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City Lights Books, San Francisco
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City Lights Books, San Francisco

June, 2008 - San Francisco
June, 2008
by sunshine9689
City Lights Books tips, reviews and photos posted by real travelers and San Francisco locals.

261 Columbus Ave.
• 12 Photos
• 9 Reviews

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City Lights Books: Bookstores
  • Tip Rating:
  • Callavetta
  • Updated By Callavetta on May 22, 2005
  • San Francisco Page by Callavetta
  • Home of the Beats - San Francisco
    Home of the Beats
    by Callavetta, 2 more photos
    SF is chock full of interesting Bookstores. Perhaps City Lights is the most famous (infamous). But if you're a lover of livres, this is the place for you!

    Founded in 1953, this is one of the last remaining independent bookstores. For fans of the genre it's essential to keep an eye on the website to be familiar with the steady stream of interesting events that happen weekly. You'll also want to visit the website for the virtual tour of the City Lights bookstore and it's history.

    Open daily 10 am til midnight.

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: 415.362.8193
  • Directions: North Beach - Stick around for some great Italian food and then espresso and fun at Cafe Trieste
  • Website: http://www.citylights.com/
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

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    City Lights Books: A Truely Great Bookshop
  • Tip Rating:
  • atufft
  • By atufft on June 7, 2007
  • San Francisco Page by atufft
  • City Lights Booksellers and Publishers - San Francisco
    City Lights Booksellers and
    Publishers
    by atufft, 1 more photos
    Located near the corner of Columbus and Broadway in the North Beach District, City Lights Booksellers is a grand tradition of contemporary book selling that focuses upon the world of poetry, literature, arts, and progressive politics. Started in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, whose own poetry makes him easily the most famous San Franciscan poet during the Beat Generation, and Peter Martin. The store encourages everyone to come and browse for hours. This is also a publisher of books under the same name. The bookstore claims to have been the first all paperback bookstore, although now hardback books are also sold. Another claim to fame by the bookstore and publisher is production of banned books and an extensive stock of hard to find books from smaller publishers. The bookstore website also recounts that Ferlinghetti's publication of Allen Ginsberg’s "Howl & Other Poems" in 1956 led to his arrest on obscenity charges, and the trial that followed drew national attention to the San Francisco Renaissance and Beat movement writers. (He was overwhelmingly supported by prestigious literary and academic figures, and was acquitted.) This landmark First Amendment case established a legal precedent for the publication of controversial work with redeeming social importance. Ferlinghetti was also a writer of plays and other literature, and a painter.

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: (415) 362-8193
  • Website: http://www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    City Lights Books: awsum books!!
    tanvihegde
  • By tanvihegde on June 22, 2007
  • San Francisco Page by tanvihegde
  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: (415) 362-8193
  • Website: http://www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    City Lights Books: Controversy and books all in one...
    RblWthACoz
  • By RblWthACoz on July 6, 2006
  • San Francisco Page by RblWthACoz
  • City Lights has to be one of the city's gems of stores. It fits perfectly in with the non-conformist edge of the city with the books that it sells. Over time it has been a hotbed for controversy by selling banned and controversial books that you wouldn't exactly find in Borders or Barnes & Noble. Their selection is for people with brains. If you want romance novels or fluff fiction, seek it elsewhere. This is a place to stretch your mind.

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: 415-362-8193
  • Website: www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    City Lights Books: Books
    bottleofdoom
  • By bottleofdoom on March 17, 2004
  • San Francisco Page by bottleofdoom
  • Cool bookstore that's started with the Beat Generation.

    I didn't have to look very hard for something ecclectic. I accidentally happened upon Charles Bukowski and decided that now was a good time to purchase some of his writing. He has many books, but I finally decided upon "Tales of Ordinary Madness" because it is a collection of short stories and I like stories and "The Captain" because it was illustrated by R. Crumb.

    $30

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: 415-362-8193
  • Website: www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

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    City Lights Books: The best bookstore in the city
    sarahandgareth
  • By sarahandgareth on August 17, 2003
  • San Francisco Page by sarahandgareth
  • City Lights Window - San Francisco
    City Lights Window
    by sarahandgareth
    City Lights is a San Francisco institution, the place that supported people like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg when others all over the US were trying to have their works banned. The store still gives much support to struggling poets, and has a section upstairs which commemorates and underlines its link with the 'Beat' movement.

    It's one of the best places in the entire US to get books with a left-wing political slant. It also has exceptional sections with the works of authors from across the globe: if you want books by authors from Africa or Asia, this is the place to go. You could get lost for hours among books that you've never seen before - and now desperately want to buy!

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: (415) 362-8193
  • Website: www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    City Lights Books: Books and history all in one
    acemj
  • Updated By acemj on July 4, 2004
  • San Francisco Page by acemj
  • City Lights Books - San Francisco
    by acemj
    I love good bookstores and the North Beach landmark definitely fits the bill. Prices are average and the service is well, just serviceable, but it's a cool place to browse, with a few interesting nooks and crannies and plenty of books about the glory days of the Beat poets.

    Jack Kerouac books, of course.

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: 414-362-8193
  • Directions: North Beach
  • Website: http://www.citylights.com/
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    City Lights Books: Books, ambiance
    sunshine9689
  • Updated By sunshine9689 on February 13, 2008
  • San Francisco Page by sunshine9689
  • June, 2008 - San Francisco
    June, 2008
    by sunshine9689, 1 more photos
    First opened in 1953 by co-founders Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, City Lights has been part of SF for half a century. It's not only a bookseller, but an independent publisher as well. Both the store and the publishers became known to masses because of the trial for publishing Allen Ginsberg's influential Howl and Other Poems in 1956 (it was a poem celebrating the Beat generation and attacking what he saw as the destructive forces of materialism and conformity in the United States at the time).

    It was made an official historic landmark in 2001. The 1st time this had been granted to a business, rather than a building - for "playing a seminal role in the literary and cultural development of San Francisco and the nation."

  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: (415) 362-8193
  • Website: http://www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    City Lights Books: City Lights: a great book store
    shohman
  • Updated By shohman on January 16, 2008
  • San Francisco Page by shohman
  • City Lights Books - San Francisco
    by shohman, 2 more photos
    This place has such a great history. Look it up sometime. The great part is they are such a huge part of the community. There are signs encouraging you to sit down and grab a book. The people here truly know what they are talking about and are happy to help you find something.

    Books.

    average

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  • Theme: Books
  • Phone: (415) 362-8193
  • Website: http://www.citylights.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
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