by Gavin Newsom
First published 2008
Students at Gateway High School venture beyond tourist attractions to capture San Francisco's authentic spirit. They navigate Mission District burrito shops where familiar aromas guide hungry locals. They flee unexpected bison encounters in Golden Gate Park's wilder corners. At farmers markets, they master the art of trading conversation for fresh produce. They hunt fashion treasures in shops where everything costs $2.99. These young writers document neighborhood characters who embody the city's quirks. They decode local slang that marks insiders from outsiders. They encounter ghostly presences in forgotten spaces. They reveal secret locations that maps never show. Through 72 distinct voices, the students translate San Francisco from mere geography into lived experience, proving the city exists as much in imagination as on any peninsula.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, adventure, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: Gateway High School, Mission District, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Period: 21st-century
497 pages · Paperback · 826 Books