Michael Tolliver Lives (Tales of the City)
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Product Description
Book Description
The long-awaited new novel in the internationally bestselling Tales of the City sequence
Product Description
Michael Tolliver, the sweet-spirited Southerner in Armistead Maupin's classic Tales of the City series, is arguably the most beloved gay character in fiction. Now, almost twenty years after ending his groundbreaking saga of San Francisco life, Maupin revisits his all-too-human hero, letting the 55-year-old gardener tell his story in his own voice.
Having survived the plague that took so many of his friends and lovers, Michael has learned to embrace the random pleasures of life, the tender alliances that sustain him in the hardest of times, Michael Tolliver Lives follows its protagonist as he finds love with a younger man, attends to his dying fundamentalist mother in Florida, and finally reaffirms his allegiance to a wise octogenarian who was once his landlady.
While Maupin insists that this book is not, strictly speaking, a continuation of Tales of the City, a reassuring number of familiar faces appear along the way. As usual, the author's mordant wit and ear for pitch-perfect dialogue serve every aspect of the story-- from the bawdy to the bittersweet. Michael Tolliver Lives is a novel about the act of growing older joyfully and the everyday miracles that somehow make that possible.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
How we'ver missed both Mr Maupin's writing and his wonderful creation, Michael "Mouse" Tolliver! A return to form made me quickly realise the strengths in Armistead Maupin's writing: the quirky scenarios, the real characters of every human hue except "normal" - whatever that is - the laid back, humourous style and the simple laugh out loud one liners sneaked into the dialogue here and there. Mr Tolliver is now older and more thoughtful, but still retains his values, beliefs and unique style, surrounding himself with real friends, a new partner - and all their problems - to support him through life, and challenging the American perspective that family is everything. In fact Michael's family is a bit of a nightmare and he's successfully managed to move on from them. There are also overt challenges to the loony-fringe christian elements, a helpful different perspective in my view given their damaging influence on US politics. Utterly readable and frank, I do hope Mr Maupin allows us to share more of Michael Tolliver growing old disgracefully!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fans of Armistead Maupin's 'Tales of the City' will be eager to find out what became of Michael Tolliver and the rest of the crazy characters from San Francisco. This book is quite a departure from the TotC series because it is written in the first person and therefore we really hear Michael's voice for the first time (although to be honest I wasn't sure if I was hearing Michael's voice, or just the author's, since their lives seem to share many similarities). Furthermore this book is mostly about Michael - there are just brief updates on the others (only Anna, Brian and Shawna play much of a part). Nevertheless this is an easy, fun read, outrageously rude in places and absolutely hilarious in others. If you haven't read any of the Tales of the City series, you're better off starting with those (and you're in for a treat).
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'd not enjoyed Maupin's post Tales of the City books and I thought he'd moved on to other things. I was surprised and delighted to see that he'd returned to his TOTC characters, if not the TOTC series (Mary Ann in Autumn came out in November). I enjoyed 'Michael Tolliver Lives'. It's not his best, I particularly liked 'Babycakes' but it's still good and well worth buying if you like the genre. Maupin's style has become harder, but I suppose the ravages of AIDS and the horror of the Bush years has changed the world.
The book is raunchier and more explicit than I remember its predecessors being, but it is no less touching and sensitive. Tolliver is getting older, he's lost friends and partners and now he has to face up to his mother's impending death as well as reconnecting with his brother and his dreadful wife and dealing with Mrs Madrigal's ill health. Some of our old friends have died (Mona) and others moved away (Mary Ann). Tolliver remains the gentle, sweet character of old - a little creakier, but it's heartening to see him alive and moving into old age with grace and spirit intact.
The book is raunchier and more explicit than I remember its predecessors being, but it is no less touching and sensitive. Tolliver is getting older, he's lost friends and partners and now he has to face up to his mother's impending death as well as reconnecting with his brother and his dreadful wife and dealing with Mrs Madrigal's ill health. Some of our old friends have died (Mona) and others moved away (Mary Ann). Tolliver remains the gentle, sweet character of old - a little creakier, but it's heartening to see him alive and moving into old age with grace and spirit intact.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
MIchael Tolliver Lives
Armistead Maupin's book Michael Tolliver Lives fits into the brilliant series of the Tales of the City books. The book arrived swiftly and in perfect condition. Many thanks.
Published 2 months ago by Daniel Morgenstern
Tales of the City back again
Another fantastic book from the "Tales of the City" series. It's great to hear Michael is doing well and happily married. Read more
Published 14 months ago by F. Jackson
Maupin Genius
Having been a fan of 'Tales of the City' for many years I was delighted to discover this latter offering from Armistead Maupin. Read more
Published 15 months ago by loubalou
Tolliver Lives
Exellent book...Armistead is reminding me why I love his style...as good as ever and takes me right back to SF in those much loved earlier books....Brilliant !!!
Published 17 months ago by G. Fellowes
Not what I had hoped
I was overjoyed to see Maupin had brought out something to bring the Barberry Lane crowd up to date. Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2010 by Anthony M
Eagerly awaited
Tied up some loose ends, gave a bit of closure. Maybe he has taken the characters as far as they can go now?
Published on 9 Jan 2010 by Mrs. M. E. Wood
Flawed but immensely likeable
Avid readers of the original Tales of the City are bound to be at once tempted and hesitant about this somewhat belated revisit to Armistead Maupin's San Francisco. Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2009 by A. Butterfield
A big star in a small venue
An intriguing and heartwarming study written from the perspective of a character that has featured, but not starred, in many of Maupin's books, this is the charming tale of Michael... Read more
Published on 25 July 2009 by Daniel Park
Light reading
Like most people, I loved Tales of the City but, for some reason, I missed this book when it first came out a couple of years ago. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2009 by viciousidol
Still on Form
Could this book live up to the wonderful Tales of the City series? I approached it half-expecting a let-down. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2008 by R. Haines
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