Sure Of You: Tales of the City 6 (Tales of the City Series)

The first of six novels about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane, Tales of the City is both a sparkling comedy of manners and an indelible portrait of an era that changed forever the way we live. The tenants of 28 Barbary Lane have fled their cozy nest for adventures far afield.

Meanwhile, their venerable landlady takes the biggest journey of all - without ever leaving home. The calamity-prone residents of 28 Barbary Lane are at it again in this deliciously dark novel of romance and betrayal. When an ordinary househusband and his ambitious wife decide to start a family, they discover there's more to making a baby then meets the eye.

Help arrives in the form of a grieving gay neighbor, a visiting monarch, and the dashing young lieutenant who defects from her yacht. Bittersweet and profoundly affecting, Babycakes was the first work of fiction to acknowledge the arrival of AIDS. Tranquility reigns in the ancient redwood forest until a women-only music festival sets up camp downriver from an all-male retreat for the ruling class.

Among those entangled in the ensuing mayhem are a lovesick nurseryman, a panic-stricken philanderer, and the world's most beautiful fat woman. Significant Others is Armistead Maupin's cunningly observed meditation on marriage, friendship, and sexual nostalgia.

What an amazingly interesting and fun story of life. Not just life in San Fran in the '70's, but of human emotions and interaction anywhere and anytime. Very well acted and directed. If you like this, then by all means, pick up all of Armistad's books - you'll love them! Visit Prime Video to explore more titles. Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet!

Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Full Cast and Crew. The stories of several colorful characters living in San Francisco. All My Finished Drama Series. Share this Rating Title: Tales of the City — 8. Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Learn more More Like This. Tales of the City TV Series The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin Steven Weber, Michael T.

Torch Song Trilogy Edit Cast Complete series cast summary: Anna Madrigal 6 episodes, Donald Moffat Edgar Halcyon 6 episodes, Chloe Webb Mona Ramsey 6 episodes, Laura Linney Michael Tolliver 6 episodes, Billy Campbell Jon Fielding 6 episodes, Thomas Gibson Beauchamp Day 6 episodes, Paul Gross Brian Hawkins 6 episodes, Barbara Garrick Joaquin 4 episodes, Parker Posey Connie Bradshaw 4 episodes, Syd Straw Laurel 4 episodes, Kevin Sessums Peter Cipriani 4 episodes, Cynda Williams D'orothea Wilson 4 episodes, Stanley DeSantis Norman Neal Williams 3 episodes, Paul Dooley Herb Tolliver 3 episodes, Meagen Fay Binky Gruen 3 episodes, Michael Jeter Carson Callas 3 episodes, Belita Moreno Alice Tolliver 3 episodes, Ian McKellen Archibald Anson Gidde 3 episodes, Edie Adams Ruby Miller 2 episodes, Robert Downey Sr.

Edgar's Doctor 2 episodes, Stephanie Faracy Candi Moretti 2 episodes, Lou Liberatore Chuck 2 episodes, Mary Kay Place Prue Giroux 2 episodes, Meadow Sisto Cheryl Moretti 2 episodes, McLean Stevenson Booter Manigault 2 episodes, Paul Bartel Charles Hillary Lord 2 episodes, David Brisbin Lemon Candles 2 episodes, Vicky Preston Brown Opera Singer 2 episodes, Lance Loud I do wish that Mary Anne and Anna each had made better choices for themselves but i understand why and what they do.

It helps that some of these story threads are cleared up in the additional books--that and my own jaded viewpoint helps. In the end, I wish Mona had gotten a slightly better send off than she did. Especially since this really is the last time we spend any serious face time with her. I also wish that there had been some moments about Edgar Halycon as well as the grandchildren but Maupin seems to have left out mirth and memories for the real world.

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Which kind of sucks Feb 12, Writerlibrarian rated it it was ok Shelves: This was the last book in the original Tale of the City series. Published in , it ends the series on a depressing note. It's good that I have now Michael Toliver Lives to look forward to because if the series had really ended with this one.

I would be a little pissed. Nothing is really resolved for anyone. Mary Ann and Brian's marriage explodes, their kid is a brat, Michael and Thack are happy together but with the AIDS sword over their heads with a false or not alarm that Michael has develo This was the last book in the original Tale of the City series. Mary Ann and Brian's marriage explodes, their kid is a brat, Michael and Thack are happy together but with the AIDS sword over their heads with a false or not alarm that Michael has develop the disease.

Mrs Madrigal and her daughter Mona spend a holiday in Greece where Mrs Madrigal maybe finds someone to spend her golden years with but nothing is even hinted at. I don't mind open ended conclusion but man, this book is missing like one or two chapters so maybe not everything is up in the air. Or maybe that is precisely what the writer wanted and set out to do. To completely turn upside down the cozy comfort of his most known universe and send the characters into the future without tying up the threads of their lives before moving own.

I'm ambivalent about this sixth installment of the series. Jan 18, Alex rated it liked it Shelves: Marginally better than I remembered it, mainly because I know that Maupin didn't manage to ruin his series with his premature plan to kill it off: The Lesbos storyline is nice, even though it's the last we'll ever hear from Mona and the Madrigal storyline doesn't quite get the justice it deserves.

This is a bittersweet book that doesn't make all of the right choices, but socially and politically it was a difficult time. Maupin would go on to purge much of his political and justifiable anger in Maybe The Moon. As a final chapter in the Tales of the City cycle, Sure of You isn't very good. Now we have three more entries, some redemptions, and fewer things to worry about except the march of time. A terrible way to end what had been a lighthearted, guilty pleasure series. One thing I liked about Maupin's writing was how optimistic and light the tone was.

