I’ve been thinking loads about America recently for some reason or another. And I thought about one of my favourite books about San Francisco, Tales of the City, which is a totally silly book in a series that was originally serialised in a paper there, I can’t remember which one. And as you know I bloody love writing words so I thought I’d make a quick little cover for it.
I recommend you read it if you like trivial stuff about relationships and taking quaaludes and being gay in the 70s and San Francisco in general. Also another great book, while I think of it, is Love, Castro Street, which is a load of great non-fiction accounts of what the Castro theatre and district meant to the gay community back in t’day. That’s a really good one. ALSO thinking of more stuff I’ve read about America recently, a book that came out this year or last year called Walking 6000 Miles in the City is excellent, by this bloke who walked every single block in New York and wrote all about the neighbourhoods. Interesting stuff.
Book club over, same time next week.
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Tales of the City isn’t really trivial. If you notice there is a stealthy subtext which deals with bigotry and hypocrisy quite harshly – it extends throughout the books. Maupin explores gender issues, transphobia, homophobia, and racism with humour and compassion.
I agree, the subject matter isn’t trivial, and the topics were most likely considered bold when first published. The style of writing is what I was referring to, which probably comes from the stories being serialised – the need for punchy cliffhangers etc.