San Francisco: The City's Sights and Secrets [Paperback]

Leah Garchik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995

Discover the beauty of San Francisco, its hidden charms, and its well-loved sights in this unforgettable photographic tour. Some of San Francisco's most renowned photographers, including Bill Hanapple, Richard Blair, Don Kellogg, and Tom Tracy, have captured new perspectives of the City with spectacular images of its most celebrated landmarks, from Coit Tower and the Transamerica Pyramid to lesser-known—but equally beautiful—features, such as the flower-lined Filbert Street steps and the charming alleys of Russian Hill. In addition to the more than 150 breathtaking color photographs of the city as it is today, this distinctive volume contains historic black-and-white photographs and text documenting some of San Francisco's most notable events and monuments, including the building of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges and the Great Earthquake of 1906. Complete with an insider's explanation of each photograph by San Francisco Chronicle writer and editor Leah Garchik, San Francisco: The City's Sights and Secrets offers a fresh visual celebration of the city for residents to savor and visitors to explore.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leah Garchik has been a reporter and editor at The San Francisco Chronicle for more than 20 years. She now writes the very popular "Personals" column. She lives in the Haight-Ashhury district of San Francisco.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081180917X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811809177
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 10 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,794,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have never owned a car with push button windows. I knit, using yarn I buy at garage sales. My ideal of an ideal vacation is to go to Paris or to sit around the house in my bathrobe playing the piano. I grew up in Brooklyn before that became cool, and I have worked at the San Francisco Chronicle for 35 years. They have so far not given me a gold watch.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A guide useful both to new visitors and to residents, May 3, 2000

By 

H.M. Gladney (Saratoga, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: San Francisco: The City's Sights and Secrets (Paperback)

My wife and I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years, and prefer San Francisco over every other American city that we know--and we've visited most of the big ones. Naturally that means that we take many out-of-state visitors for a day in the city, and have a mental list of the things they might enjoy seeing and doing. Many of our frequent targets is represented in San Francisco : The City's Sights and Secrets, so that we're using the book with prospective visitors to plan their day in the city. The pictures are vibrant with accurate captions, and brief but excellent accompanying text.

We've also started to use this book as a token of appreciation for our hosts when we travel. When they thank us for it, it is usually with enough enthusiasm that we know they are pleased to have it.

The reader should be aware that this is not a complete guide book. It deals only with the sights and sounds of the city--not with the practical details such as accomodation, travel connections, restaurants, city and area maps, ... But then, you can get those from AAA publications or similar sources. We see this book as simply for communicating to others why we are so keen on San Francisco, and to help them plan their own visits.

It may interest the reader that we are endorsing this short review with a new order for a dozen copies!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful photos, May 31, 2008

By 

J. Nygren (minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: San Francisco: The City's Sights and Secrets (Paperback)

I'm planning a trip to San Francisco. Beyond a travel guide, the photos inspire me and let me know what not to miss, in a visual way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous photographs!, March 29, 2009

By 

J. Giantvalley "jenngv" (Clayton, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: San Francisco: The City's Sights and Secrets (Paperback)

Fantastic pictures, high quality, great for a new visitor of the city to get a flavor of San Francisco.