Tales of the City

No matter what terrible things befall the characters, you know that everything will be okay through their relationships with their friends. To be honest, I was still waiting at the end of the book for Maryann to come back to Brian, because she never was a terrible character to begin with, and I thought she would come around to her senses.

I mean, the book is called "Sure of You", for chrissakes. As I reader I felt deceived that I had been tricked into liking the character who was turned into such a 2 dimensional bitch. And Brian, who had started the series strong a man-whore with a legal degree - who would've thought?!

Sure of You (Tales of the City, #6) by Armistead Maupin

Also, where was Mona, Mrs. Madrigal, DeeDee and D'Or?! The familiar Barbary Lane's characters are back, a little older. Reading this book feels like a high school re-union, where familiar faces trigger powerful memories, and we are faced with the realization that those time are gone, and time flew by.

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Michael moved to the Castro with his partner, living what would be a great life if not for the HIV virus in his blood. Mrs Madrigal and her daughter Mona travel to the Greek islands, and Mary Ann is given a great work opportunity that may strain her re The familiar Barbary Lane's characters are back, a little older. Mrs Madrigal and her daughter Mona travel to the Greek islands, and Mary Ann is given a great work opportunity that may strain her relationship with Brian. As always, Maupin excels in the deep psychological portrait of his characters, and his amazing ability to portray the spirit of San Francisco, its contradictions and inner turmoil at a particular moment in time.

Nov 19, John rated it it was amazing. How many books was this? Maupin is witty, entertaining, caustic and talented. If you love the irreverence and eccentricity of San Francisco and its inhabitants, Maupin is your man. His characters are memorable and grow on you. Each successive entry charts their progress or decine. But he crazy eclectic mix of characters from the odd multilevel boarding house on Barbary Lane forge bonds and friendships that sustain them through the upheavals, crises, disappointments, breakups, etc.

What was then the final part of the Tales city ends on a downer as Maupin totally destroys one character so that Michael Tolliver becomes the 'heart' of the series.

The downfall of Mary Ann Singleton never comes across as realistic or believable to me - she seems to jump from likable to raging arsehole between books. Once again, the author leaves it to the reader to fill in the blanks, as it were. In the end, this book seems rather bitter. It's not that I mind characters developing and changing - What was then the final part of the Tales city ends on a downer as Maupin totally destroys one character so that Michael Tolliver becomes the 'heart' of the series. It's not that I mind characters developing and changing - it just has to be done convincingly.

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I love the fact that nothing much happens in this book yet in another way, everything does. It held my interest largely because of the quality of the dialogue. Maupin is a master at making people real, it could be a series of tapes of actual conversations. The emotions are spot on, the characters keenly observed.

Took me back to the 80s and the height of the AIDS epidemic. How many T cells do you have? It is a language of another age. Can't wait to read more of this master. Jul 29, Sonja rated it liked it Shelves: The weakest book in the series.

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We continue to see the lives of a shrinking group of people, yet the author continues to mirror key issues of the time. Aids looms large yet relationships are built in spite of it. Aug 30, Lisa rated it liked it Shelves: This is the first Tales of the City book I read. I was a teen, and I didn't pick up any others for years, and no wonder. For one thing, I probably had no idea what was going on, given I didn't have background on any of the characters. For another, it's a pretty big downer. The chosen family of 28 Barbary Lane, which grew so close over the first This is the first Tales of the City book I read.

The chosen family of 28 Barbary Lane, which grew so close over the first three books of the series, basically crumbles. Mary Ann, who grew so much from her initial naive, somewhat priggish Cleveland persona into a lovable heroine, becomes virtually unsympathetic as a character.

If she loves her own daughter, you can't tell it. Sep 26, Kit Feral rated it really liked it. The reviews on this one are a bit poor, many people seem to find this one or even the previous are the end of a good run. I didn't feel that way. I actually really liked this one. Michael is a very dear character to me now and though I feel Thack came out of nowhere and has lacked fleshing out I'm starting to see what makes him tick. I kind of like Mary Anne's fall from grace, I'm enjoying disliking her.

I want more Anna and I'm sad Mona wandered off. But honestly I'm starting to think these can The reviews on this one are a bit poor, many people seem to find this one or even the previous are the end of a good run. But honestly I'm starting to think these can do no wrong for me. I'm very cozy in this world and I like the glimpse into a very real time in gay history. They're fun but not entirely lacking substance. I am happily moving on to the next. What a joy to return to Barbary Lane and pick up with these characters - it really is like a family! In this latest version we follow Michael who is battling his diagnosis with HIV and the unknown as to if and when the virus may develop into AIDS that has taken so many of his friends.

Mrs Madrigal journeys to Greece to find her daughter and encounters love along the way and Mary-Ann and Brian face an unexpected hurdle. Reading these novels is like a hug from a parent - comfortable, familiar and What a joy to return to Barbary Lane and pick up with these characters - it really is like a family!

Reading these novels is like a hug from a parent - comfortable, familiar and leaving one with that cherished feeling of genuine happiness.

As I return to San Francisco myself I hope to finish the series "on location" and just pray Maupin might reprise our favourite characters for a family reunion in the future! Mar 08, John Bryan rated it it was amazing. I have read book 4,5 and 6 without even reading the first three books I intend to, of course. And although I missed out a lot on the first three, I can say reading this final installment of the Tales of the City is a very compelling conclusion to the stories of the Barbary Lane residents.