San Francisco and California 20th-Century U.S. History, Part 1 of 4
The Mechanics’ Institute holds hundreds of titles in e-book format, including a wealth of history books. In fact, our digital history collection includes some forty sub-topics (mostly geographical). In this, the first of four lists we’ll be posting, you’ll find a sample of our e-book offerings on local and state history.
Click on any title below to learn more about it, or click here to browse all history selections available to MI members through the e-book app Axis 360.* Just follow the onscreen prompts for checkout.
Alta California: From San Diego to San Francisco, a Journey on Foot to Rediscover the Golden State by Nick Neely
A chronicle of the author’s 650-mile trek on foot from San Diego to San Francisco, following the route of the overland Spanish expedition in 1769 into what would soon be called Alta California.
California Exposures by Richard White
A brilliant California history, in word and image, where legend has so thoroughly become fact that it is visible in everyday landscapes. Evocative photographs illustrate the sites of the author’s historical investigations.
A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 by Simon Winchester
Brings to life the extraordinary event that leveled a city symbolic of America's relentless westward expansion. The author has also fashioned an enthralling and informative look at the tumultuous subterranean world that produces earthquakes.
Iconic San Francisco: Dishes, Drinks & Desserts by Laura Smith Borrman
The roots of San Francisco’s celebrated food and drink culture are as diverse as the city itself. Discover the origins of local specialties like Chicken Tetrazzini, chop suey, the classic martini, and how a lack of refrigeration spawned the signature Anchor Steam Beer. The book includes recipes from beloved establishments.
San Francisco by Robert W. Bowen
Documents, through inexpensive picture postcards, a series of momentous events in San Francisco history such as the 1906 earthquake, labor strikes, festivals, and a world’s fair, plus engineering marvels like the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.
Silicon City: San Francisco in the Long Shadow of the Valley by Cary McClellan
The author describes how Silicon Valley has reshaped the Bay Area, offering a complex portrait of a region changing at warp speed. His thesis: the richer the area gets, the more unequal and less diverse it becomes, with rapid gentrification and rising crime.
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*Have a question about accessing e-books? Email our librarians at [email protected]. We’re happy to help.
