John King
John King is the author of Portal: San Francisco’s Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities, first published by W.W. Norton in 2023 and now available in paperback with an updated afterword. A former urban design critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, he draws on decades of reporting on the city’s transformation, weaving together architecture, culture, and unexpected influences ranging from vintage postcards to Bay Area food culture. Portal was praised by the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, spent twelve weeks on the Northern California Independent Booksellers Alliance bestseller list, and received a Golden Poppy Award for “California Lifestyle.” Since retiring in 2024, King has received numerous honors including the San Francisco Press Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award, national recognition from the American Society of Landscape Architects, and finalist distinctions for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.
