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General Recommendations

SFPL One City One Book Selections

By:

SFPL_ReadersAdvisory

San Francisco Public Library

Staff-created list

SFPL has been selecting One City One Book titles for our citywide reading program for the past 15 years. Here is a look at our selections.

By:

SFPL_ReadersAdvisory

San Francisco Public Library

20 items

20 items

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

by Angelou, Maya

Book - 2015

A deeply moving memoir which recounts Maya Angelou's first sixteen years with vivid, often painful memories of displacement, racism and trauma. Alternatin...Show more A deeply moving memoir which recounts Maya Angelou's first sixteen years with vivid, often painful memories of displacement, racism and trauma. Alternating with moments of fear and suffering, there are also instances of affirmation, such as her connection with her brother Bailey, her faith, and her 8th-grade graduation. Told through evocative scenes, Angelou’s exceptional narrative captures both the harshness and resilience of her early life. A timeless, beautiful book. Show less

A deeply moving memoir which recounts Maya Angelou's first sixteen years with vivid, often painful memories of displacement, racism and trauma. Alternatin...Show more A deeply moving memoir which recounts Maya Angelou's first sixteen years with vivid, often painful memories of displacement, racism and trauma. Alternating with moments of fear and suffering, there are also instances of affirmation, such as her connection with her brother Bailey, her faith, and her 8th-grade graduation. Told through evocative scenes, Angelou’s exceptional narrative captures both the harshness and resilience of her early life. A timeless, beautiful book. Show less

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The Chinese Groove

The Chinese Groove

A Novel

by Ma, Kathryn

Book - 2023

Kathryn Ma's Chinese Groove traces 18-year-old Shelley's immigration journey from China's Yunnan Province to San Francisco, where he confronts familial di...Show more Kathryn Ma's Chinese Groove traces 18-year-old Shelley's immigration journey from China's Yunnan Province to San Francisco, where he confronts familial discord, cultural adaptation and personal aspirations while leaning on the notion of the "Chinese groove" to navigate his new reality. Show less

Kathryn Ma's Chinese Groove traces 18-year-old Shelley's immigration journey from China's Yunnan Province to San Francisco, where he confronts familial di...Show more Kathryn Ma's Chinese Groove traces 18-year-old Shelley's immigration journey from China's Yunnan Province to San Francisco, where he confronts familial discord, cultural adaptation and personal aspirations while leaning on the notion of the "Chinese groove" to navigate his new reality. Show less

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This Is Ear Hustle

This Is Ear Hustle

Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life

Book - 2021

From the co-creators and co-hosts of the Peabody- and Pulitzer-nominated podcast comes this illuminating view of prison life, as told by presently and formerly incarcerated people. From the co-creators and co-hosts of the Peabody- and Pulitzer-nominated podcast comes this illuminating view of prison life, as told by presently and formerly incarcerated people. Show less

From the co-creators and co-hosts of the Peabody- and Pulitzer-nominated podcast comes this illuminating view of prison life, as told by presently and formerly incarcerated people. From the co-creators and co-hosts of the Peabody- and Pulitzer-nominated podcast comes this illuminating view of prison life, as told by presently and formerly incarcerated people. Show less

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Know My Name

Know My Name

A Memoir

by Miller, Chanel

Book - 2019

SFPL's 16th Annual One City One Book selection 2020-21, Know My Name, Chanel Miller’s breathtaking memoir “gives readers the privilege of knowing her not ...Show more SFPL's 16th Annual One City One Book selection 2020-21, Know My Name, Chanel Miller’s breathtaking memoir “gives readers the privilege of knowing her not just as Emily Doe, but as Chanel Miller the writer, the artist, the survivor, the fighter” (The Wrap). Show less

SFPL's 16th Annual One City One Book selection 2020-21, Know My Name, Chanel Miller’s breathtaking memoir “gives readers the privilege of knowing her not ...Show more SFPL's 16th Annual One City One Book selection 2020-21, Know My Name, Chanel Miller’s breathtaking memoir “gives readers the privilege of knowing her not just as Emily Doe, but as Chanel Miller the writer, the artist, the survivor, the fighter” (The Wrap). Show less

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There There

There There

by Orange, Tommy

Book - 2018

SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2019, There There, tells a story of Native Americans living in the East Bay that is beautiful, funny, heartbreaking and urgently real. SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2019, There There, tells a story of Native Americans living in the East Bay that is beautiful, funny, heartbreaking and urgently real. Show less

SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2019, There There, tells a story of Native Americans living in the East Bay that is beautiful, funny, heartbreaking and urgently real. SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2019, There There, tells a story of Native Americans living in the East Bay that is beautiful, funny, heartbreaking and urgently real. Show less

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The Best We Could Do

The Best We Could Do

An Illustrated Memoir

by Bui, Thi

Book - 2017

SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2018 explores the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child. Thi Bui document...Show more SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2018 explores the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child. Thi Bui documents her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves in America. Show less

SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2018 explores the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child. Thi Bui document...Show more SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2018 explores the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child. Thi Bui documents her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves in America. Show less

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Black Against Empire

Black Against Empire

The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party

by Bloom, Joshua

Book - 2016

SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2017. A comprehensive history of the ideological underpinnings of the Black Panther Party: armed resistance, anti-...Show more SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2017. A comprehensive history of the ideological underpinnings of the Black Panther Party: armed resistance, anti-imperialism, gender roles, the war in Vietnam and the draft, community service projects, and government repression. Show less

SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2017. A comprehensive history of the ideological underpinnings of the Black Panther Party: armed resistance, anti-...Show more SFPL's One City One Book selection for 2017. A comprehensive history of the ideological underpinnings of the Black Panther Party: armed resistance, anti-imperialism, gender roles, the war in Vietnam and the draft, community service projects, and government repression. Show less

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Beautiful Chaos

Beautiful Chaos

A Life in the Theater

by Perloff, Carey

Book - 2015

A behind-the-scenes perspective, including her intimate working experiences with well-known actors, directors, and writers. A behind-the-scenes perspective, including her intimate working experiences with well-known actors, directors, and writers. Show less

A behind-the-scenes perspective, including her intimate working experiences with well-known actors, directors, and writers. A behind-the-scenes perspective, including her intimate working experiences with well-known actors, directors, and writers. Show less

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Season of the Witch

Season of the Witch

Enchantment, Terror, and Deliverance in the City of Love

by Talbot, David

Book - 2012

From the early days of the Summer of Love in the Haight, through years of murder and mayhem, the city evolved. Through extensive research and personal interviews, Talbot captures a 15-year history never before told in this level of detail. From the early days of the Summer of Love in the Haight, through years of murder and mayhem, the city evolved. Through extensive research and personal interviews, Talbot captures a 15-year history never before told in this level of detail. Show less

From the early days of the Summer of Love in the Haight, through years of murder and mayhem, the city evolved. Through extensive research and personal interviews, Talbot captures a 15-year history never before told in this level of detail. From the early days of the Summer of Love in the Haight, through years of murder and mayhem, the city evolved. Through extensive research and personal interviews, Talbot captures a 15-year history never before told in this level of detail. Show less

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Tales of the City

Tales of the City

by Maupin, Armistead

Book - 2007

This story about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco, is both a sparkling comedy of manners and an indelible portrait of an era that changed forever the way we live. This story about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco, is both a sparkling comedy of manners and an indelible portrait of an era that changed forever the way we live. Show less

This story about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco, is both a sparkling comedy of manners and an indelible portrait of an era that changed forever the way we live. This story about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco, is both a sparkling comedy of manners and an indelible portrait of an era that changed forever the way we live. Show less

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Little Brother

Little Brother

by Doctorow, Cory

Book - 2008

Daring, exciting, and just bold enough to show us how to keep our freedoms safe. This is a provocative book, a timely book, and the San Francisco setting is just so satisfying. Daring, exciting, and just bold enough to show us how to keep our freedoms safe. This is a provocative book, a timely book, and the San Francisco setting is just so satisfying. Show less

Daring, exciting, and just bold enough to show us how to keep our freedoms safe. This is a provocative book, a timely book, and the San Francisco setting is just so satisfying. Daring, exciting, and just bold enough to show us how to keep our freedoms safe. This is a provocative book, a timely book, and the San Francisco setting is just so satisfying. Show less

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A Paradise Built in Hell

A Paradise Built in Hell

The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disasters

by Solnit, Rebecca

Book - 2009

A masterwork of narrative nonfiction by a contemporary California writer reaches some surprising conclusions about our need for community and common purpose, which she argues are fundamental to democratic forms of social and political life. A masterwork of narrative nonfiction by a contemporary California writer reaches some surprising conclusions about our need for community and common purpose, which she argues are fundamental to democratic forms of social and political life. Show less

A masterwork of narrative nonfiction by a contemporary California writer reaches some surprising conclusions about our need for community and common purpose, which she argues are fundamental to democratic forms of social and political life. A masterwork of narrative nonfiction by a contemporary California writer reaches some surprising conclusions about our need for community and common purpose, which she argues are fundamental to democratic forms of social and political life. Show less

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Packing for Mars

Packing for Mars

The Curious Science of Life in the Void

by Roach, Mary

Book - 2010

From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Packing for Mars takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Packing for Mars takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth. Show less

From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Packing for Mars takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Packing for Mars takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth. Show less

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Zeitoun

Zeitoun

by Eggers, Dave

Book - 2010

A horrifying, compelling story of post-Katrina -- even more absorbing knowing what later happened to Zeitoun A horrifying, compelling story of post-Katrina -- even more absorbing knowing what later happened to Zeitoun Show less

A horrifying, compelling story of post-Katrina -- even more absorbing knowing what later happened to Zeitoun A horrifying, compelling story of post-Katrina -- even more absorbing knowing what later happened to Zeitoun Show less

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Alive in Necropolis

Alive in Necropolis

by Dorst, Doug

Book - 2008

Set in the city of Colma, it is a rollicking tale of policing the dead, with deceased citizens far outnumbering the living. Set in the city of Colma, it is a rollicking tale of policing the dead, with deceased citizens far outnumbering the living. Show less

Set in the city of Colma, it is a rollicking tale of policing the dead, with deceased citizens far outnumbering the living. Set in the city of Colma, it is a rollicking tale of policing the dead, with deceased citizens far outnumbering the living. Show less

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West of Kabul, East of New York

West of Kabul, East of New York

An Afghan American Story

by Ansary, Mir Tamim

Book - 2003

We travel at Ansary’s side, and he gives us rare access to Afghan culture— From the time of “old Afghanistan,” through Soviet rule and later, the Taliban. We travel at Ansary’s side, and he gives us rare access to Afghan culture— From the time of “old Afghanistan,” through Soviet rule and later, the Taliban. Show less

We travel at Ansary’s side, and he gives us rare access to Afghan culture— From the time of “old Afghanistan,” through Soviet rule and later, the Taliban. We travel at Ansary’s side, and he gives us rare access to Afghan culture— From the time of “old Afghanistan,” through Soviet rule and later, the Taliban. Show less

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Cane River

Cane River

by Tademy, Lalita

Book - 2001

Combines painstaking historical reconstruction with unforgettable storytelling. Combines painstaking historical reconstruction with unforgettable storytelling. Show less

Combines painstaking historical reconstruction with unforgettable storytelling. Combines painstaking historical reconstruction with unforgettable storytelling. Show less

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La hija de la chuparrosa

La hija de la chuparrosa

una novela

by Urrea, Luis Alberto

Book - 2006

Hummingbird's Daughter - Tells the story of Teresita, a young girl coming to terms with her destiny as a healer, who will grow into a revolution-inspiring Mexican "Joan of Arc." Hummingbird's Daughter - Tells the story of Teresita, a young girl coming to terms with her destiny as a healer, who will grow into a revolution-inspiring Mexican "Joan of Arc." Show less

Hummingbird's Daughter - Tells the story of Teresita, a young girl coming to terms with her destiny as a healer, who will grow into a revolution-inspiring Mexican "Joan of Arc." Hummingbird's Daughter - Tells the story of Teresita, a young girl coming to terms with her destiny as a healer, who will grow into a revolution-inspiring Mexican "Joan of Arc." Show less

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China Boy

China Boy

by Lee, Gus

Book - 1991

This childhood story of being caught between cultures in 1950's San Francisco is both powerful and poignant This childhood story of being caught between cultures in 1950's San Francisco is both powerful and poignant Show less

This childhood story of being caught between cultures in 1950's San Francisco is both powerful and poignant This childhood story of being caught between cultures in 1950's San Francisco is both powerful and poignant Show less

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One City One Book: San Francisco Public Library

https://sfpl.org/onecityonebook

Web Resource

Annual citywide literary event that encourages members of the San Francisco community to read the same book at the same time and then discuss it in book groups and at events throughout the City. Annual citywide literary event that encourages members of the San Francisco community to read the same book at the same time and then discuss it in book groups and at events throughout the City. Show less

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