Book Buying in San Francisco ♡

San Francisco is the kind of city where the best book buying sits very close to its political, sexual and countercultural history.

I don’t visit the city that often but, as I was there for a brief trip last week, I sought out some recommendations from friends. I wasn’t sure what I’d find, as it’s changed so much since its heyday as a seat of queer subculture and artistic production — but I was pleasantly surprised by just how many reminders there are of that incredible historical legacy.

From queer archives to late-night bookstores, to the best places to source radical ephemera, Beat poetry, and secondhand photography books, I’m sharing some of my favourite spots to go digging below.

You can also check out our book buying guides to London, Tokyo and Amsterdam for my recommendations in those cities ♡