Logical Family

Logical Family: a Memoir by Armistead Maupin        292 pages

Maupin’s Tales of the City appeared as a book while I was in college and I’ve always loved his storytelling abilities. This memoir is written very much like one of his stories, with his wry sense of humor and astute observations of people and events.  Born in the 1940s and growing up in a conservative North Carolina family, he tells how he tried to fit into that conservative mold, but ultimately, how he broke free of it.  He managed to keep some of his relationships with family healthy, but not with all.  He talks about many famous people, but always with a personal touch, and often, with humor.  I haven’t read the Tales of the City books in years, but this memoir makes me want to go back, read, and savor them again.