I'm Chris
I wear many hats: writer, San Francisco historian, "professor," bicyclist, tour guide, blogger, photographer, book and magazine designer. I’ve lived in San Francisco since 1978 and have been self-employed in various capacities since the early 1980s. Check out my resume.
I Write
Books, essays, blogs, and more. I have two books of my own, Nowtopia, and After the Deluge, as well as five collections I’ve edited, most recently Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-78, with more in the pipeline.
I Talk
My book Nowtopia, my long involvement with Critical Mass, and my extensive work on local history has given me many opportunities to speak publicly in San Francisco and all over the world. Many are archived online at YouTube or in various radio and audio archives.
I Archive
Since the mid-1990s I have directed Shaping San Francisco where we’ve put together an incredible archive of local history, all online now at FoundSF.org. I add new material to the archive on a weekly basis. We also archive audio recordings of our Public Talk series.
I Ride
I’ve been a daily bicyclist in San Francisco since arriving in 1978. With dozens of friends I helped start Critical Mass in September 1992, and after 20 years, it's a worldwide phenomenon that has connected me to amazing people around the world. And I still ride my bike everyday. It’s my main transportation.
I Make Stuff
I’ve been typesetting and graphic design since the early 1980s, book design since the 1990s. I have produced two dozen books for small publishers and independent writers, and have designed dozens of magazines, display ads, and all manner of printed materials.