Gables and Fables: A Portrait of San Francisco's Pacific Heights

by Anne Bloomfield, Arthur Bloomfield, Kit Haskell (Illustrator)

Enter the world of cornices, cupolas, and colonnettes, prestigious architects, and a parade of remarkable residents Charming and deeply informed, part historical detective work and part gossip column, this storied tour of 110 of Pacific Heights' grand old edifices offers an architectural and social history of one of San Francisco's most fabled neighborhoods. The neighborhood of Pacific Heights has long tickled the imagination of locals and tourists alike with its painted Victorians, chateaux, and mansions, and stories populated with the most famous of San Franciscan names. Enter the world of Ernest Coxhead, Willis Polk, Houghton Sawyer, Julia Morgan, William Wurster, and other great architects, along with the moguls, entrepreneurs, artists, mariners, recluses, and charlatans who lived in their creations.

Genres: Nonfiction

386 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love San Francisco and its neighborhoods, Gables and Fables is an outstanding entry to the list of fine books documenting Pacific Heights. This book offers a compilation of articles written with a light, engaging style reminiscent of your favorite tour guide. Pick it up, read a few vignettes and set it down satisfied by an insiders' tour of some of the neighborhood's fascinating homes. Anne and Arthur Bloomfield captured the essence of San Francisco and its unique flavor that includes the stories and secrets behind the doors.

The accompanying illustrations by Kit Haskell offer superb views of each subject. Sketched with care and an eye for architectural detail and flair, the artist captures the essence of the homes, buildings and architectural gems. An Illustration precedes every structure described by the authors, highlighting the topic and bringing it to life.

Each section includes a hand-drawn map. Put on your own home tour for visiting friends and show off your knowledge of the city. This book ranks high on my list of must haves for San Francisco aficionados.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is actually a collection of newsletter columns that appeared in a local neighborhood newsletter. In their original form they were probably fantastic, consumed in small doses and offset with lots of other neighborhood information. As a book, they quickly become tedious.

[Nancy Reyering · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating histories of some storied mansions in Pacific Heights. I had to read in small doses to enjoy in depth. One reviewer noted that the chapters were originally newspaper articles that ran serially, which explains why this is not a book to be read in one sitting.

[John Kirkpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

History of San Francisco classic homes and owners