celebrating the release of

San Francisco Chinatown: A Guide to Its History and Architecture
published by City Lights

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.

Retired architect and renowned historian of Chinese America, Philip P. Choy co-taught the nation's first college level course in Chinese American history at San Francisco State University. Since then he has created and consulted on numerous TV documentaries, exhibits, and publications. He has served on the California State Historic Resource Commission, on the San Francisco Landmark Advisory Board, and as President of the Chinese Historical Society of America. He is the recipient of the prestigious San Francisco State University President's Medal.