Back to Barbary Lane by Armistead Maupin
"Back to Barbary Lane" is a collection of the final three novels in Armistead Maupin's beloved "Tales of the City" series, published in 1991. The omnibus includes "Babycakes," "Significant Others," and "Sure of You," each exploring the life of Michael Tolliver as he navigates personal loss and the complexities of relationships against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis. The narrative begins with "Babycakes," which delves into the emotional aftermath of losing a loved one to AIDS, highlighting themes of grief and the healing power of chosen family.
As the series progresses through "Significant Others," Michael's journey of recovery continues, illustrating his growing engagement with the world and his burgeoning capacity for love, particularly with a new romantic interest, Thack Sweeney. This relationship serves as a poignant exploration of love in the face of adversity, especially as Michael manages his HIV-positive status. In the concluding novel, "Sure of You," the couple deepens their bond, confronting the realities of Michael's health while demonstrating resilience and compassion.
Throughout these tales, Maupin weaves a narrative that emphasizes acceptance, love, and the shared human experience, making "Back to Barbary Lane" a significant work that resonates with themes of community and empathy amidst hardship. The series ultimately reflects Maupin's commitment to portraying diverse perspectives and the importance of connection in the face of societal challenges.
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Back to Barbary Lane by Armistead Maupin
First published: 1991
The Work
In 1991, Armistead Maupin released a collection of the final three works in his Tales of the City series, grouping them under the title Back to Barbary Lane: The Final Tales of the City Omnibus. The naturalistic novels Babycakes (1984), Significant Others (1987), and Sure of You (1989) deal with Michael Tolliver’s continuing recovery from the loss of his lover to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). They reflect Maupin’s main theme—acceptance of and compassion for all people.
Babycakes is a psychological study of the effects of death from AIDS on those who survive. Michael’s progress in overcoming the emptiness in his heart is painfully slow. He is encouraged, however, through the love of his compassionate chosen family to begin to recover from his loss.
In Significant Others Michael’s recovery progresses. As his pain lessens, his interest in the world around him increases. He interacts with a larger number of friends, straight and gay. He swims a dangerous river at night to help a loving but demanding woman solve the mystery of the disappearance of her weekend lover. Michael has tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but he reaches the point that he gives rather than receives help. When his old friend Brian is exposed to AIDS and must anxiously await the results of an HIV test, Michael takes him on a soothing trip to the country. More important, Michael’s capacity to love reawakens. He meets a handsome visitor to San Francisco, Thack Sweeney, and begins to feel stirrings of the heart.
Michael and Thack display maturity and compassion. Realizing that he is ready to open himself to a new lover, Michael nevertheless delays his own gratification to help his friend Brian. Thack refuses to be dissuaded from a possible relationship by Michael’s HIV-positive status. Thack sees Michael as a human being worthy of love, not as a person with HIV.
The final novel, Sure of You, continues to follow the development of Michael and Thack as loving and compassionate men. Two years have passed since the events of Significant Others, and Michael and Thack are now partners living together. Thack realizes the preciousness of Michael’s love, for Michael’s advancing HIV indicates a short future together. Yet the couple’s emotional chemistry is clear, and the reader feels certain of the solidity of their relationship. When Brian and his daughter are abandoned by Brian’s wife, Brian once again turns to Michael and Thack for friendship and solace.
Michael and Thack speak Maupin’s themes eloquently. It is true that Thack occasionally voices darker ideas—anger over the AIDS crisis, a militantly gay political agenda, and little tolerance for those in the closet. Michael and Thack, however, consistently demonstrate Maupin’s more positive theme—the importance of loving and accepting all humanity. In espousing these values, Michael and Thack ultimately find fulfillment in life and in each other.
Bibliography
O’Connor, John. “Armistead Maupin, Not Dreamt Up but Inspired.” The New York Times, June 24, 1993, p. C20.
Spain, Tom. “A Talk with Armistead Maupin.” Publishers Weekly, March, 1987, 53-54.