|
Post by David on Aug 29, 2006 21:33:54 GMT
For all fans of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City books, the following fucking fantastic news:
Maupin has stated on his website that another Tales of the City novel is unlikely. "I never say never about anything, so it's not inconceivable that at some point in the future I may get really desperate and write a stocking stuffer called Christmas at Barbary Lane. But don't bank on it." However, he has written "Michael Tolliver Lives", which "is not a sequel to 'Tales' and it's certainly not Book 7 in the series." Although the book may have brief appearances by a "Tales" character or two, it focuses on "Mouse" and how his life is at 55, living with HIV. The book is slated to be released in the summer of 2007.
|
|
|
Post by Adrian on Aug 30, 2006 9:30:42 GMT
I've read Tales of the City and More Tales of the City.
I must say I really enjoyed them. They're like soap opera in a book, with lots of arch 70s references. I hadn't realised there were 4 further books in the series.
Michael Tolliver Lives sounds like a very interesting read. When I read there he had HIV, I felt dismayed. Maupin writes in a very affectionate way, so the characters appear to be very real.
A
|
|
|
Post by zaffra on Aug 30, 2006 9:52:16 GMT
(As you probably know) Tales was written as a newspaper column, so it's a bit soapy by nature especially at the begining.
Night Listener has just been made into a film starring Robin Williams?!
It was ages ago that I read the series, I'd like to know what the future was for Mouse, although the books are generally sentimental the future seemed somewhat pessamistic in the last Tale.
|
|
|
Post by Michael on Aug 30, 2006 11:53:13 GMT
I can't wait for this book. Michael Tolliver is one of my favourite literary characters.
I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the other books, but the start of Babycakes was one of the most upsetting things I've ever read.
I do hope Michael has ditched that rotten boyfriend he got in the last two books. I think I read somewhere that Maupin has given him a much younger boyfriend now. Hoorah!
|
|
|
Post by David on Aug 30, 2006 11:58:23 GMT
Sorry Adrian, should have thought that there would be people who didn't need to know what happens in later books.
I saw the trailer for the Night Listener - Robin Williams is playing Gabriel (aka Armistead Maupin, though he denies this) and Toni Collette as the mother and looks fantastic. As with most adaptations, I'll probably be disappointed, so I won't re-read the novel before seeing it.
|
|
|
Post by Michael on Aug 30, 2006 15:41:59 GMT
I'm not madly keen on the idea of a film of The Night Listener, but only because I creid buckets at the book. AND at Maybe The Moon.
He gets me every time.
|
|
puppydogstail
Jane Asher
She never cooks, she keeps a filthy house and she talks profanely!
Posts: 108
|
Post by puppydogstail on Sept 9, 2006 10:33:36 GMT
Robin Williams is just wrong. Theres a scene in the book where he sucks off a trucker with a fat cock. Lets see Robin gag on that.
|
|
|
Post by Adrian on Sept 12, 2006 22:49:57 GMT
Sorry Adrian, should have thought that there would be people who didn't need to know what happens in later books. Oh, that's ok - I'm not worried about literary spoilers. I meant I was dismayed more for the character. A
|
|
|
Post by Steven on Sept 14, 2006 17:52:33 GMT
Yeah, the casting of Robin Williams kind of puts me off going to see the movie, but I really enjoyed the book. I like that they cast Sandra Oh as Anna though, so I'm torn.
A Michael Tolliver book sounds like it could be cool, although I'd rather read about what Brian's up to these days. He was my favourite character at the end, and when I re-read the first Tales of the City book it's always quite sobering to remember what an utter, utter bitch Mary Ann is by the end of the sixth one.
|
|
|
Post by David on Sept 14, 2006 21:31:53 GMT
That's true, but I think it was Mary Ann's natural progression from the wide-eyed innocent from Cleveland who first arrives in San Francisco. I found the latter stages of the final installment really upsetting, especially Mary Ann's comments about Anna Madrigal.
I agree that it would be really interesting to learn what happened to Brian - I'd like to think that he will feature quite prominently in this book.
There is an interview with Armistead Maupin in today's Guardian, as The Night Listener is released tomorrow. Unfortunately for the publicists, the writer is very excited talking about Tales, so the film only gets a couple of paragraphs towards the end. We know that Toni Collette will be fantastic, but Robin Williams is a worry. Bobby Canavale is playing the boyfriend (typecast, maybe?).
|
|
|
Post by Adrian on Sept 21, 2006 10:59:20 GMT
it's always quite sobering to remember what an utter, utter bitch Mary Ann is by the end of the sixth one. Ooh, that's a character spoiler I didn't need to read. How upsetting. I must go get these books and read them, tout suite. A
|
|
|
Post by marknyc on Sept 22, 2006 14:18:18 GMT
How is a book about Michael Tolliver NOT a Tales Of The City sequel?
The books read like soap operas because they were a soap opera. They were a newspaper serial.
What happened to the miniseries on the books? I was looking forward to Babycakes. It was always my sentimental favorite and it has been over a decade since I read it so I probably would not be appalled by a tv version at this point.
|
|
|
Post by Michael on Sept 22, 2006 14:43:37 GMT
Well, I suppose the book isn't a direct sequel as it just follows a day in Michael's life. He says he wasn't intending to put any of the other characters in it originally. It's a spin-off.
