Inspiration for the Netflix Limited Series, Tales of the City
The fifth novel in the beloved Tales of the City series, Armistead Maupin’s best-selling San Francisco saga.
Tranquillity 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.
Download and start listening now!
"I had the wonderful opportunity to read these books as they were published and I immediately fell in love will all the characters! So much so that I have read the series several times over the years. I agree with critics that these books are not "great literature" in a classic sense but they are great works of art that are an integral part of LBGTQ history."
— Gretchen (4 out of 5 stars)
“His most skillful balancing act yet.”
— Los Angeles Times Book Review“Ribald, rich, and sentimental.”
— Washington Post“An unprecedented portrait of the agonies and absurdities of modern urban life.”
— Times (London)“Comedy in its most classical form...some of the sharpest and most speakable dialogue you are ever likely to read.”
— Guardian (London)“The color is wonderful, the line bold and flowing. It is also wise, witty, loving, and caring about the foibles and frailties we all seem to have.”
— David Hockney“Maupin writes with a warmth and humor that is sorely missed in some recent gay novels having more overtly literary aspirations; his tales...are lit with a glowing humanity that brings each character to vivid, poignant life.”
— Publishers Weekly" Feeling sad about having only one more left to read in the series. "
— Jenn, 2/12/2014" It's a good think Maupin doesn't invest in absurd crimi plots... Not too much at least. Mary Ann is almost as absent as Mona and I didn't miss them. "
— Anton, 1/17/2014" Fun but not a favorite in the series. We seem to be edging back to San Franscisco as the main location though and I'm pleased about that. "
— Lauren, 1/14/2014" mehsville "
— Emmanuel, 1/11/2014" Series complete (again!) "
— Amy, 1/10/2014" The humor in this one really appealed to me and I felt more of the magic of the first three books. We spend a lot of time away from Barbary Lane, but the journey is fun. "
— Paul, 1/1/2014" Junkfood with more lesbians! "
— Kariann, 12/28/2013" First read in 1987. "
— Robert, 12/18/2013" I'm going to be so disappointed when I am done with this series. I am in love with the characters, all of them. I'm only sorry I didn't read these books much sooner. "
— Kim, 12/5/2013" I re-read this series about every 2 years or so. Never ceases to make me laugh or cry. I love all these characters. "
— Sara, 11/19/2013" I enjoyed learning more about what happened to those characters from Tales of the City "
— Kris, 10/12/2013" I just picked this series back up after a year haitus. Maupin just wrote a seventh tale and I got all excited to finally get through this one!! "
— Beaver, 8/18/2013" A spectacularly dramatic novel, even after all these years. "
— Cecil, 6/26/2013" I have never cried so much on a book. "
— Laura, 6/13/2013" Starting to get a bit full now. Still you hope one more bag of salty snack treats is hidden in the kitchen somewhere. It may be hard to come down from this food high.... "
— Scott, 1/22/2013" While the first three books in the Tales in the City series were, for me, the best, there's something about a Maupin book that is like no other. "
— Martin, 1/22/2013" L'intrigue s'essouffle. "
— Beowulfwulf, 7/6/2012" Book # 5 in the 6 book series. LOVE IT!!! "
— Jessica, 4/21/2012" The best way for newcomers to San Francisco to get to know and love the city. Highly entertaining series you won't be able to put down. "
— Zoe, 4/21/2012" MUCH better than Babycakes. This was a major return to the form of the first three books. "
— Miles, 2/6/2012" Much better than "Babycakes", and I fell a little in love with Wren! "
— Janet, 11/11/2011" Well written interweaving of stories-the role of others in our lives. Captures the impact/fear/loathing of early days AIDS awareness. "
— Lana, 6/23/2011" I enjoyed learning more about what happened to those characters from Tales of the City "
— Kris, 6/20/2011" Fun but not a favorite in the series. We seem to be edging back to San Franscisco as the main location though and I'm pleased about that. "
— Lauren, 5/31/2011" This one was a very good addition to the series. It has a lot of wry human observations, something Maupin is excellent at doing. And he continued to write about the devastation of AIDS before most. "
— Mitchell, 4/24/2011" "The worst of times in San Francisco was still better than the best of times anywhere else."<br/>Less farcical than the last, and more measured. God I love these books. "
— Alex, 2/22/2011" Accidentally read this one before Babycakes (which is #4) but it didn't ruin either book for me. LOVE THIS SERIES! Now I only have one more. "
— April, 12/28/2010" Feeling sad about having only one more left to read in the series. "
— Jenn, 12/21/2010" Michael saved this one. I wasn't too hot about reading about Booter or the scene at Wimminwood. And Wren felt like an intrusion. Oh well. Onward! "
— Martha, 12/6/2010" I read this one out of order, kinda wish I hadn't, but no big deal. Same as before, love the characters, love the way Maupin paints the City. Totally books I keep on my bookshelf. Now I need to watch the miniseries again! "
— Kendra, 6/29/2010" The humor in this one really appealed to me and I felt more of the magic of the first three books. We spend a lot of time away from Barbary Lane, but the journey is fun. "
— Paul, 10/12/2009Armistead Maupin is the author of numerous novels, including the highly popular Tales of the City series. His novels Sure of You and The Days of Anna Madrigal made the New York Times bestsellers list. He was the 2012 recipient of the Lambda Literary Foundation’s Pioneer Award. In 2014 he was awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree by the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Three miniseries starring Olympia Dukakis and Laura Linney were made from the first three novels in the Tales series. The Night Listener became a feature film starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette. He was born in Washington, DC, in 1944 but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, he served as a naval officer in the Mediterranean and with the River Patrol Force in Vietnam. He worked briefly as a reporter for a newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina, before being assigned to the San Francisco bureau of the Associated Press in 1971.