Berkeley 1900: Daily Life at the Turn of the Century

The author, Richard Schwartz, presents thousands of records, mainly from newspapers and ads, documenting daily life in the growing university town of Berkeley. His subsequent book, Earthquake Exodus, 1906, describes Berkeley springing into action to help masses of refugees from the earthquake that decimated San Francisco. Both books describe small details of that time and place in Berkeley, including the idealism, ambition and generosity, as well as the ruthlessness, vanity, and social stratification based on class and race. Both books are a fascinating immersion in Berkeley history!