Here is a list of the most popular books sold last month at Books Inc. in the Marina:
HARDCOVER FICTION
1. Iron Flame, by Rebecca Yarros
2. Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros
3. Resurrection Walk, by Michael Connelly
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. My Name is Barbra, by Barbra Streisand
2. The Woman in Me, by Britney Spears
3. The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin
PAPERBACK FICTION
1. The Housemaid, by Freida McFadden
2. Trust, by Hernan Diaz
3. Twisted Love: A Grumpy Sunshine Romance, by Ana Huang
PAPERBACK NONFICTION
1. How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling, by The Moth
2. The Yoga of Parenting: Ten Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself, by Sarah Ezrin
3. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Birkeman
YOUNG READERS
1. Picture Book: The Big Cheese, by Jory John and Pete Oswald
2. Middle Readers: No Brainer (Diary of a Wimpy Kid No. 18), by Jeff Kinney
3. Young Adult: Murtagh: The World of Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle), by Christopher Paolini
NEW AND NOTABLE RELEASES
Portal: San Francisco’s Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities, by John King
The San Francisco Chronicle’s urban design critic traces in this vibrant account the rise, decline, and rebirth of San Francisco’s Ferry Building, using its 125-year history as a case study of the shifting approach to waterfront design in American cities. Built in 1898 at the point where San Francisco met the harbor, the building and its soaring clock tower could be seen for miles. With depots for both ferries and trains, it was also “the principal point of entry” into the city.
The Ferry Building survived the 1906 earthquake and post-World War II demolition threats from urban planners bent on replacing it with corporate high-rises. By the 1950s, it faced decline due to loss of ridership to automobiles, bridges that supplanted its iconic status, and the double-decker freeways that severed it from the waterfront. When the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake destroyed the Embarcadero Freeway, residents leapt at the chance to remove the highway and restore their waterfront access. The Ferry Building and surrounding plaza were rebranded as a “lifestyle zone,” with a farmers’ market and artisanal food shops.
King’s lively narrative brings to life pivotal local figures, including former Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who advocated tearing down the Embarcadero Freeway, and influential columnist Herb Caen, whose six decades’ worth of columns embodied a growing American pessimism over city planning. The result is an illuminating architectural and social history.
Chris Hsiang can help you find your next book at Books Inc., 2251 Chestnut St., 415-931-3633, booksinc.net.
