Tales of the City (novel)
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| Tales of the City | |
 1st edition cover |
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| Author | Armistead Maupin |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Dennis Ziemienski |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Tales of the City |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Publication date | 1978 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 240 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-060-90654-5 (1st edition) |
| Followed by | More Tales of the City |
- This article is about the novel Tales of the City; see Tales of the City (miniseries) for the TV adaptation and Tales of the City for the entire series of novels
Tales of the City (1978) is the first book in the Tales of the City series by San Francisco novelist Armistead Maupin, originally serialized in the San Francisco Chronicle.
[edit] Plot
Seeking a change in her life, Mary Ann Singleton moves to San Francisco, soon finding herself living at 28 Barbary Lane. Her life becomes intertwined with those of her varied neighbors and a myriad of colorful characters.
The novel is a look at San Francisco in the 1970's, exploring "alternative lifestyles" and "underground" culture.
[edit] Characters
- Mary Ann Singleton, a prudish naïf from Cleveland, Ohio, who impulsively decides to leave her sheltered life behind her and turn a vacation to San Francisco into a new chapter in her life.
- Anna Madrigal is the landlady of 28 Barbary Lane. Exotically - if not off-puttingly - regal, Anna fosters a maternal relationship with each of her tenants, perhaps most aggressively with Mona Ramsey. In addition to gently nudging Mary Ann out of her shell, she begins an affair with Edgar Halcyon, which is threatened by a dark secret of Anna's that may soon come to light.
- Mona Ramsey is Mary Ann's spacey, bohemian neighbor. Restless and a bit depressed, Mona finds herself unemployed after a particularly self-righteous day at the office. She opens her apartment to her old, recently-dumped friend Mouse, but moves out herself to rekindle a relationship with D'orothea Wilson.
- Michael 'Mouse' Tolliver is Mona's best friend and eventual roommate. Mary Ann seems to become most comfortable with him, perhaps because they both hail from more conservative parts of the country. Mouse is a proficiently confidant, albeit newly out, gay man. He goes to live with Mona after being dumped by his then-boyfriend only to begin a relationship with Jon Fielding, a gynecologist. Mouse's sweet disposition and genuine compassion have helped him to become one of the most beloved and enduring gay characters in fiction.
- Brian Hawkins is a lawyer-cum-waiter who also lives at 28 Barbary Lane. Seen as a womanizer by nearly everyone he knows, he spends most of his time cruising clubs and bars for women.
- Norman Neal Williams lives in the rooftop shed at 28 Barbary Lane. A skittish recluse of a man, he is cruelly referred to as Boo Radley by the other tenants. Mary Ann tries to be friendly toward him and eventually finds herself beginning a relationship with him. He has some secrets of his own, however, that threaten to change things for Mary Ann and the rest of the tenants at Barbary Lane.
- Jon Fielding is a gynecologist, compared to a Greek god by Mona, and Mouse's boyfriend for a short time. While Jon himself is a down-to-earth and loving man, his primary circle of friends is the 'A-Gays,' a group of wealthy, snobbish gay men who are judgmental of most everyone - including Mouse.
- DeDe Halcyon Day is a prominent socialite in San Francisco and the daughter of Edgar Halcyon. She is in a contemptuous marriage to Beauchamp Day and is frequently admonished for her 'puffy' appearance. Aware of her husband's infidelity with Mary Ann, DeDe retreats to an exclusive fitness spa an emerges more confident. Her energized reunion with Beauchamp, however, is spoiled when she realized an earlier dalliance with the Chinese grocery boy has left her pregnant. She goes to great lengths to conceal the truth, including sleeping with a particularly grimy gossip columnist.
- Beauchamp Day is DeDe's narcissistic and philandering husband. Aside from bitterly sucking up to Edgar - his boss - and snidely putting down his wife, Beauchamp also finds the time to carry on extramarital affairs with both Mary Ann and Jon.
- Edgar Halcyon is the head of Halcyon Communications. He and his wife, Frannie, have grown apart and, when he learns that he is dying, he begins a rejuvenating affair with Anna Madrigal. Edgar is protective of his daughter, DeDe, which strains his relationship with Beauchamp, his son-in-law and employee.
- Frannie Halcyon is Edgar's wife and DeDe's mother. She spends most of her days oblivious in an alcohol-induced haze. She is partial to mai tais.
- D'orothea Wilson is a successful African-American model who comes back to San Francisco to rekindle her love affair with Mona.
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