talk about coming out of the closet! if you are intellectually brave enough to read unpleasant things about those you might heretofore have revered, this just might be the book for you to read, about our neighbor to the south.

I didn’t want to read this book when it came out because I just didn’t want to go back and relive the dark times of San Francisco during the 60s and 70s. I was too painful to reopen that door of chamber horrors. We healed, we moved on, and dealt with new troubles.

I was finally ready and I’m glad I read it for I learned new things (some outrageous and maddening revelations) and understand it all better. Author David Talbot did a great job researching and telling this incredible, turbulent history. He made it all make sense, for it was hellacious and made no sense at all back then. The book is indeed nitty-gritty and like riding a roller coaster gone beserk. Sometimes I had to put the book down and step away for a while. It does end on a good note: the 49ers winning the Super Bowl, which brought us back from the dead. It’s a must read for all native San Franciscans and newbies who think the city is more than a playground and really care to know its history.

This book made me realize how tough and resilient we native born and transplants are to have lived through all that, and, in some ways, how worn out we are from all that turmoil and heartache and our nostalgia about the good old days. What we experienced and endured then will always separate us from the newcomers. No matter how bad things are now, it pales compared to what happened then. It’s a miracle the city survived at all. I attribute that to our fortitude, guts, and ability to move on.

Great, succinct resource for the history of San Francisco from 1960-1990. It shed light on the issues that continue to plague the city. Very interesting read!

If you live in SF, or love SF, you should read this. Fast-paced and informative

This is a very readable history of San Francisco from the 60's through the 80's -- the cultural revolutions, politics, and tragedies. Anyone who loves the City, and all those who lived there during those incredible times will greatly enjoy reading this book.