Mr. Maupin’s “Tales” Conclude With Mrs. Madrigal…And, A Visit To Seattle

Hardcore fans of Armistead Maupin’s TALES OF THE CITY series have made the pilgrimage to San Francisco and located the REAL Barbary Lane…aka Maconray Lane. And, it gave us goosebumps.

It’s a happy/sad day for fans of Armistead Maupin’s beloved TALES OF THE CITY series of novels chronicling the lives of a circle of San Francisco friends from the mid 1970s to the present. The largely queer doings of that tribe, by a beloved gay writer, have entertained millions of readers worldwide and the 9 novel series has also guided multiple generations of queer people out the closet door. (And, also partly guided by the television adaptations of the first three novels in the series that starred Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis).

And, it’s a happy/sad day because Mr. Maupin has announced that the just released 9th novel, THE DAYS OF ANNA MADRIGAL is to be the final novel in the “Tales” series. Anna Madrigal is, of course, the beloved transgender landlady who brought together all the characters in the original “Tales” novel; she owned the Russian Hill apartment building where the majority of the characters lived. Now an elderly woman, it’s been largely surmised that the new novel will probably feature the passing of Mrs. Madrigal, making the final novel an extra bittersweet experience.

THE DAYS OF ANNA MADRIGAL is the final volume in Armistead Maupin’s TALES OF THE CITY series.

THE DAYS OF ANNA MADRIGAL is available at area booksellers and one of those booksellers will be hosting Mr. Maupin this Tuesday, January 28 at 7 pm. From Elliot Bay Book Company’s website:

Tales from the City began its long life as a serial in 1974 in The Pacific Sun and. after the paper folded, moved to The San Francisco Chronicle in 1976. Since then the adventures of Michael Toliver, Mary Ann Singleton, Mona Ramsey and other beloved characters have continued not only in the multiyear newspaper serial, but also in ten books, three television miniseries and a musical, and now, in what author Armistead Maupin says is the “final book” in the series, beloved character Anna Madrigal, landlady and Mother Confessor of her community at 28 Barbary Lane, is again at the center of the story. In The Days of Anna Madrigal (Harper), Anna Madrigal is now 92 and while some of her chosen family have taken off for Burning Man, Anna and her old friend Brian Hawkins travel back to the Winnemucca whorehouse she ran away from (as a 14-year-old boy). More family secrets will be revealed (of course) and with this much advance notice you now have time to read (or re-read) the previous installments and get caught up. We’ve hosted Armistead Maupin in Pioneer Square and most recently at the Seattle Public Library, and tonight we’re pleased to welcome him to our home on Capitol Hill.

The event is free to the public and Elliot Bay Book Company is at 1521 10th Avenue on Capitol Hill. Fans of the “Tales”….it behooves you to come say good bye to Mrs. Madrigal and hello to Mr. Maupin.

As for Mr. Strangeways, I am also dreading/joyously anticipatory about the novel. It’s always hard to say good bye to very dear, old friends who helped you through hard times. Before he gets weepy:

A toast to Anna Madrigal! And, Mr. Maupin!