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| Armistead Maupin and his pal Philo who pops up in a major role in his new novel. |
Yes, we are charter members of the Armistead Maupin Fan Club. His “Tales of the City” novels have helped a couple generations of LGBTQ people come out and they’ve entertained EVERYONE for the last 35 years. He’s got a new novel out, “Mary Ann in Autumn” and he’s in the Seattle metro area to promote it. He’ll be at Lake Forest Park’s Third Place Books tonight, Tuesday, November 9 between 7pm and 8pm for a reading and book signing before heading to University Bookstore tomorrow, November 10 for another event also starting at 7pm.
I got the new book last week and read it in one sitting. It’s not as rich and textured as the previous books, but it’s still a very entertaining novel and a welcome addition to the “Tales” family. Somewhat beloved character Mary Ann Singleton is facing a midlife crisis and returns to the bosom of her “Barbary Lane” family to reconnect with Michael “Mouse” Tolliver, DeDe Halcyon, Mrs Madrigal, her daughter Shawna, many of the new characters in the series and a mysterious stranger. It’s very far-fetched, but emotionally gripping and it’s nice to see Mary Ann get a bit of redemption. By the end of the first six novels of the series, she had become a rather unsympathetic character, a career driven 80’s media maven who abandoned her daughter, husband, friends and life in San Francisco for a tv hosting job in New York. Frankly, she had become a bit of a bitch. But, life hasn’t been very kind to Mary Ann and after a series of disappointments with her career, her second husband and a medical emergency, she is ready to get on with the next stage of her life with some help from her San Francisco family. It’s emotionally turbulent yet at times, very funny and it’s great to see the team of “Mouse” and Mary Ann reunited. It’s a must read for fans of the books and Armistead Maupin.
Check out the new book, and Mr Maupin in person.
– Michael Strangeways
