I read these... what 15-20 years ago! I had completely forgotten about this series and saw a review by a goodreads friend on the latest. I loved them then... We'll see if they still click after all those years. ( )

This was an easier read, mostly because it's so dialogue heavy. I enjoyed it. Not sure if I enjoyed it enough to read the next one in the series, but it was a good break in between the more intense books I tend to read. ( )

'Tales of the City' is an interesting mixture of frothy and very dark. It reminded me at various points of 'The Edible Woman' by Margaret Atwood (the central character, Mary-Ann), the film 'Shame' (the character Brian), and 'Atomised' by Michel Houellebecq (some of the attitudes to sex and death). On the other hand, it also reminded me at times of cheery American TV sitcoms, with a side order of soapy melodrama.

I was impressed by the complexity and tightness of the plotting, as the huge cast of characters meet, interact, and move on, ricocheting like pinballs. This is an even greater achievement when you consider that the book was originally a newspaper serial. The short, sharp chapters evoked 1970s urban life very vividly, albeit somewhat depressingly. The lives of the characters did not attract me, although they were intriguingly presented. Probably because I found the seemingly compulsory nature of perpetual sexual activity unappealing. In fact, the main message I took from 'Tales of the City' was that in the days before the internet urban twenty- and thirtysomethings amused themselves with casual sex, alcohol, and drugs. How times change? ( )

First of the tales of the cities books. We meet the unusual cast of characters who all live together on Barbary lane. Mary Ann who has just moved from Cleveland. Michael "mouse" a farmers boy from Florida. Bryan the womanizing waiter. Mona the red haired former ad exec and part time lesbian. And of course the landlady Anna Madrigal who had a history all her own ( )

Loved Frances McDormand's narration--it was mildly amusing, but nothing remarkable. Yes, it's nice for its acceptance of LGBT, but it's a bit too free-lovish. Not one character seems to have morals or an ability to be commit to one relationship. Apparently this is the first of a popular series of books, as well as a PBS series with Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis. Even though seven hours of the book didn't thrill me, I do like those actresses, and would probably watch it if I fell upon the title in Netflix. ( )