I like to read Books in the cities I’m about to visit. But when it comes to San Francisco and the Bay Area, I’m truly blown away by the abundance of options available.
My colleague Walter Thompson confirmed this:
“I have lived in San Francisco for most of my adult life, and while I have no supporting data, I believe this city is overrepresented in literature: the number of songs, novels, television shows, and films found here simply staggers the imagination.”
I picked one up when I started preparing for my week in San Francisco for the film Disrupt, and thought my colleagues would have their own recordings to share. Below is a list of books we love and hope you enjoy too.
Although we were able to choose two books by the same author, our selections are very diverse, ranging from historical novels and non-fiction to science fiction. But they all have one thing in common: they have some connection to San Francisco and the Bay Area. And that’s a big common thread: as Walter pointed out, San Francisco is in a constant state of renewal.
Book recommendation:City Tales“, written by Armistead Maupin
Who chose him: Karen Levy, TC+ Managing Editor
What started as regular issues in the San Francisco Chronicle turned into a cultural phenomenon that spanned nine books and three decades. It follows the lives and loves of a group of unforgettable characters who live at 28 Barbary Lane, under the watchful eye – and genuine warmth – of its endearing landlady, Anna Madrigal. And a note to those curious: this address doesn’t exist, but the area it’s located on is known as Russian Hill (McCondray Lane, to be exact)!
Maupin does a fantastic job of depicting the city and its atmosphere from the late 1970s through the mid-2000s, using stories that include real events (Jim Jones and the AIDS epidemic) and a cast of characters you’ll instantly love. In fact, I’ll be re-reading my collection starting tonight!
Book recommendation:1906: Novel“, written by James D’Alessandro
Who chose him: Walter Thompson, managing editor, chair of the guest contributor program