Review of "Visions of Frisco" by Satty

History is passed on in many forms. We naturally focus on traditional history books, of course, but art, music, and folklore make up a significant part of the way in which the story of people and cultures are passed on through the generations. This book is a collection of artwork by a 20th century San Francisco-based artist named Willfried "Satty" Podriech who used illustrations from 19th century books and magazines along with a series of essays to tell the history of San Francisco during the Gold Rush era. The book shows the broad range of cultures that met in San Francisco at that time: from the Chinese to the Mexicans, as well as the various Europeans who trekked across the West to make their fortunes. So much of San Francisco's art and history was lost in the 1906 earthquake, that it's remarkable that Podriech was able to locate so many rare pictures and illustrations. It's a very human look at old San Francisco.