The Silent Traveller in San Francisco

Chiang Yee, a noted travel writer, met a San Franciscan during a trip from New York to England on an ocean liner in 1945. His new friend invited him to visit him in the City By the Bay on a future trip. Chiang spent six months in and around San Francisco in early 1953, and wrote this chronicle of his stay there.

This book was interesting in some sections, but was mainly a frustrating read for me, as Chiang would frequently diverge from his narrative of the places he visited, recounting meetings with friends and recalling other sites that he had seen previously. Reading this was akin to having a conversation with a demented man, whose flight of ideas prevented a true conversation or a linear narrative. This book is currently out of print, show more and, in my opinion, it should stay that way. show less

Written in the 1960s, the author is an artist and poet who was born in China, but who left in the 1930s to go to England for studies. He had been traveling and teaching since then. This is one of his many books of observations. He tells of the things he saw and learned as he walked around San Francisco. He visited three different times, each visit lasting several months.
Reading this is a refreshing way to see familiar landscapes and events. Chiang Yee brings color, movement and poetry to the landscapes as he describes them. He doesn't stop there though. His lively curiosity compels him to inquire about the people in San Francisco's history and the events which shaped it. His conclusion is that, though Paris, Boston and London had show more overwhelmed him with their past, in San Francisco he was moved by what was ahead. He knew that whatever the future, San Francisco would rise up to meet it.
I found this book relaxing to read, something not to be done in large doses, but to be meandered through thoughtfully. show less

Chiang Yee is an observational travel writer and his books often are in depth studies of a place over time. San Francisco is no exception and his lyrical prose and keen eye are on display in what may be my favorite Chiang Yee book.