Blogcritics is a beautiful thing. And I don't care if it's self-promotion, it deserves to be said. It's a wonderful thing to have a collection of interesting people giving their own opinions and publishing them in a place that others can get to.

It's hard to find fresh and unfettered points of view sometimes.

Except on the internet! The internet is full of that sort of thing.

If you know where to look.

I know we are supposed to point to Amazon.com when we recommend a book. It's kind of cheating, but I want to recommend a book.

San Francisco Stories by Derek Powazek is a really good collection of stories. Derek caught the mood of foggy, laid-back, soul-searching San Francisco.

If you love the City by the Bay, or even just the idea of it, get the book!

I know you San Francisco-philes would love the feeling of getting an off-the-beaten-track book as well.

Derek started this thing as a website, sfstories.com. I don't remember how I stumbled upon it, but it touched me and I kept coming back.

I don't live in the bay area anymore, but I went back there recently and found out he'd made a book.

GO, web-boy, GO!

So check it out. It's worth a look.