and I believe it to be accessible by anyone. Recommended as an easy and satisfying read with memorable and sweet characters.