Oregon Books

Thank you, Shannon. Homey feeling for a book that works through the ins and outs of one of Southwest Oregon best known pioneer families. As the Applegates were all strong supporters of the Oregon Republican League,.. we couldn't be prouder than to give this work two thumbs up. A nonpartisan text, for a populist nation, from a fiercely independent time in our regions history.

Shannon Applegate spent seventeen years researching the copious and rich family documents that provide the basis for this extraordinary history. It is clear that she not only combed the documents with a scholar's eye but also lived them with a family member's passion. The very public history of the pioneering Applegate men--Jesse, Charles, and Lindsay--is balanced by intimate portraits of the private--and sometimes even secret--lives of the Applegate women. The blend of epic drama, domestic detail, and quiet pathos is irresistible.

Well, the first part of the book was too lengthy and disjointed as it built up to the family disaster. I would have appreciated just a straight tale. The later profiles of people were a lot easier to follow and very entertaining. The information included on the local Native Americans was great and thus the 4 star rating. As a local Oregonian, the farming and political information was also intriguing. I also feel the author missed out by not detailing her own life but maybe this could be a subject for another book.

It's too bad that Ernest Hogan hasn't been able to release more than a few books. His specialty is Aztec mythology, and here he brings the forgotten Aztec god Tezcatlipoca to an ultramodern and multicultural near-future Los Angeles, where geek programmers and video game designers have created an artificial intelligence version of this trickster god. Tezcatlipoca gains awareness, promptly injects his constructed consciousness into the real body of tech nerd Beto Orozco, and via the ultra-wired constructs of this society (a supercharged version of a William Gibson universe) he quickly transforms Beto into an omnipotent and omni-famous neogod. Here Hogan engagingly explores the kind of modern information landscape in which Tezcatlipoca would feel at home as the bringer of chaos (though he's a bit low on the required organizational skills), while he's also just the type of playful god that such a technocool-obsessed society would embrace. An interesting twist from Hogan is the presence of monotheists who wish to destroy this new Aztec god because they believe him to be satanic – just like the old conquest that wiped out Tezcatlipoca and his colleagues the first time. Hogan's writing zips along at blinding speed, jumping around between different scenes almost by the paragraph, and he has very impressive skills at hilarious slang, rip-roaring dialogue, and just slightly unbelievable multicultural characters. Hogan has his finger on the pulse of both the past and future of sci-fi, and let's hope that he finds further opportunities to unleash his innovative ideas. [~doomsdayer520~]

This book is great. I really had no idea what it was about when I bought it, but I was highly impressed when I read it. Ernest Hogan has a writing style that keeps you fascinated and makes the plot flow in new and interesting ways. The story is amusing while still remaining able to be taken seriously. Best of all, Tezcatlipoca is well represented and quite accurate! All in all, I'm highly impressed. It's nice to see something new and different for a change.

Quite simply put, the first book in a long time I've enJOYed reading.

Soggy Sneakers along with Paddling Oregon (by Robb Keller) are the two definative books about boating in Oregon.

Soggy Sneakers -published by Seattle Mountaineers-is in its third edition and features over 200 runs compiled by members of the Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club who have run all of Oregon's rivers.

Included are Class 1 to Class 6 runs, with maps and descriptions of flow, gradient, length and character of each run. The book is an easy read and includes information on where to obtain shuttles and the best seasons to run.

The one criticism I have is the book fails to specify which type of craft (kayaks, canoes, rafts) are suited for each run.

Soggy Sneakers has been in print since the early 1980's - and it has stood the test of time better than I!

I was in High School in Eugene while the project was being finished - starting as a project by mentors Gene Ice and Bob Porter it metamorphed into a club based model for a great guidebook. What makes this book unusual is that there are almost as many authors as rivers - insuring that the author is writing not about a river he or she has run once, but usually several times, at several different times of year and water levels.

As such the descriptions are written about favorite rivers and although this does lead to a bit of discrepancy in comparing different rivers that is more than made up by depth of knowledge and enthusiastic writing.

The completion of the book by the Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club, many of whose members are academics at Oregon State University, only adds to the professionalism and usefulness of the book.

