Nowhere Except San Francisco : Memoirs of a Resident Tourist [Paperback]

Tro Harper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 1999

San Francisco: The only city in the nation to make a hero of its transport. The cable cars are now a National Monument. San Francisco: Where residents of Chinese origin live in the most densely populated twenty-six square blocks in America. In the heart of its teeming streets Lillie Lum was born and lived to become one of San Franciscos outstanding fashion designers.

San Francisco: At Fishermans Wharf, where steaming curbside crab pots vie for sidewalk space with fishermen mending nets and souvenir hawkers.

San Francisco: Where streetcorner flower vendors display dazzling mounds of flowers year round.

San Francisco: Where sourdough loaves of bread are an attraction for gourmets from all over the world.

And where you will find the most famous tourist attraction in the world The Golden Gate Bridge.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This fascinating book presents a cornucopia of delights about the real San Francisco... -- Stanford University Magazine notes

From the Inside Flap

Millions of tourists come and go through the streets of San Francisco, suffer delicious shivers in the back alleys of Chinatown, or relish the lush taste of a cracked crab cocktail, or marvel at the view from Telegraph Hill. Dont be upset, those of us who live here are still exploring the city and almost daily finding another quirk, idiosyncrasy, highlight, or just plain view we never knew existed until the magic moment it was revealed.

For some sixty years now I have wandered along the waterfront, ridden ferry boats, shivered in the winds That seem to come from everywhere at the same time, walked endless miles at Ocean Beach, and lain in bed listening to the lions at Fleishacker Zoo roar their displeasure with the wind and fog, a quirk you are not likely to encounter in Duluth. As a resident tourist I have tried to put it all down so I can remember it, and so you can read about it.

Aside from cable cars, street corner flower stands, a bay large enough to hold all the navies of the world, two spectacular bridges, a real Chinatown, a Japantown, a slice of old Mexico, a Little Italy, Russian churches and Chinese temples, hills so steep cars are barred and pedestrians must take stair steps to get up or down, San Francisco is the kind of place you are not likely to forget, nor will you want to.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: Oak Point Press (October 17, 1999)
• ISBN-10: 0739203568
• ISBN-13: 978-0739203569
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,629,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars City by the Bay, August 7, 2000

By 

Rex Hardy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nowhere Except San Francisco : Memoirs of a Resident Tourist (Paperback)

Tro Harper loves San Francisco. This book reflects a few of the many reasons for his affection and will recall to others who share it, and interest those who have not been there, some of the well-known features of the city and many not so familiar. The author was a book-seller on Powell Street for many years and could watch - and hear - from the open door of his shop the unique-to-San Fracisco cable cars as they rattled back and forth. A chapter in the book deals with this feature, beloved by visitors. Other icons of the city - sourdogh bread, cracked crab, the zoo, Fisherman's Wharf, eccentric characters, a bit of history are covered in brief - sometimes one page - vignettes.

The book is the kind that you can pick up and browse through or setttle down with for an hour or two. It will amuse, entertain, surprise and instruct other "resident" tourists who think they know San Francisco and will certainly stimulate genuine tourists to visit.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars City by the Bay, August 7, 2000

By 

Rex Hardy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nowhere Except San Francisco : Memoirs of a Resident Tourist (Paperback)

Tro Harper loves San Francisco. This book reflects a few of the many reasons for his affection and will recall to others who share it, and interest those who have not been there, some of the well-known features of the city and many not so familiar. The author was a book-seller on Powell Street for many years and could watch - and hear - from the open door of his shop the unique-to-San Fracisco cable cars as they rattled back and forth. A chapter in the book deals with this feature, beloved by visitors. Other icons of the city - sourdogh bread, cracked crab, the zoo, Fisherman's Wharf, eccentric characters, a bit of history are covered in brief - sometimes one page - vignettes.

The book is the kind that you can pick up and browse through or setttle down with for an hour or two. It will amuse, entertain, surprise and instruct other "resident" tourists who think they know San Francisco and will certainly stimulate genuine tourists to visit.