Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much thanks

[Rand]

from article about his new book:

He says that the main themes of the book deal with getting older:

"I wanted to illuminate the process of growing older as a gay man, and make it easier for people who think life is over. Gay men who are growing old are incredibly lucky to be here....if I'd known that 63 was going to feel this good, I would have been a lot more cheerful along the way. Age is the last closet you come out of in the gay world. There are such gloomy visions of gay men aging. But if you worship beauty above all else, if you worship sex above all else, you're in trouble. If you're not working on your heart every second, you are going to have a very sad old age."

Maupin lives with his partner Christopher Turner who is 27 years his junior. The age difference is a fact that doesn't phase Maupin in the least, he told afterElton last August:

"I think [aging is] the central issue of our generation. There are a lot of people out there who are trying to figure out how to be good old gay people — how to do it well, how to be the best you can for your age. In my case that has to do with trying to be the best version of 62 I can imagine. Not to try and recreate something I felt I had 30 years ago. Interestingly enough, my partner, Christopher, runs a personals website for men over 40. I actually met him on the site. I saw this handsome 34-year-old there that made my heart beat faster. I bumped into him in the street a few months later and asked him for a date."

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom declared Tuesday "Michael Tolliver Day" in San Francisco.

 

[okstatecowboy]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

Amazon is shipping my copy even as we speak! It will be here by Friday. Guess what my plans for teh weekend are???

mikey

 

[inlovewithanton]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

Whats the new book called? Didnt even know he had one coming out! Thats cool.

 

[1gayguy]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

Is very cool!!!

 

[mojoe54]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

Hers is an excerpt from the book,which was printed in todays San Francisco Chronicle:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...Michael+Tolliver+Lives+excerpt&sn=001&sc=1000

I really enjoyed the excerpt--can't wait to read the whole thing!! I predict it will be a best seller.

 

[MainEntry]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

Maupin's latest book follows the characters in "Sure of You". That book follows the "Tales of the City" series of books. "Sure of You" takes place in 1988. The characters in "Michael Toliver Lives" are in their 50s since the current book is contemporary.

 

[JackFTwist]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

thank you for this information

I had no idea he had a new book out

thanks!

 

[hubbellgardner]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

Gawd I loved Armistead Maupin's books ! The whole Tales of the City series were a formative influence in their time, and I was one of the ones who actually enjoyed both T.V. series when they came out. His new book looks very interesting - thx for the heads up !

 

[Txgoodoldboy]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

I saw this on 365gay.com. I plan on buying a copy, on my next trip to the bookstore. Thanks for the post (thread).

 

[justsimon]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

I read it today. I'd forgotten how much I loved the inhabitants of Barbary Lane.

 

[tx_doc]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

When I originally heard the title of the book I was all excited. Can't wait to read it.

 

[justsimon]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

I read it today. I'd forgotten how much I loved the inhabitants of Barbary Lane.

I should mention that it is a decent-sized book and not so light as to encourage speedy reading; I was at work and it was a slow day... and I'm a bit quick.

 

[okstatecowboy]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

My copy just arrived a little while ago -boy the mail service was late today! Guess I'll be spending the rest of the weekend devouring the book and leaving the housework til later... it's summer and I'm a teacher on summer break!!!!!

mikey

 

[okstatecowboy]

Re: Maupin - - if you have to ask, just skip and go to something more banal - much th

WOW!!! I read from 7 to 11 last night and from 9 to 1 today, spending the last hour or so with a box of kleenex.

Like most of the Tales of the City books, this is an easy read. The chapters are fairly short and the language is commonplace. The book can be read on its own, but those familar with the rest of the series will have a greater appreciation for the characters and the references to past adventures.

As has been mentioned, the characters have aged during their absence -not quite 18 years, as the book is set in the eatly 2000s. We're given updates on all our favorites, and new ones are introduced. The only spoiler I'll give is that 28 Barbary Lane is gone.

For those familar with the series, pick this one up. The book will bring back fond memories of Mouse, Brian, and Anna. You will want a kleenex nearby when you reach the last 30-40 pages, as several characters face the truth of their lives and have pivotal events.

For those new to Maupin, be sure to pick up his other novels in this series. Read them first, in order to truly understand and fall in love with the cast. Then you'll understand the draw of 28 Barbary Lane.

mikey
-And yes, Maupin has already announced he's working on another in the series.