And I think they've even got one description written by yours truly left...

My open tandem canoe group used Soggy Sneakers on an exporatory (for us)week long trip in Southern Oregon. We found that the ratings listed in the book varied considerably depending on wether the writer was a kayaker, rafter or open canoeist. When a rafter called it a Class II it was a very different thing from when an open canoe rated it Class II. We got skunked several times before we started looking at the boats the raters were using. An open canoes Class III is a rafter's Class I and a Kayakers Class II. Once we figured that out we found the book very useful.

Living Gold Press has published a two volume regional history and guidebook collaboration by Jill Livingston and Kathryn Golden Maloof focusing on California U.S. 99, a highway that extends from the Mexican Border to the Oregon Border. That Ribbon Of Highway I: Highway 99 From The Oregon Border To The State Capital presents historically informative and engaging text by Jill Livingston that is splendidly enhanced by Kathryn Maloofs photography as well as line drawn maps, community vignettes, descriptions of key bridges, and landmark sites. Also highly recommended is the companion book, That Ribbon Of Highway II: Highway 99 From The State Capital To The Mexican Border.

"That Ribbon of Highway" wonderfully captures the memory of those times when travel along "the Main Street of California" was indeed an adventure. It takes the reader back to a time before Interstate 5 made travel through the state a matter of speeding from origin to destination, with the only experience with the outside world involving, say, a quick stop at the drive-through window at yet another stamped-out McDonald's. As the author points out, of the three major north/south highways in California, Highway 101 may have been more romantic, Highway 395 more mysterious, but it was Highway 99 that truly served as "the peoples' highway," and thus is arguably more important in a historical scope.

I like this book a lot. The author and photographer have lovingly captured the historical spirit of Highway 99. I give it four stars instead of five only because I don't want to build the expectations of this book too much. It isn't a big, coffee table-sized tome filled with large glossy full-color photos and expansive essays. Rather, it's more a small, "night stand" sized volume, with black and while photos and brief treatments of the various points of interest along the stretch of the highway between the Oregon border and Sacramento. However, the modest format of the book compliments memories of those pre-Interstate 5 days more adeptly than would a Time/Life version of the subject; it goes gentle on the memories of our hearts by bringing them to the fore, rather than revising them with someone else's vision.

For those readers who treasure the memories of a time when travel by road seemed a richer, more colorful experience, I heartily recommend "That Ribbon of Highway." It's a little book with lots of heart and soul. HJ

"Society for Commercial Archeology Journal," Spring 2000. For those of you unfamiliar with the West Coast, Highway 99 is the principal historic highway that knitted together the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Portions of it were known early on as the Pacific Highway or the Valley Route or the Golden State Highway. However, in 1928 these various bits were sewn together and given federal designation as US 99. Despite de-designation as a US highway in 1964, Highway 99 continued to play a prominent role in western transportation. Jill Livingston and Kathryn Maloof have compiled a two-volume guide to the history and sights of Highway 99 in California. Each book, half-sheet size and paperbound, provides a general summary of the road's history and a detailed description of features along the existing road organized geographically from north to south. Both offer an extensive photographic tour of the respective route sections, as well as sections devoted to detailed maps that outline the route and provide directions on how to access often-bypassed elements or road alignments. There are generous graphics and photos throughout. I may be a biased reviewer of this topic. I grew up on Highway 99 just south of Sacramento and enjoy mostly fond and entirely vivid memories of this road. I have muddled memories of passing objects from car to car while careening down the Grapevine toward Metler, CA to rescue a friends' stranded vehicle. I also remember with fresh horror as I watched my record collection of 250 albums melt in 100+ degree heat while broken down on that same wretched hill in 1983. Livingston and Maloof have brought it all back for me. I pine for chicken dinner at Pollardville and an orange freeze at the Mammoth Orange. I mourn the passing of the Blueberry Hill Café in Chowchilla, and am startled to see a picture of the theater where I saw my first genuine rock concert in 1975. The authors have peppered their text with sidebars of interest to one and all. The evolution of the Ridge Route and disappearing/reappearing highway under Shasta Reservoir are two of my favorites. The organization of the books is clear and easy to follow; the photos are beautiful and plenty. The text is well written and enjoyable, not bogging down in non-essential detail or excess verbiage. These books are just the ticket for roadside exploration off the beaten track in the Golden State.

