Berkeley Walks: Expanded and Updated Edition

This expanded and updated edition of a local best-seller offers more revealing rambles through one of America’s most fascinating cities. Berkeley Walks celebrates the things that make Berkeley such a wonderful walking city—diverse architecture, panoramic views, tree-lined neighborhoods, unusual gardens, secret pathways, hidden parks, and vibrant street life. Historical surprises and architectural delights include the apartment building from which Patty Hearst was kidnapped; Ted Kaczynski’s home before he became the Unabomber; and the residences of Nobel laureates and literary Berkeleyans such as Thornton Wilder, Ann Rice, and Philip K. Dick.

Bob Johnson and Janet Byron—longtime city residents and tour guides—have added 3 new walks, extensively revised 6 others, and updated all the rest. These 21 walks showcase the many elements that make Berkeley’s neighborhoods, shopping districts, and academic areas such fun to explore. Visitors will discover a vibrant community beyond the University of California campus borders; locals will be surprised and charmed by the treasures in their own backyards.

Highlights of the book include features on architects such as John Galen Howard, Bernard Maybeck, and Julia Morgan; more than 100 archival and original photos; and detailed maps with hundreds of points of interest on these easy-to-follow, self-guided walking tours.

An avid walker and hiker, Robert E. Johnson has lived in Berkeley for more than 30 years. He leads walking tours around the Bay Area for groups such as Greenbelt Alliance (where he is a board member), Berkeley Path Wanderers, and the Berkeley Historical Society. Janet L. Byron has lived in Berkeley for 25 years and is an enthusiastic hiker, jogger, and bicyclist. She has led walks for Greenbelt Alliance, Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, and other local groups.