Oregon Books

As a home winemaker, I've had the pleasure in the past to make wine from grapes grown by the author. Prior to reading the book, Lars had impressed me as an inquisitive, well-read and knowledgeable individual who cared very much about people and all living things in nature. His open & honest narration was truly a pleasure to read. In some respects, it's almost like a diary.

Excellent book discussing the size, coloring, range and habitat of all species found in WA, Oregon, Idaho, and B.C. Yes its from 1975 but the information is still pretty accurate for anyone trying to identify an animal and makes a useful reference for research. A must own for any field zoologist in the northwest.

I used this publication in a recent dendrology class that I took as part of my forestry curriculum. The book contains an accurate key to almost all conifers, hardwoods and woody shrubs that are found in Northern California, Oregon, and southern Washington. Along with the key is an introduction that describes the basics of dendrology and plant identification. The drawings included in the intro are accurate and help to provide me with a visual reference to use while keying. This book does not fit into the genre of the "Field Guide", and is therefore not recommended to someone interested in simply finding a tree's name. For this purpose, I would recommend the National Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees (ISBN 0-394-50761-4)or the Pacific Coast Tree Finder (ISBN 0-912550-06-6) I would, however, highly recommend it to anyone either enrolled in a dendrology or plant taxonomy class in Oregon, So. Washington or No. Cal., or a person who has a heightened interest of the vegetation in this region.

Dr. Peck's Manual of the higher Plants of Oregon is the the result of Professor Peck's life long study of Oregon Plants.
While a Professor at Willamette University he collected, identified and described every higher native plant in Oregon that he could find. Moss and 'little plants' are excluded. This publication are the results of his research and includes a scientific description of each plant that he documented.

Short,but lively and descriptive account of a curtailed journey to Oregon in 1832. John Wyeth joined his cousin Nathaniel Wyeth and several other New Englanders to travel to Oregon to seek the riches and fortunes which that land had to offer. Although the author quit the expedition at Pierre's Hole in Idaho, he did write a first-hand narrative which is of historical significance. He described the many hardships and sufferings which they encountered along the way; being ridiculed for Nathaniel's original mode of travel when departing from New England in so called "amphibiums' (a cross betweeen a "wagon and a gondola") which were given up in St. Louis; an account of the famous Battle of Pierre's Hole; and on the way home to Boston via New Orleans, a very detailed and grotesque description of the cholera epidemic in that city. Wyeth speaks most admirably of their veteran guide Bill Sublette, who escorted them from Independence to Pierre's Hole, and at the same time belittles, demeans and humiliates his cousin Nathaniel for his leadership abilities throughout the expedition. I believe the author, and being only nineteen at the time, was simply too thunderstruck and bewildered by the hardships and sacrifices one must withstand to acccomplish such a feat. Simply put, he was spoiled from the comforts and conveniences of life in Boston and should not have undertaken such a mammoth adventure. An excellent little book (only 87 pages) but with an abundance of historical importance.

After strugling through a snow storm with white out conditions on Mount Hood I found myself in between the pages of this intriging book. Formed of local town, "ZigZag",news articles it covers history from The Explorer's who were held in awe of the "white mountain", The Pioneer's who suffered grotesque hardships going around it, to Mt. Hood's heros and victims of the early twentieth century showing genius of surviving the brutal weather, tons of snow and ice, during climbs, rescues, and building on the mountain. The exciting history documented in this book continues today with Mount Hood, even now, writing her next chapter. The ground is shaking. The locals say she could be our next volcano. Fascinating reading.

My house is about the Rodriguez family and their home. I was excited to learn this family lives near my home. The pictures are wonderful. The author has taken much care when taking the photos.

I enjoyed the dual language format. It allowed me to practice my knowledge of Spanish.

This is a fun book. Too often, social history of the 19th century gives the impression of stuffy, formal people, following obscure etiquette rules. This book shows vibrant people, who enjoy visiting, care for each other, and look out for their families and friends.

Sarah Philips undertook this research in Portland, during the mid-1990s. She puts in print words of art models themselves, which surprisingly hadn't happened much before. In the book we can read four more or less extended interviews with models, but dozens of conversations took place. Philips relates the models' words with interesting theoretical issues. It's a very enlightening book, since we come to know a very ignored and undervalued occupation. The book raises questions such as:

Why are there more female than male art models?
Is the myth that a model is an artist's mistress true?
Is a model the same as a stripper?
Does modeling objectify or degrade the person (usually the woman), as some feminists say?
Why would nudity be empowering and boost the model's self-confidence?
Why would someone do this job, normally part-time, since they could earn more money elsewhere? (In Portland, in the 1990s, they earned from $8.50 to $10 an hour.)
Is modeling always passive?
Why do most models underrate photography as "less artistic" than drawing, for instance?
What's the role of pornography, especially on the internet, when handling photos of artistic nudity?
What specific boundaries exist in personal space, verbal contact or eye contact when posing?
What's the difference between a "sublimely" sensual pose and a blunt sex pose?
How do models handle cold, and physical stressful or painful poses?
How do models deal with erections and menstruation?

There are no definite answers, but the discussion is really fascinating. Not all models agree upon all issues, and age and gender usually influence the answers.

I think the core of the whole question is the fact that in art modeling there are new rules, for our everyday regulations are upside down: a person doesn't hide his/her nakedness, and the others ARE supposed to observe it. The boundary is the motto "nothing unusual is happening". Don't behave as if this situation is abnormal, surprising, sexually arousing or deserving lewd peeking. It's just natural for professional artists and models to work with nudity, which can make many newcomers and art students blush.

Nudity in art is not for a particular physical aesthetics that discriminates all other bodies. It's not for sexuality, either. It's rather a celebration of the natural, general beauty of every human body, no matter its shape, color, size or other specific characteristics.

I am a painter myself, and I always work with the female nude. I can say that I am grateful to my models for their good work and professionalism. They are the body of my art, and they inspire its soul. As the model "Michael" says in the book: "If it wasn't for us, we wouldn't have a lot of the greatest works of art." For all the curious, and all of us artists who work with models, this book is necessary to understand, not stigmatize this indispensable job, in the models' own words.

When I picked up The Modern Homestead Manual, and opened the front cover, I read the dedication - the forward - the introduction - chapter 1 ..........all the way to the reference section!

Unlike many books that I pick up, this book held my attention from page one! There is nothing more frustrating than reading through a "how-to" manual, and never really getting to the good stuff! There are volumes of books that tell "what" you should do, it's so refreshing to read a book that actually gives you some "how-to" information.

If you're desire is to be more self sufficient, this book is a great place to start! There are so many opinions as to the real meaning of homesteading. I love the simple meaning that Skip & Cat give:

Homesteaders  =  Homesteaders are worthy stewards of the earth.

The Modern Homestead Manual builds hope and confidence, dispels myths, and tells it like it is. Because Skip & Cat are actually living the homestead life, they are able to give us true insight on what it really takes to live beyond the power lines & sidewalks.