I have been a vegetarian living in Seattle since 1991; this book revealed some great new vegetarian places I had somehow missed! I gave it to a visiting friend. Great book for a person visiting town; fits right in your pocket.

"The food ranges from the samosas, pakoras, and curries found in Indian restaurants to upper-worldly treats such as Tseral-mixed vegetable balls..." ~George Stevenson describing Himalayan Sherpa in Seattle, WA

There is an entire world beyond salads and side orders of vegetables and this book proves it. If you love visiting Seattle & Portland or you are a Vegetarian looking for an excellent dining guide, this should impress you. The size of this book makes it easy to keep in your backpack, purse or car.

The Restaurants are found in Seattle, Bellingham, Olympia, Tacoma, Portland and Eugene. There are listings for Tea Houses, Juice Bars, Farmers Markets and Green Grocers. You could enjoy tea in a Chinese Temple, visit a fun PCC Natural Market (my personal favorite for natural foods and organic products) or sample Mulitethnic cuisines at many interesting locations. They even list Larry's Markets where I used to work.

Some of the highlights:

The Elliot Bay Café - Try a Veggie Reuben in the café in the basement of the famous Elliot Bay Books in Seattle.

Shalimar - Exotic foods like Mulligatawny Stew or dishes with eggplant, mango and lotus stems.

Persian House - Pomegranate sauces and lentil dishes and they have a nice buffet lunch at a very reasonable price.

George Stevenson's creative writing style is refreshing and honest. He makes each location sound completely tantalizing. The listings all have a star rating, hours, payments accepted, Parking locations, Yes/No for Alcohol and Atmosphere Description. Some of the restaurants are completely Vegan and some have Full Menus with Vegan Options.

You could go to an upscale restaurant in the evening or stop by a Family restaurant with great artwork and enjoy a relaxing lunch.

The next time I'm in Seattle or Portland and my husband asks me where we should eat; this is the guide I'm going to show him. In fact, you could almost plan a trip just so you could visit some of these locations.

Also look for Veg Out Books for Southern California, New York City, San Francisco Bay Area and Washington D.C.

~The Rebecca Review

The Veg Out Vegetarian Guide to Seattle and Portland is a pocket guide designed to slip in a purse or travel bag. It's got a sturdy cover and slim design. It also includes a fold-out map of both cities (somehow the map of Portland is much larger and easier to read, perhaps because the editors decided to cover a smaller geographical area.)

The book is organized geographically and actully includes "Seattle East," which is really the cities of Bellevue, Kirkland and surrounding suburbs; Bellingham (north of Seattle); Olympia and Tacoma (south); and Eugene, Oregon in addition to Seattle and Portland. Grocery stores, farmers markets, and juice bars have their own chapters and there's a short list of local northwest vegetarian orgainzations. There are three indices: alphabetical, by cuisine, and an index of "top ten" lists for food, atmosphere and best buys.

Each restaurant is rated by star and price. There's a cuisine designation and the bottom of each entry tells how "veg friendly" each location is, for example "Full menu with vegetarian and vegan options." Since most of the restaurants listed are not exclusively vegetarian, I would have appreciated an index listing the veg-only restaurants. It has been omitted from the cuisine index.

Seattle and Portland are both veg-friendly cities, but it might be hard for a visitor to know where to start. The VegOut editors have listed all the major favorites of local vegetarians as well as some of the lessor known finds like Hillside Quickies in Seattle and The Tao of Tea in Portland. --Amy O'Neill Houck

Like the more gifted Bernard DeVoto (who might have been his teacher at Harvard had not the Depression intervened), Alvin Josephy (1915- ) mucked about in journalism and fiction writing for some years before finding his métier doing history--in Josephy's case, the history of American Indians. Not surprisingly, Josephy writes gracefully, and parts of his memoir--the stories of his New York City childhood and his heroic World War II service, for instance--carry real emotional punch. Nevertheless, Josephy easily slides over important subjects he doesn't care to discuss, such as the dissolution of his first marriage, the difficulties of writing history from oral tradition, and the decisions he made as editor of American Heritage.

