Broke-Ass Stuart's new book captures San Francisco's quirky soul
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Schuffman, a self-described OG influencer, is hosting his book release party Oct. 17 at Kilowatt. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
For more than two decades, Stuart Schuffman — better known as Broke-Ass Stuart — has been writing San Francisco's unofficial diary, a legacy he's now compiled into a new career-spanning book.
State of play: "The Worst of Broke-Ass Stuart" combines 20 years of essays, columns and late-night dispatches that both mourn and celebrate the city — one reshaped by gentrification, rising costs and corporate interests.
Driving the news: The book comes out Tuesday and will be celebrated at a release party on Oct. 17, which San Francisco will officially recognize as Broke-Ass Stuart Day.
Zoom in: As the voice of the city's offbeat culture, Schuffman has spent his career championing artists, everyday eccentrics and locals working to make San Francisco more just.
- From rowdy Muni rides and early-morning hangovers to protests, the 350-page collection details Schuffman's hilarious experiences, including a stint as a San Francisco mayoral candidate.
What they're saying: "There's something beautiful and fulfilling about living a creative life," he told Axios. "This book is the proof of it."
Between the lines: The book also features musings on his time spent in dive bars, which he depicts as vital gathering places — central to shaping his own path as well as the broader culture and history of the city.
Catch up quick: Schuffman began writing zines in 2004, when he was in his early 20s, on how to live in the city on a budget.
- The zines grew in popularity and regularly sold out at local stores and coffee shops, leading to a travel writing gig, a couple of books and his own TV show, "Young, Broke and Beautiful."
- His site, BrokeAssStuart.com — born in 2008 — brands itself as an alt-weekly-inspired publication helping fill the cultural void left behind by now-defunct institutions like SF Weekly.
The site barely breaks even, he admits, calling it "the worst f*cking business in the world." But he insists on giving voice to up-and-coming contributing writers and keeping San Francisco's oddball spirit alive.
- His social media presence has also taken off, with posts documenting everything from quirky subcultures and the nightlife scene to events and politics.
The bottom line: "If you've ever waited tables, cried in a dive bar, danced in weird costumes in the street, tried to pay rent in drink tickets or been in love with a city that might not love you back, this is your book," Schuffman says.