San Francisco & Northern California

COLLETTE VACATIONS
San Francisco & Northern California | READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE
We feature a handpicked selection of travel guides, maps, literature, books on art, nature and culture, designed to help you get more out of your travels to San Francisco & Northern California. Order an essential package, and additional items ship free.

These 4 items are available for $61, including
U.S. shipping, a 15% discount (Item no. EXCAL81)

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Eyewitness Guide San Francisco and Northern California •   Eyewitness Guides
GUIDEBOOK • 2006 • PAPER • 312 PAGES
This superb guide features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps, and a synopsis of San Francisco and Northern California's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry. (USW147, $23.00)

Slouching Towards Bethlehem •  Joan Didion
LITERATURE • 1968 • PAPER • 238 PAGES
A classic collection of essays on the 60s cultural climate, first published in 1968. In the acclaimed 50-page title essay, Didion -- a native of Northern California and a longtime New Yorker reporter -- vividly describes the landscape, mood and culture of 60s San Francisco, especially the city's then-counter-cultural crossroads, Haight-Ashbury. It's compelling literature. (SFO11, $14.00)

Travelers' Tales San Francisco •  James O'Reilly •  Larry Habegger •  Sean O'Reilly
ANTHOLOGY • 2002 • PAPER • 496 PAGES
An engaging, insightful and entertaining selection of mostly contemporary eyewitness reports, all set in the city of San Francisco; a great literary profile of a dynamic city. (SFO15, $18.95)

San Francisco Map •   Borch Maps
2006 • MAP
A laminated, folded map of the city center of San Francisco at a nice scale of 1:13,000. (CAL80, $7.95)

Related Categories

San Francisco Bay Map •   MapLink • A map of the San Francisco Bay area, including Oakland, San Jose, Napa, Sonoma and Point Reyes, at a scale of 1:160,000. (CAL194, $4.95)

Fodor's San Francisco's 25 Best •   Fodor's • GUIDEBOOK • A shirt-pocket guide to San Francisco, this slim book includes an excellent map of the center of the city and essential information on its highlights. (USW185, $11.95)

Moon Handbook Northern California •  Kim Weir • GUIDEBOOK • A comprehensive guide to northern California, with a wealth of practical information and coverage of local history, culture and nature. (CAL60, $21.95)

Roadside Geology, Northern and Central California •  David D. Alt •  Donald Hyndman • GUIDEBOOK • Designed for the roadside traveler, this book explains in detail the geologic history of California as seen through the car window – a great introduction to basic geomorphology and how the dramatic landscapes were formed. (USW188, $20.00)

San Francisco, A Cultural and Literary History •  Mick Sinclair • GUIDEBOOK • An illuminating guide to the city, its history and geography, as the inspiration for writers, artists, and musicians. A volume in the innovative "Cities of the Imagination" series. (SFO20, $15.00)

The Accidental Connoisseur, An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World •  Lawrence Osborne • FOOD • With a winning wit and not a drop of pretense, Osborne sets out to discover what's what with wine, traveling through Sonoma and Napa, France, Italy and other European wine meccas, 11 adventures in all. He meets plenty of interesting characters along the way, revealing much about the pleasures of wine (and travel!). (TVL31, $14.00)

A Crack in the Edge of the World, America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 •  Simon Winchester • HISTORY • Geologist, master storyteller, traveler and journalist, Simon Winchester succeeds again in this fast-paced, utterly fascinating account of the great 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco. (CAL193, $15.95)

California, A History •  Kevin Starr • HISTORY • A lively short history in the excellent Modern Library Chronicles series, written by a renowned historian. (CAL204, $14.95)

Life in a California Mission •  Jean Francois de la Perouse •  Malcolm Margolin • CULTURAL PORTRAIT • A remarkable essay about the natural life and native customs of eighteenth-century California, written by a French explorer while his ships lay at anchor in Monterey Bay. (USW366, $10.95)

Fifth Chinese Daughter •  Jade Snow Wong • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • First published in 1945, Jade Snow Wong's memoir is a simply told, moving story of family life in pre-WWII San Francisco Chinatown. (SFO08, $13.95)

Natural State, A Literary Anthology of California Nature Writing •  Steven Gilbar • ANTHOLOGY • Divided by ecological region, this book is a literary tour of California's unrivaled natural diversity, featuring essays and excerpts by such great writers as Barry Lopez, Gretel Ehrlich and John McPhee. Gary Snyder provided the afterword. (CAL101, $21.95)

San Francisco Stories, Great Writers on the City •  John Miller • ANTHOLOGY • This well-chosen anthology shows the city as seen by wonderful writers, ranging from London, Wolfe and Kerouac to Ann Lamott and Amy Tan. (CAL168, $14.95)

The Portable Beat Reader •  Ann Charters • ANTHOLOGY • An anthology of poetry and prose from the Beat generation, including excerpts from Kerouac's "On the Road" and Ginsberg's "Howl" as well as works by Herbert Huncke, Bob Dylan, and others. (GEN130, $18.00)

1906, A Novel •  James Dalessandro • LITERATURE • Set during the great San Francisco earthquake and fire, this page-turning novel paints a vivid picture of the Post-Victorian city, from the mansions of Nob Hill to the underbelly of the Barbary Coast to the arrival of tenor Enrico Caruso and the Metropolitan Opera. (SFO38, $13.95)

Bret Harte's Gold Rush, Outcasts of Poker Flat, The Luck of Roaring Camp, Tennessee's Partner and Other Favorites •  Bret Harte •  Reuben H. Margolin • LITERATURE • In the 1860s and 70s, a former stagecoach messenger named Bret Harte dazzled the literary world with his tales of Gold Rush-era California. These 15 rough-and-tumble stories include some of the best he ever wrote. (CAL78, $13.95)

The Maltese Falcon •  Dashiell Hammett • MYSTERY • Set in San Francisco, this is Dashiell Hammett's classic story of Sam Spade, the archetypal hard-boiled detective. (CAL06, $12.95)

The Valley of the Moon •  Jack London • LITERATURE • In part a tribute to his wife and rural life on his ranch in Glen Ellen, London's California novel follows Billy and Saxon Roberts from Oakland to Sonoma, where they strive to live independently on the land. (CAL169, $16.95)

Assembling California •  John McPhee • NATURAL HISTORY • Another fine book on geology and natural history from John McPhee, this time in the company of Eldridge Moores, on travels throughout California. (USW187, $15.00)

Mac's Field Guide to Northern California Wildflowers •  Craig MacGowan • FIELD GUIDE • This double-sided, laminated card features color drawings of the wildflowers commonly found in the northern California region. (CAL05, $4.95)

National Audubon Society Field Guide to California •  Peter Alden • FIELD GUIDE • A compact, easy-to-use guide to 1,000 of California's trees, wildflowers, mammals, insects, birds and other flora and fauna. (CAL07, $19.95)

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America •   National Geographic • FIELD GUIDE • From Alaska to Baja California, this field guide published by the National Geographic Society, now in its fifth edition (with tabs!), is the one to carry. (FG09, $24.00)

Pacific State Wildflowers •  Theodore F. Niehaus •  Charles Ripper • FIELD GUIDE • This Peterson field guide covers 1,492 species of wildflowers found from British Columbia to Baja California. (USW192, $19.00)

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	These 4 items are available for $61, including U.S. shipping, a 15% discount (Item no. EXCAL81)	E-mail Print
Select Item

	Eyewitness Guide San Francisco and Northern California • Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2006 • PAPER • 312 PAGES This superb guide features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps, and a synopsis of San Francisco and Northern California's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry. (USW147, $23.00)
	Slouching Towards Bethlehem • Joan Didion LITERATURE • 1968 • PAPER • 238 PAGES A classic collection of essays on the 60s cultural climate, first published in 1968. In the acclaimed 50-page title essay, Didion -- a native of Northern California and a longtime New Yorker reporter -- vividly describes the landscape, mood and culture of 60s San Francisco, especially the city's then-counter-cultural crossroads, Haight-Ashbury. It's compelling literature. (SFO11, $14.00)
	Travelers' Tales San Francisco • James O'Reilly • Larry Habegger • Sean O'Reilly ANTHOLOGY • 2002 • PAPER • 496 PAGES An engaging, insightful and entertaining selection of mostly contemporary eyewitness reports, all set in the city of San Francisco; a great literary profile of a dynamic city. (SFO15, $18.95)
	San Francisco Map • Borch Maps 2006 • MAP A laminated, folded map of the city center of San Francisco at a nice scale of 1:13,000. (CAL80, $7.95)

	San Francisco Bay Map • MapLink • A map of the San Francisco Bay area, including Oakland, San Jose, Napa, Sonoma and Point Reyes, at a scale of 1:160,000. (CAL194, $4.95)
	Fodor's San Francisco's 25 Best • Fodor's • GUIDEBOOK • A shirt-pocket guide to San Francisco, this slim book includes an excellent map of the center of the city and essential information on its highlights. (USW185, $11.95)
	Moon Handbook Northern California • Kim Weir • GUIDEBOOK • A comprehensive guide to northern California, with a wealth of practical information and coverage of local history, culture and nature. (CAL60, $21.95)
	Roadside Geology, Northern and Central California • David D. Alt • Donald Hyndman • GUIDEBOOK • Designed for the roadside traveler, this book explains in detail the geologic history of California as seen through the car window – a great introduction to basic geomorphology and how the dramatic landscapes were formed. (USW188, $20.00)
	San Francisco, A Cultural and Literary History • Mick Sinclair • GUIDEBOOK • An illuminating guide to the city, its history and geography, as the inspiration for writers, artists, and musicians. A volume in the innovative "Cities of the Imagination" series. (SFO20, $15.00)
	The Accidental Connoisseur, An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World • Lawrence Osborne • FOOD • With a winning wit and not a drop of pretense, Osborne sets out to discover what's what with wine, traveling through Sonoma and Napa, France, Italy and other European wine meccas, 11 adventures in all. He meets plenty of interesting characters along the way, revealing much about the pleasures of wine (and travel!). (TVL31, $14.00)
	A Crack in the Edge of the World, America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 • Simon Winchester • HISTORY • Geologist, master storyteller, traveler and journalist, Simon Winchester succeeds again in this fast-paced, utterly fascinating account of the great 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco. (CAL193, $15.95)
	California, A History • Kevin Starr • HISTORY • A lively short history in the excellent Modern Library Chronicles series, written by a renowned historian. (CAL204, $14.95)
	Life in a California Mission • Jean Francois de la Perouse • Malcolm Margolin • CULTURAL PORTRAIT • A remarkable essay about the natural life and native customs of eighteenth-century California, written by a French explorer while his ships lay at anchor in Monterey Bay. (USW366, $10.95)
	Fifth Chinese Daughter • Jade Snow Wong • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • First published in 1945, Jade Snow Wong's memoir is a simply told, moving story of family life in pre-WWII San Francisco Chinatown. (SFO08, $13.95)
	Natural State, A Literary Anthology of California Nature Writing • Steven Gilbar • ANTHOLOGY • Divided by ecological region, this book is a literary tour of California's unrivaled natural diversity, featuring essays and excerpts by such great writers as Barry Lopez, Gretel Ehrlich and John McPhee. Gary Snyder provided the afterword. (CAL101, $21.95)
	San Francisco Stories, Great Writers on the City • John Miller • ANTHOLOGY • This well-chosen anthology shows the city as seen by wonderful writers, ranging from London, Wolfe and Kerouac to Ann Lamott and Amy Tan. (CAL168, $14.95)
	The Portable Beat Reader • Ann Charters • ANTHOLOGY • An anthology of poetry and prose from the Beat generation, including excerpts from Kerouac's "On the Road" and Ginsberg's "Howl" as well as works by Herbert Huncke, Bob Dylan, and others. (GEN130, $18.00)
	1906, A Novel • James Dalessandro • LITERATURE • Set during the great San Francisco earthquake and fire, this page-turning novel paints a vivid picture of the Post-Victorian city, from the mansions of Nob Hill to the underbelly of the Barbary Coast to the arrival of tenor Enrico Caruso and the Metropolitan Opera. (SFO38, $13.95)
	Bret Harte's Gold Rush, Outcasts of Poker Flat, The Luck of Roaring Camp, Tennessee's Partner and Other Favorites • Bret Harte • Reuben H. Margolin • LITERATURE • In the 1860s and 70s, a former stagecoach messenger named Bret Harte dazzled the literary world with his tales of Gold Rush-era California. These 15 rough-and-tumble stories include some of the best he ever wrote. (CAL78, $13.95)
	The Maltese Falcon • Dashiell Hammett • MYSTERY • Set in San Francisco, this is Dashiell Hammett's classic story of Sam Spade, the archetypal hard-boiled detective. (CAL06, $12.95)
	The Valley of the Moon • Jack London • LITERATURE • In part a tribute to his wife and rural life on his ranch in Glen Ellen, London's California novel follows Billy and Saxon Roberts from Oakland to Sonoma, where they strive to live independently on the land. (CAL169, $16.95)
	Assembling California • John McPhee • NATURAL HISTORY • Another fine book on geology and natural history from John McPhee, this time in the company of Eldridge Moores, on travels throughout California. (USW187, $15.00)
	Mac's Field Guide to Northern California Wildflowers • Craig MacGowan • FIELD GUIDE • This double-sided, laminated card features color drawings of the wildflowers commonly found in the northern California region. (CAL05, $4.95)
	National Audubon Society Field Guide to California • Peter Alden • FIELD GUIDE • A compact, easy-to-use guide to 1,000 of California's trees, wildflowers, mammals, insects, birds and other flora and fauna. (CAL07, $19.95)
	National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America • National Geographic • FIELD GUIDE • From Alaska to Baja California, this field guide published by the National Geographic Society, now in its fifth edition (with tabs!), is the one to carry. (FG09, $24.00)
	Pacific State Wildflowers • Theodore F. Niehaus • Charles Ripper • FIELD GUIDE • This Peterson field guide covers 1,492 species of wildflowers found from British Columbia to Baja California. (USW192, $19.00)