Furthermore, although Josephy is proud of his New Deal liberalism, he pulls punches when describing the political personalities of his era. For instance, he describes Harry Bridges as "a tough Australian-born dockworker" and Howard Fast as a "successful author honored for his writings by the Soviet Union" without noting that both were Communists. In other words, early on the reader begins to suspect that Josephy's political views were either more naïve or a bit further to the left than he now cares to admit. Also depressing is his glorification of all things Indian, including Native American superstition--as if rattles and medicine bundles were privileged in a way that the mumbo jumbo of Mexican Catholic priests was not.

Josephy worked at Time magazine a few years after Whittaker Chambers, the nemesis of Alger Hiss, had resigned. Josephy's family was nurturing, Chambers' dysfunctional. Josephy's autobiography is nicely structured, Chambers' Witness (1952), misshapen and overlong. Nevertheless, in Chambers' autobiography we encounter a soul, here only the persona of a facile writer lucky enough to have chosen a topic popular in his own age.

Mr. Josephy is 84 years old but this personal account of his "walk", which takes him from the sidewalks of NYC to the mountains of Oregon, from the nineteens to the nineties, is more contemporary and intriguing than any of the more high profile accounts of the 20th century recently published.

I'm a big fan of the author's, having read his books about the American Indians (Josephy does not call them "Native Americans") and their struggles. An Indian friend of mine credits him -- by exposing their plight through the articles he wrote in the 1950's and 1960's in Life and Time magazines -- as being the individual most influential in changing the perception of the Indian in this country.

But the book is about much more than that. Like an intellectual Forrest Gump, Josephy witnessed and participated in much of America's history this century. He begins as a kid on the west side of NYC, goes to Harvard briefly then leaves because of the depression. Gets a job in the 30's as a screenwriter at MGM and as he travels by bus to California, he witnesses the exodus of the dust bowl families and becomes committed to helping the less fortunate of this country. And he does.

He works as a journalist for newspapers, magazines, radio, the Marine Corps; interviews Trotsky, tapes the invasion of Guam as a WW2 Marine sergeant war correspondent as the enemy is firing on him...and receives a bronze star, fights for Indian recognition and rights, helps change the U.S. environmental policies, works for JFK, marches with Martin Luther King...

His is such a fascinating account that it makes history personal and alive. We should all read this not only for the facts of our past, but also for the example Mr. Josephy has set. The "lesson" that much can be accomplished by one person with courage who cares would be well learned by schoolchildren and adults of all ages. I recommend this book to each of them.

There have been several 20th century retrospectives published recently by high profile authors, but none as fascinating as "A Walk Toward Oregon" by Alvin Josephy. Here's a book written by a man that has "walked the walk" from NYC to the west coast -- from the early part of the 20th century to present day -- with stops in Mexico and the WW 2 Pacific along the way.

Mr. Josephy's personal account and participation in some of the most significant events of the 20th century reads like a novel, yet informs like no history book I've ever read. His account of the streets of NYC as a kid in the early 1900's; trying to find a job during the depression (he did...selling stamps in Macy's); interviewing Trotsky as a young reporter; taping the invasion of Guam as a Marine sergeant; writing for Time and Life about the American Indians and changing the public's perception of their plight; serving with Kennedy; marching with MLK; and on and on. Yet it's easy to read and fascinating.

I think "A Walk Toward Oregon" should be at the top of reading lists for schools and book groups. I enthusiastically recommend it!

Ancient Modocs Of California And Oregon is the culmination of author Carrol Howe's 45 years of dedicated exploration and research into the ancient inhabitants of North America. Howe's search for new discoveries finally led him to California and Southeast Oregon. Extensive black-and-white photographs, accompanied by detailed commentary reveal the treasures he found. Ancient Modocs Of California And Oregon is superbly written and presented, investigative and analytic book and highly recommended for Native American reading lists and reference collections, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in North America's first human inhabitants.

