Click City

by Heather Stallings

It's been more than 30 years since the San Francisco Chronicle published Armistead Maupin's fictional Tales of the City serial, which depicted freewheeling San Francisco in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the city is much different: San Francisco has become the epicenter of a worldwide digital and cultural revolution. With that in mind, the Chronicle launched a new serial, Click City, which in the tradition of Tales, follows a multitude of quirky characters with San Francisco as the canvas. Roger Martin, a 40-something techie CEO of Jade Software moves to San Francisco to connect with the younger programmers, who all want to live in the city. It’s worlds in collision – old money meets new, high society meets no society. Roger meets Beth whose past is about to collide with the present, and a commune of young programmers meet an unknown but increasingly menacing adversary. The novel explores modern themes, including the struggle to connect with others when technology makes us both more and less connected than ever.

293 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2017

Reviews

[Maggie King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Tales of the City, the San Francisco Chronicle's serial that preceded it, Click City has its finger on the pulse of this city. This time, it's the digital revolution. The techies from Silicon Valley have moved into the Mission District and with them, venture interest. New money clashes with old, nerdy swagger with working class sensibilities. Enter Beth, a programmer with a troubled past but a heart of gold; Roger, a video game CEO eager to dabble in the arts and improve his social standing; Andy, a newly divorced publicist with much to prove; Billy, a sculptor/blueblood socialite trying to cross the new divide; and a tenement house full of young and hungry programmers. What follows are sensitive, well-observed, and often laugh-out-loud stories as this lovable cast of characters strives to stay true to themselves and make meaningful connections while making it big in this digital frontier.

[Carmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book; I read it in two days. The characters are dynamic and intriguing, and the story is exciting. I would absolutely recommend Click City to anyone looking for a fun book with a great story that is especially relevant in today's society of technology.

[Berta Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous - fast reading story! Gives great insight into San Francisco's digital revolution. A must read!!
B. Lloyd