by David Talbot
First published 2013
David Talbot examines San Francisco during its most turbulent era, from 1967 to 1982. The bestselling author traces how the city transformed from the epicenter of 1960s counterculture into a place wracked by violence and crisis. Talbot documents the brutal murder sprees, terror campaigns, political killings, and street violence that plagued San Francisco through the 1970s. He profiles the era's most notorious figures, including Charles Manson, Patty Hearst, Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, Harvey Milk, and Jim Jones. The book shows how the city endured an unprecedented series of disasters in rapid succession. Talbot explores San Francisco's eventual recovery and the emergence of progressive policies that would later spread nationwide. These include gay marriage rights, medical marijuana, sanctuary city status, universal healthcare, and environmental initiatives. The author argues these concepts, once considered radical, became foundations for progressive governance elsewhere. Talbot offers both inspiration and warning for contemporary activists seeking social change.
Genres: history, 20th-century, crime, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs, activism, american-history
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-narrative, social-change
Setting: San Francisco
Period: 1967-1982
480 pages · Paperback · Free Press/Simon & Schuster (NYC(
Content warnings: violence