San Francisco: A Cultural and Literary History (Cities of the Imagination) (Paperback)

by Mick Sinclair (Author) "In January 1847, when the population of the United States was approaching 23 million and the city of New York held almost 500,000 people, a..." (more)
Key Phrases: parlor houses, San Francisco, New York, North Beach (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
For readers who are more inclined to visit literary haunts and modern art enclaves than seek out trendy hotels and slick clubs, this latest entry to the Cities of the Imagination series delivers a great read. Sinclair, who has authored numerous California guidebooks, presents an amalgam of history and up-to-the-minute reporting, all concerning San Francisco's literary, popular, social and cultural evolution. The first chapter, on navigating the city, is the most practical, explaining the metropolis's geographical layout. From there, Sinclair goes on to recount the discovery of gold in the state in 1848, which "triggered the biggest population movement the world had ever seen to a place... very few had previously heard of." The book covers much of the city's historical record, as it documents the rise and fall of various San Francisco leaders, architecture styles, political movements and more. Sinclair's volume creates an alluring portrait of a vibrant city, one that is certain to spur curious readers to seek out little-known attractions (such as Japantown) and view well-known ones (such as the Golden Gate Bridge) with a fresh eye. Map, illus.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Within a generation San Francisco grew from an isolated Mexican trading post with more hills than people into America's major Pacific Coast city. Shaped by entrepreneurs, eccentrics, and visionaries, it became renowned for accommodating those who dared to be different.

THE CITY OF LANDMARKS: the Golden Gate Bridge; the Transamerica Pyramid; the Ferry Building; Mission Dolores; City Hall; Coit Tower; Alcatraz Island; Yerba Buena Gardens.

THE CITY OF PSYCHEDELIA: Ken Kesey and the Acid Tests; the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane; the Trips Festival and the Human Be-In; underground culture and festivals.

THE CITY OF WRITERS: Ina Donna Coolbrith, Mark Twain, Bret Harte, George Sterling; Dashiel Hammett; Kenneth Rexroth; Allen Ginsberg; Herb Caen; Armistead Maupin. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: Signal Books (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1902669657
• ISBN-13: 978-1902669656
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,768,718 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not up to par., January 9, 2006

By	Susan D. Jones "Susan D. Jones" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: San Francisco: A Cultural and Literary History (Cities of the Imagination Series) (Paperback)

I am teaching a class on San Francisco at SF State University in the Spring and really was interested in using this book as my course textbook. I'm really impressed with the content, but, unfortunately, I cannot use it as a text book because 1.) despite extensive factual claims and quotes, the author fails to give citations (there are absolutely no footnotes or endnotes), and 2.) there are a number of grammatical errors, in particular inconsistent punctuation. I can hardly expect my students to write essays using standard citation and correct punctuation if their textbook fails to provide it. Too bad. I would have ordered 65 copies of the book. However, I recommend the book to casual readers, interested in San Francisco history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent book, January 18, 2006

By	jemmi "jemm" (uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: San Francisco: A Cultural and Literary History (Cities of the Imagination Series) (Paperback)

I bought this book in preparation for a trip to San Francisco and it really helped me understand so much about the city, from the Gold Rush right up to the dotcom boom and crash. I especially liked the use of quotes from old sources that illustrate not just the past but the present as well. Overall, the book is very engaging and well written, I'd certainly recommend it for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of San Francisco than mainstream guide books provide.