The TV shows seemed to stop at 'Further'. I imagine they'd need a UK co-producer to do Babycakes as it's set half here, and as nobody showed 'Further' here...
The *thing* that happens between Further Tales of the City and Babycakes is one of the most upsetting literary *things* I have ever encountered.
|
|
|
Post by David on Sept 22, 2006 15:18:14 GMT
From what I heard the quality of the Further Tales series wasn't as good as the others. To be honest, I thought it all went downhill after the first series and the actors who played Mona, Michael and Brian pulled out. A lot of the quality of the first season quite possibly came from the Channel 4 money and influence, which was absent from the second series, but that's just my opinion...
|
|
|
Post by Adrian on Nov 23, 2006 15:55:16 GMT
I've just finished Further and now started Babycakes.
The end of Further was really familiar to me as I've seen that on TV. I'm pretty sure it was on Irish TV though, late one night.
Babycakes already feels quite dark, less frothy than the earlier books. It was quite sobering when Brian mentions that he would be 40 in 1984, meaning he was born in 1944. For all the 70s and 80s pop culture references, these characters could easily be my friends, my age, my generation. I really like that.
A
|
|
|
Post by David Hunter on Jun 6, 2007 14:35:06 GMT
Only a few weeks to go so I've pre-ordered this from Waterstones online as it was the cheapest option. Can't wait!
|
|
charliepops
Jane Asher
Most Slut Potential? Do you love it!
Posts: 216
|
Post by charliepops on Jun 17, 2007 21:33:13 GMT
I started reading this book this evening and I absolutely love it. And yet again it makes me want to go skipping off to San Francisco - the city itself is surely Maupin's greatest character.
Also, I have to admit that it's really nice to read about a gay relationship with a large age gap - mine is a little bigger than Michael and Ben's, though not as big as Maupin and his husband.
I would like to add that the age gap is UPWARDS from me and I am not in fact, dating an infant.
|
|
|
Post by pauliepoos on Jun 17, 2007 21:37:39 GMT
I started reading this book this evening and I absolutely love it. And yet again it makes me want to go skipping off to San Francisco - the city itself is surely Maupin's greatest character. Also, I have to admit that it's really nice to read about a gay relationship with a large age gap - mine is a little bigger than Michael and Ben's, though not as big as Maupin and his husband. I would like to add that the age gap is UPWARDS from me and I am not in fact, dating an infant. Ah, so you have a real life Papi Suarez? Did you meet yours on Daddyhunt.com too?
|
|
charliepops
Jane Asher
Most Slut Potential? Do you love it!
Posts: 216
|
Post by charliepops on Jun 18, 2007 18:53:22 GMT
I do indeed. We did actually meet on a very similar website.
I shall say no more, to avoid embarrassment.
|
|
|
Post by David Hunter on Jun 18, 2007 22:35:37 GMT
I've been in bed with Michael this weekend.
It's slightly too autobiographical for me at the moment, (as was 'The Night Listener') and there's a little too much sex which I feel is padding it out. I feel like I'm reading about Armistead and not Michael Mouse Tolliver, even though I know he's based on the author.
Having said that, I love having them all back. I got quite emotional round chapter 3 when a favourite character reappeared I hadn't expected to 'see' again.
Edit: And now I've cried at Chapter 14 and the loss of someone...
|
|
|
Post by David on Jun 19, 2007 16:47:06 GMT
No one dare post any spoilers, I bought it yesterday and am up to chapter 5.
There's an invited audience in my head who give standing ovations to all the characters as they make appearances.
|
|
|
Post by Steven on Jun 19, 2007 21:24:30 GMT
Bah, this would have to come out while I'm halfway through re-reading the original books. I've just finished Babycakes (big relief, always my least favourite, probably because it was the first time that I really started to dislike Mary Ann) and I want to finish before I start on this one. Will probably just have to boycott this thread until then, in case I get accidentally spoiled.
Edited to add a random Tales of the City thought: was I the only person who utterly adored Beauchamp Day? I don't care how much of an asshole he was, I totally wanted him to do me.
|
|
charliepops
Jane Asher
Most Slut Potential? Do you love it!
Posts: 216
|
Post by charliepops on Jun 20, 2007 20:15:58 GMT
I finished it this afternoon and despite sobbing my silly little heart out. I have been on a massive high all day following it.
What a great book. I really want to be best friends with Armistead Maupin.
|
|
|
Post by pauliepoos on Jun 20, 2007 20:47:52 GMT
Edited to add a random Tales of the City thought: was I the only person who utterly adored Beauchamp Day? I don't care how much of an asshole he was, I totally wanted him to do me. Does it help that he looks like this:
|
|
|
Post by David Hunter on Jun 20, 2007 23:37:17 GMT
I thought Thomas Gibson was perfectly cast as Beauchamp, but in More Tales he just looked rough. He was handsome again in 'Dharma and Greg'. I often wondered what had happened to the actor between Tales and More Tales to cause it.
|
|