Season of the Witch

The critically acclaimed, national bestseller—a gripping story of the strife and tragedy that led to San Francisco’s ultimate rebirth and triumph.

In a kaleidoscopic narrative, New York Times–bestselling author and Salon founder David Talbot tells the gripping story of San Francisco in the turbulent years between 1967 and 1982. The emergence of a diverse cast of characters—Harvey Milk, Janis Joplin, Jim Jones, Bill Walsh—ushered in a transformative new era in the city’s history.

Season of the Witch is the first book to fully capture the dark magic of San Francisco in this breathtaking period, when the city radically changed itself—and then revolutionized the world.

“An enthralling—and harrowing—account of how the 1967 Summer of Love gave way to 20 or so winters of discontent.” —The Washington Post

“A sprawling, ambitious history . . . Talbot’s energetic, highly entertaining storytelling conveys the exhilaration of ‘60s counterculture as well as the gathering ugliness that would mark the city in the ‘70s.” —The Boston Globe

“Exhaustive research yields penetrating character studies . . . In exhilarating fashion, Talbot clears the rainbow mist and brings San Francisco into sharp focus.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A gritty corrective to our rosy memories . . . enthralling, news-driven history . . . smart and briskly paced . . . I found it hard to put down.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“An ambitious, labor-of-love illumination of a city’s soul, celebrating the uniqueness of San Francisco without minimizing the price paid for the city’s free-spiritedness.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Talbot presents gripping accounts of both crime sprees and football showdowns.” —Booklist