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Imperial San Francisco: Urban Power, Earthly Ruin
by Brechin, Gray A
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Very Good/Very Good
- ISBN 10
- 0520215680
- ISBN 13
- 9780520215689
- Seller
-
New Castle, Colorado, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
University of California Press, 1999. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 6x1x9. San Francisco is a city clouded in myth. This urban biography provides an entirely new vision of the city's history, laying bare the inner dynamics of the regional civilization centered in San Francisco. Imperial San Francisco examines the far-reaching environmental impact that one city and the elite families that hold power in it have had on the Pacific Basin for over a century and a half. The book provides a literate, myth-shattering interpretation of the hidden costs that the growth of San Francisco has exacted on its surrounding regions, presenting along the way a revolutionary new theory of urban development. Written in a lively, accessible style, the narrative is filled with vivid characters, engrossing stories, and a rich variety of illustrations.As he uncovers the true costs of building an imperial city, Gray Brechin addresses the dynastic ambitions of frontier oligarchies, the environmental and social effects of the mining industry, the creation of two universities, the choice of imperial architecture to symbolize the aspirations of San Franciscans in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, manipulation of public thought by the city's media, and more. He traces the exploitation of both local and distant regions by prominent familiesâthe Hearsts, de Youngs, Spreckelses, and othersâwho gained wealth and power through mining, control of ranching, water and energy, transportation, real estate, and weapons.This broad history of San Francisco is a story of greed and ambition on an epic scale. Imperial San Francisco incorporates rare period illustrations, personal correspondence, and public statements to show how a little-known power elite has used the city as a tool to increase its own wealth and power. Brechin's story advances a new way of understanding urban history as he traces the links among environment, economy, and technology that led, ultimately, to the creation of the atomic bomb and the nuclear arms race.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Michael Patrick McCarty, Bookseller (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- SKU2010025049
- Title
- Imperial San Francisco: Urban Power, Earthly Ruin
- Author
- Brechin, Gray A
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- ISBN 10
- 0520215680
- ISBN 13
- 9780520215689
- Publisher
- University of California Press
- Place of Publication
- Berkeley, Ca
- Date Published
- 1999
- Size
- 6x1x9
- X weight
- 26 oz
Terms of Sale
Michael Patrick McCarty, Bookseller
All books sent media mail unless otherwise requested. International shipping at cost (please ask for shipping quote). All items returnable if not as described. Please notify us immediately with any problems.
About the Seller
Michael Patrick McCarty, Bookseller
Biblio member since 2005
New Castle, Colorado
About Michael Patrick McCarty, Bookseller
Buy with confidence! We have been full time booksellers for over 25 years.
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- New
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