Customer Reviews

Historic Photos of San Francisco

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With two parents that were professors on the topic, I grew up in a household where history was always at the top of the agenda. To complement that, I have always been a fan of photography, doing my own share of it when I get the opportunity. So the book "Historic Photos of San Francisco" came like a perfect blend for me, even more so because San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the world.

As the title implies, the book offers a photographic history of the city, going from 1860, through the turn of the century (including the earthquake of 1906 and the post-earthquake period), all the way through to the 1960s and the "Summer of Love". The photos not only capture key moments and memories in the city's life: they also help the reader understand the resilient nature of San Fran.

"Historic Photos of San Francisco" makes for more than just a nice coffee table book: it's an invaluable testimonial and historic reference for the generations to come.

With this handsome coffee table book, author Rebecca Schall offers a thoughtful pictorial history into San Francisco that offers a treasure trove of historical photos accompanied by her observant text. She has obviously researched her project with a keen eye as she culled what must have been quite an archive of photos from various collections in the San Francisco Public Library.

The result is a vivid parade of images that traces the city's growth from the days after the Gold Rush through the 1906 earthquake and up to 1967. Her thumbnail-style text is a bit on the cursory side to get a full picture of the various changes that transformed the city, but you get enough insights to appreciate the various factors that have shaped the city's unique character. It makes a suitable companion piece to Bill Yenne's San Francisco Then & Now, which shows how many of the locations featured in Schall's book look now.

This is a spectacularly beautiful book of archival photos of old San Francisco with interesting and stimulating text. It will be of particular interest to locals and to all people who love San Francsico (and that is just about everyone). Residents will find it fun to visit the sites of long-gone attractions and to check out the buildings and vistas that are still there.

Well done!