Since 1976, Maupin's Tales of the City has etched itself upon the hearts and minds of its readers, both straight and gay. From a groundbreaking newspaper serial in the San Francisco Chronicle to a bestselling novel to a critically acclaimed PBS series, Tales (all six of them) contains the universe--if not in a grain of sand, then in one apartment house.

From Publishers Weekly
Maupin's alternately playful and sentimental tales depict an all-too-easily satirized population of transients and toffs living in and around San Francisco. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Entertainment Weekly
A good serial writer can make even a big city feel like a small town.... The only downside is that the stories end, and the reader, who has come to enjoy Maupin's crew more than one's own much less colorful friends, is left with a far duller social life.

From AudioFile
For years Maupin's witty novels about the residents of San Francisco's Barbary Lane have thrilled readers. This audiobook collection takes the thrill a step further. All six tales are here in collectible form, with a heartfelt special introduction by Maupin himself. With the pleasure he seems to take in performing these stories, it's evident that these rich characters are truly a part of Maupin. His effortless enthusiasm runs throughout the anthology, making it not only a joy for listeners on a mere storytelling level, but also an accessible chronicle of American life in the 1970s and 1980s. R.A.P. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Armistead Maupin's uproarious and moving Tales of the City novels have earned a unique niche in American literature; not only as matchless entertainment, but as indelible documents of cultural change in the seventies and eighties.

Among the cast of this groundbreaking saga are the lovelorn residents of 28 Barbary lane: the bewildered but aspiring Mary Ann Singleton; the libidinous Brian Hawkins; Mona Ramsey, still in a sixties trance; Michael "Mouse" Tolliver, forever in bright-eyed pursuit of Mr. Right; and their marijuana-growing landlady, the indefatigable Mrs. Madrigal.

Armistead Maupin's other novels are MAYBE THE MOON and THE NIGHT LISTENER. His Tales novels first appeared as daily serials in San Francisco newspapers, starting in 1976. Tales of the City became a controversial but highly acclaimed miniseries on PBS in 1994, followed by More Tales of the City on Showtime in 1998. Maupin wrote the narration for the HBO documentary The Celluloid Closet. As a librettist he collaborated in 1999 with composer Jake Heggie on "Anna Madrigal Remembers" for mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and the classical music ensemble, Chanticleer.

The TALES OF THE CITY AUDIO COLLECTION includes: Tales of the City, More Tales of the City, Further Tales of the City, Babycakes, Significant Others, and Sure of You

FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile - AudioFile Review

For years Maupin's witty novels about the residents of San Francisco's Barbary Lane have thrilled readers. This audiobook collection takes the thrill a step further. All six tales are here in collectible form, with a heartfelt special introduction by Maupin himself. With the pleasure he seems to take in performing these stories, it's evident that these rich characters are truly a part of Maupin. His effortless enthusiasm runs throughout the anthology, making it not only a joy for listeners on a mere storytelling level, but also an accessible chronicle of American life in the 1970s and 1980s. R.A.P. ￯﾿ﾽ AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine