Winner of the American Book Award "A stunning new guidebook. . . History buffs will be amazed by the wealth of lore, legend and radiant fact."--San Francisco Chronicle A Los Angeles Times summer reading pick "San Francisco Chinatown illuminates the untold history of the enclave. . . to consider the political, historical, and cultural implications of Chinatown's very existence."--San Francisco Bay Guardian San Francisco Chinatown is the first book of its kind--an "insider's guide" to one of America's most celebrated ethnic enclaves by an author born and raised there. Written by architect and Chinese American studies pioneer Philip Choy, the book details the triumphs and tragedies of the Chinese American experience in the United States. Both a history of America's oldest Chinese community and a guide to its significant sites and architecture, San Francisco Chinatown traces the development of the neighborhood from the city's earliest days to its post-quake transformation into an "oriental" tourist attraction as a pragmatic means of survival. Featuring a building-by-building breakdown of the most significant sites in Chinatown, the guide is lavishly illustrated with historical and contemporary photographs and offers walking tours for tourists and locals alike.