Tales of the City Audiobook By Armistead Maupin cover art

Tales of the City

Tales of the City, Book 1

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Tales of the City

By: Armistead Maupin
Narrated by: Frances McDormand
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For more than three decades Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City has blazed its own trail through popular culture...from a groundbreaking newspaper serial, to a classic novel, to a television event that entranced millions around the world. The first of six novels about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane, Tales of the City is both a sparkling comedy of manners and an indelible portrait of an era that changed forever the way we live.

©1978 The Chronicle Publishing Company (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction Humorous LGBTQ+ Studies LGBTQIA+ Creators LGBTQIA+ Essentials Literature & Fiction Fiction Heartfelt Funny Witty

Featured Article: Audible Essentials—The Top 100 LGBTQIA+ Listens of All Time


While LGBTQIA+ creators have been around for millennia, it’s only recently that we’ve been hearing more diverse, more queer-authored, and more queer-performed stories about the entire spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experiences and identities. This list—just like the community it represents—is meant to be fluid. But most importantly, it’s meant to celebrate and reflect on the issues faced by LGBTQIA+ people everywhere.

Featured Article Audible Essentials The Top 100 LGBTQIA+ Listens of All Time
Intertwined Storylines • Compelling Characters • Witty Dialogue • Nostalgic Atmosphere • Cultural Significance
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Maupin sure knows how to write cliff hangers. (You will understand the double meaning near the end of the book.) How he draws his characters together in kind of a (incestuous) web is amazing and delightful.
I only gave Francis 4 stars because she doesn't change her voice for each character,making it hard to know who's talking on quick exchanges.

Addictive!

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Francis McDormond did an exceptional job on this. The story is compelling and nostalgic. I looked forward to my time listening to it

Wonderful

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Heard a lot about this book and the show before finally listened to it! What a great snapshot of a city, its residents and the milieu at that time. Characters remind you of acquaintances no doubt and I cannot wait to watch the TV adaptation now.

A tale that draws one in

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At first, I was afraid it wouldn’t happen. But then, it did. I fell in love with these characters and their stories. I was worried because I’d heard so much about the book, but just wasn’t connecting with it. Names were being mentioned and I had lost track of who they were. That’s the secret to this book: pay attention. Don’t be distracted from it for a moment, or things will happen and new people will show up, and you’ll be left behind. I started it over, and that’s when I fell in love :)
(By the way, the Netflix show doesn’t do it justice!)

Pay close attention

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The narration made this book come alive. McDormand is a true talent all around.

The characters were charismatic and (mostly) charming. If you're reading for true SF ambiance you'll love this book. If you're reading for plot, action and wondering what happens next, this book isn't for you.

Wonderful Characters; Plot MIA

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Maupin delivers the story, characters, culture and plot to perfection. Enjoyed reading when first published and now in audible. Author and narrator at their best.

Excellent

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Love Francis MacDormand as the reader of this book and Further Tales. The All Star cast of Readers is excellent. Can’t wait for the new series of Netflix this June. On to More Tales Now. Enjoy this as well.

Fantastic Book and Series

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I really enjoyed the story and the narration, but the audio skips around quite a bit. I had to rewind half a dozen times.

Enjoyable, but ot skips quite a bit

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What did you love best about Tales of the City?

the whole thing is great, and u get to know the chracters so well, and u learn to love and like them

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ms Anna M the land lady she is mystical and magical

What does Frances McDormand bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

she was involved and took that through the whole story

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

the relationship between Anna and Ed was my favorite

fun and fantastic

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Struggled to finish. Didn't love it. Did enjoy the narrator, Frances McDormond. Book 2 may be better.

Simple review

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