Tales of the City

by Armistead Maupin | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0060964049 Global Overview for this book
Registered by goatgrrl of New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on 6/5/2004
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9 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Saturday, June 5, 2004
I read the entire Barbary Lane series in the early 1990s (shortly after Sure of You was published), and really liked it. The series tells the story of a group of residents of a San Francisco apartment house beginning in the early 1970s, and tracks their lives well into the turbulent '80s. I read these novels back-to-back (as another BookCrosser joked, "lighting the next one from the butt of the last"), and could never put them down.

From the back cover: "Since 1976 Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City has blazed a singular trail through popular culture -- from a groundbreaking newspaper serial to a bestselling novel to a highly acclaimed television miniseries that has entranced viewers around the world. The first of six novels about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane, Tales is both a wry comedy of manners and a deeply involving portrait of a vanished era."

From Maupin's official website: "The Tales center on a funky apartment house on San Francisco's Russian Hill, presided over by the mysterious, maternal Anna Madrigal, a landlady whose gardening skills (sinsemilla a specialty) are exceeded only by her deftness at intervening in her tenants' muddled lives. The core group includes Mary Ann Singleton, an innocent from Cleveland; Michael "Mouse" Tolliver, a witty, puckish young man searching for Mr. Right; Mona Ramsey, a restless former hippie; and Brian Hawkins, a keen participant in the straight singles scene. Through their adventures, Maupin set out to depict "an elaborate inside joke about the way life worked in San Francisco." The peripheral characters (many based on real San Franciscans) include Valium-addled socialites, closeted movie stars, rock-and-roll widows, and fugitive members of the British aristocracy."

The entire Tales series is as follows: Tales of the City; More Tales of the City; Further Tales of the City; Babycakes; Significant Others; and Sure of You.

Journal Entry 2 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Sunday, June 6, 2004
INTERNATIONAL BOOKRING

Rules of this bookring:
1. This is an international bookring -- if you join, you must be willing to ship anywhere.
2. Please journal the book when you receive it, and again when you mail it out -- that way, everyone will know the book's approximate location.
3. If you don't think you'll be able to read this book within a reasonable time of receipt, please let me know before it's sent to you by the previous reader, and I'll be happy to move your name down the list.
4. Whether you have read the book or not, please do not keep it longer than eight weeks.

Participants:
1. arturogrande - Coalville, Leicestershire, UK - rec'd July 16, 04; mailed July 31, 04.
2. MarianneF - Whitehaven, England, UK - rec'd August 4, 04; mailed August 16, 04.
3. Auglaise - Cardiff, Wales, UK - rec'd August 17, 04; mailed September 5, 04.
4. novasoy - Louisville, Kentucky, USA - rec'd September 30, 04; mailed October 15, 04.
5. Helly77 - Burnley, England, UK - rec'd November 16, 04; mailed January 7, 05.
6. maupi - Utrecht, Netherlands - rec'd January 31, 05; mailed February 15, 05.
7. nike127 - Ginheim, Hessen, Germany - rec'd April 5, 05; mailed May 11, 05.
8. MegOConnor - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - rec'd June 5, 05.

Journal Entry 3 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Monday, June 7, 2004
I'll be mailing this to arturogrande in Coalville, Leicestershire, England on June 8, 2004. I hope it won't take too long to reach you! Best wishes from New Westminster, British Columbia (at left: the Fraser River, as seen from the top of my street.)

Journal Entry 4 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Friday, July 16, 2004
Thank you goatgrrl - you have great taste in books - as well as little surprises!

Journal Entry 5 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 31, 2004
I really enjoyed this book - although I think readers in and from North America would probably get more out of it than me, a humble Brit, as there are a lot of American references that I didn't get.
That said, the quirkiness of the characters, their pain and their joys are universal, and something we can all understand.
My favourite characters were Michael 'Mouse' Tolliver and Anna Madrigal, and I'm now planning to get hold of the rest of the series so I can find out what happens to them.

Now on its way to mariannef in Whitehaven. I hope you enjoy it.

Journal Entry 6 by MarianneF from Whitehaven, Cumbria United Kingdom on Thursday, August 5, 2004
Recieved this book yesterday from goatgrrl as part of a bookring. Couldn't wait to begin it so put other books on hold and started reading it last night. Enjoying it so far.

