From Weird Al’s 1989 cult film UHF.

Blurb for the back cover:
“Feels as if Maupin was just trying to make things as crazy as possible”

More Tales of the City picks up shortly after Tales of the City. Everybody is still going about their daily routine. Mouse and Mary Ann go on a cruise and meet a mysterious stranger while Mona impulsively travels to a brothel in Nevada and discovers her past and one of Mrs. Madrigal’s secrets.

The format of this book is still the same with each chapter only taking up roughly three pages. This again makes this book very easy to pick up and read only for a few minutes before putting it back down. This could also lead to the classic “just one more chapter…” problem and several chapters later you find yourself still reading the book.

Sadly, there were a few occasions where the book got just so ridiculous that I had to put it down and walk away from it for a few days. The major difference between the first book and this one is that More Tales of the City takes more of a soap opera approach. There is amnesia, sex changes, characters that you thought were gone reappearing, and the revelation of who is Mona’s father. With the first book I thought it took just showed the lives of people living in San Fransisco. But this book feels as if Maupin was just trying to make things as crazy as possible.

I didn’t really like More Tales of the City because I had just come off reading Tales of the City and had such high expectations. After thinking about it some more post-reading, I’m pretty indifferent towards this one. As of writing this I have finished the third book in the series (Further Tales of the City) and I am glad to say that Further was much better but more on that later.

I just finished watching the British adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic. The film is based off of the first two books of the Discworld series which I have not read. One of the reason I have not touched the series is because it is currently 36 novels long. I DON’T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME! Geez. A 36 book series. I have also read Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman) but didn’t really care much for the book. Maybe I need to re-read it. Anyway, getting off topic here. I liked The Color of Magic and Tim Curry plays the bad guy which is awesome. I am now tempted to pick up the first book in the Discworld series.

I mentioned previously that I saw Steve Almond (author of Candyfreak and Not That You Asked) at Tin House’s 10th Anniversary celebration right? He’s a hoot and a half and now I have proof. Firstly,

Now you can also listen to Steve Almond’s analyze Toto’s Africa.

Steve Almond Analyzes Toto’s Africa

Audio was provided by Tin House and their new blog.

Going to Reno today for an extended weekend. After much deliberation I decided to take Armistead Maupin’s Babycakes as well as Tin House’s The Writer’s Notebook: Craft Essays from Tin House.

Speaking of Tin House, I attended their 10th anniversary shindig and was treated to some quite awesome readings from Tin House Magazine contributes. My personal favorite reader was Steve Almond and his essay on Toto’s song Africa. Anyway, I need a nap before the flight.

A retraction from yesterday’s post.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is written by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jane Austen).
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is written by Ben H. Winters (and Jane Austen).

I mistakenly credited Seth for being the one to bring sea monsters to Jane Austen’s classic novel of life and love.

My bad.

This is was the first thing I read about when I woke up today. Seth Grahame-Smith is at it again. Depending on how you feel about Jane Austen, he is either improve her works or destroy classic literature. His new book, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, will feature 40% of Seth’s work and 60% of Jane’s which is more than he contributed to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

While I am still not a fan of this genre, this follow book trailer does make me want to read the book.

What are your thoughts?

There is this Japanese game show where a group of six contestants walk in to a library and must perform these random tasks that normally involve pain. The catch is that, like most libraries, they can not make a sound.