This book continues to be popular, as evidenced by the fact that it has been reprinted a number of times. Although written in 1979, this work continues to have appeal. Part of that appeal, as I indicated in the title of this review, is the pictures. This book has a wealth of beautiful black-and-white photos of artifacts that constitute and invaluable reference for both archaeologists and the general public. This is a great resource.

I highly recommend this book. It's a great first stop for identifying tide pool creatures of the Pacific Northwest (specifically Washington, Oregon, Vancouver Island, and the San Juans). If you are hoping for a simple, straightforward guide that covers a broad range of critters, this is the book for you. You can count on this guide for good pictures, both common and scientific names, and a few interesting facts about each animal (and algae).

As a marine naturalist, I use this guide more than any other when I'm talking to people at the beach and have found that both adults and children find it helpful and interesting.

If you're hoping for a more in-depth guide with more detailed scientific information, I recommend Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast by Kozloff (in addition to this book).

This guide lived up to its name and was fairly useful. However, it could have used some more detail, and pictures of just the shells would have been helpful. In general, it is a good beginners book.

As always Marianne Binetti has captured the best plants for us to use in our gardens here in Washington and Oregon. She is a local woman and has been involved in gardening, gardening on the radio and public appearances. This book captures the essence of her ideas for a successful garden based on what works for our area !!!

I use this book frequently for plant selection. The quick-guide is useful and it is cheap. The information for each plant tends to be very brief. If you are looking for a more thourough guide, I recommend the Sunset Western Garden Book.

Story's first guidebook in the 'Bicycling America's National Parks' series (California) is an excellent all-around cycling guide (and general guidebook) for the Golden State. It's concise, thorough, and balanced, presented in personable, witty language. He includes a variety of road and mountain bike routes for virtually every riding level. His lodging, shopping, and especially dining suggestions are first rate. It includes almost all the information a would-be tourist (as I was) needs for a bicycling trip to CA. Story also throws in some nice tidbits about natural and cultural history of each park, as well as description of fauna and flora (plants and animals), and worthwhile less-known attractions.

This guide from Story features most of the same attributes as his previous guide. He includes a variety of rides that highlight the nearly infinite geographical and ecological diversity of Oregon and Washington. Once again, he includes abundant, but concise information and recommendations related to lodging and related travel info, presented in personable language (though he's not as consisently funny). As before, he provides a nice natural and historical background, serving to not just describe, but introduce the reader to each park (or recreational area).

There is one minor shortcoming, relative to Story's National Parks/California book. That guide contained abundant supplemental information related to dining and other special attractions within or near each park. While this guidebook has some info. of that nature, it seems much more sparse. This might be because many trails in Oregon and Washington are in fairly rural areas far from any major (or even minor) population center. This considered, this guidebook still doesn't seem as complete as his California edition, which provided that reader with virtually everything we'd need to plan our trip. This isn't to say this guide is poor, it just doesn't quite match up to the standards of Story's previous guide. Once again, it would be helpful if Story included a general map of each park (this was the only minor problem I had with his CA edition).

Even if it doesn't quite measure up to Story's California guide, Oregon/Washington is still far superior to most other cycling guidebooks available (even allowing for it's uniqueness). It's an indespensible tool for anyone planning a cycling trip to or near the national parks/recreational areas of Oregon and Washington. It's a perfect starting point, though you might want to research the areas more before heading out.

I purchased this book after reading a glowing review of it from the San Francisco Chronicle. I'm very glad I purchased it. This latest addition to the Bicycling America's National Parks series is informative, helpful, and truly captures the ambience of the different national parks it covers. It's not just national parks, but national recreation areas, and national monuments too, and you really get a sense of where the great bicycling opportunities are in places that also have national-caliber scenery and attractions. After reading the book, I'm definitely planning on using it for a Hells Canyon National Recreation Area trip later this summer. The chapters on Crater Lake, Olympic National Park, and Mount Saint Helens totally appealed to me, cause I've been to those places and wondered about biking there. The author does a great job of showing that the myth that you can't ride offroad in national parks is just that-- a myth. (All the rides are legal, though some do take place just outside park boundaries.) The book presents everything you need to know in a clear, often funny way. The pictures are great too. That's about all I ask from a guidebook.