In July 1846 San Francisco was a tranquil settlement of about 150 inhabitants. Three years later it was an international metropolis with more than 30,000 people thronging its streets. Recalled in this intriguing collection of personal anecdotes from those tumultuous times are the days when -- San Francisco Bay extended inland to Montgomery Street. -- Bears, wolves, and coyotes roamed the shore. -- The arrival of 238 Mormons more than doubled the town's population.

Mark Twain for Dog Lovers combines one of America’s most beloved authors and dogs. Twain specialist R. Kent Rasmussen traces the history of dogs in Twain’s life—from the ones he knew personally, like his daughter’s dog which he took in after she died, to the foreign dogs he saw on his travels around the world. Compiling 30 stories and extracts from Twain’s wiritings, Rasmussen tells a detailed an compelling story of Twain’s relationship with one of America’s favorite pets.