Journal Entry 7 by MarianneF from Whitehaven, Cumbria United Kingdom on Sunday, August 8, 2004
This book was very easy to read, but at the same time asked big questions about life, and what people want from it. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will now look out for the second book.

Journal Entry 8 by MarianneF from Whitehaven, Cumbria United Kingdom on Monday, August 16, 2004
Put this book in post today for Auglaise, next person in the Bookring.

Journal Entry 9 by Auglaise from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Recieved today, and am looking forward to reading it. ^_^

Journal Entry 10 by Auglaise from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, August 20, 2004
Enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't re-read it or recommend it to friends. I did really like that I got a very strong sense of time and place in the book though; I really felt like the book was most definately set in the late 1970's. Will be passing it on as soon as possible!

Journal Entry 11 by Auglaise at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, September 5, 2004

Released 19 yrs ago (9/3/2004 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent on to novasoy in the States!

Journal Entry 12 by novasoy from Louisville, Kentucky USA on Friday, October 1, 2004
Arrived in the mail yesterday and I started reading it this morning.

Journal Entry 13 by novasoy at on Thursday, October 14, 2004

Released 19 yrs ago (10/15/2004 UTC) at

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Mailing to helly77 tomorrow. I couldn't get into this book. Though Maupin writes very well, and is an able storyteller, these stories were a little soap opera like for my taste. I felt like I was listening to gossip. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just not my cup of tea.

Journal Entry 14 by Helly77 from Preston, Lancashire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Received safely, looking forward to it, Thanks :o)

Journal Entry 15 by Helly77 from Preston, Lancashire United Kingdom on Monday, November 29, 2004
I aggree with Novasoy, the 'tales' are just too short and 'gossipy' to grab my attnetion. I did enjoy some of it though, but wouldnt read it again. Will be sending it on as soon as I get the next recipients address!

Journal Entry 16 by Helly77 at Bookring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Friday, January 7, 2005
Released on Friday, January 07, 2005 at about 4:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Bookring in to another bookcrosser, By Post Controlled Releases.

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going to Maupi in the Netherlands

Journal Entry 17 by rem_HHX-328595 on Monday, January 31, 2005
Yes! This one's been on my wishlist quite a while, now I will actually read it.
Thank you.

Journal Entry 18 by rem_HHX-328595 on Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Very seventies, this book, and very enjoyable. I was not put off by the anecdotal chapters, it seems an appropriate choice for the many storylines.
Most characters are rather complex, more than I had expected (my prejudice).
Beauchamp is of course a nasty, narcissistic man, but he has more than one nasty side. Mary Ann Singleton (!) is not just the care-taking, harmony-loving woman, she 's quite spunky and I expect some major character development in the sequels.
I am curious about the sequels as well, now.

nikel27 is next, I already have her address and will send the book on as soon as I'm near a post office (at opening hours ;-D).

Journal Entry 19 by nikel27 from -- Irgendwo / Somewhere --, Hessen Germany on Tuesday, April 5, 2005
arrived safe at my house.

update:
Thanks for sharing this book with me.

asked for the next members address "MegOConnor"

Journal Entry 20 by nikel27 at Post Office in Book Ring, Ginsheim -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, May 3, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (5/11/2005 UTC) at Post Office in Book Ring, Ginsheim -- Controlled Releases

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EnJoy the book

Journal Entry 21 by TorontoTrinity from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Sunday, June 5, 2005
I received this in the mail and it's near the very top of my "to read" list. I seem to be the last on the list, though. Am I sending it back to goatgrrl? (I can never remember the difference between rays and rings.)

Journal Entry 22 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Tuesday, June 7, 2005
Meg - since you are last on the list, this ring ends with you. The difference between a bookring and ray is that usually bookring books are returned to the person who started the ring. In this case, though, you may feel free to keep the book, or pass it along to someone else -- I don't need it back. Thanks very much, everyone, for keeping this book moving and making this ring a success!

Journal Entry 23 by TorontoTrinity from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, June 29, 2005
I really, really enjoyed this book. I couldn't barely put it down from the time I started to read it until the time I finished it. Thanks so much for offering it as a bookring! It's made me go out and get the next book in the series already.

I guess since I'm the last on the list, I'll leave this book up as available for awhile, see if anyone wants it. Or else I might pass it around my family, see if they're interested.

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