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 Writing • Nostalgic Atmosphere • Surprising Twists

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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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