Oregon Books

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE QUILTS, THE MAKERS OF THE QUILTS, AND THEIR STRUGGLE TO REACH OREGON. I AM IN AWE OF THESE WOMEN AND THE TRIALS THEY ENDURED TO REACH THEIR NEW LIVES.

Anyone who is interested in pioneer history will love the book, "Quilts of the Oregon Trail", by Mary Bywater Cross. There is far more than quilt history in this book. The author has integrated the quilts into a broad study of the lives of the women who owned or made them.

The information presented with each quilt is fascinating. We learn about the women's lives, their families, and the trials and tribulations involved in the trip west as well as their experiences after arrival. As each quilt maker comes to life through these stories we learn details about her quilt including how and where it was made and what it might have meant to her.

The photos of the quilts and the people are a joy to view. They make these women's lives all the more real. As a quilter and quilt history enthusiast this book is a favorite of mine.

Yet another wonderful book for my collection. The Quilts of the Oregon Trail share the times and lives of the women of this era, as someone who knows little of American History this is an interesting book sharing the wonderful workmanship of the time. I enjoy collecting and learning from books and this is another beautiful work showcasing the rich heritage of the states within America.Thank You.

Great book for whom is interested in quilts, women who made them and history. No patternbook!!!! 56 quilts are shown in full color with photos of the makers.The book presents quilts as documents of history in order to learn about the lives of the women who made the migration.

The book functions on many levels; as a memoir of an Oregon rancher raising a family, as a history of Klamath ranching, as the story of one crane's survival, and as a plea for conservation. Dayton Hyde rescues an egg from a flood, gets it to hatch and then has a friend for life as the sandhill crane makes itself a member of his growing family.
Many black and white photos through the book show the cranes, the new chicks, and scenes of ranch life. The author describes the animal behavior and their interaction in interesting vignettes. One can't help but learn a lot about nature just from enjoying his accounts. The rescue of the baby porcupines was quite funny.
I'm glad to see it still in print.

This is perhaps the best-written book I have ever read. It has great descriptions, accurate information, and great humor. I can't believe it is written by a cowboy and not an English teacher. I plan to buy more copies to give as gifts. Thanks, Dayton. I love your writing and look forward to reading more.

What a marvelous book! I laughed out loud when I saw the photographs of the author showing the cranes how to fly. A book for all nature lovers by a most gifted story teller. A book to read and savored and then read aloud. And to to think it is nonfiction!

This book combines an engaging narrative story style in the tradition of Will James with philosophical musings a la Thoreau, and caps it with a stirring call to action reminiscient of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring". Dayton Hyde's observations on the plight of our endangered native species are still so fresh and relevant that it's hard to believe the book is over 30 years old! Don't mistake this book for some boring, preachy diatribe, though. It is more than anything else a charming love story about Hyde's passion for Sandhill Cranes and his adventures with them over twenty years while ranching in Oregon and raising a family of five human children and assorted other wildlife.

The appreciable detail within this book makes it difficult, at times, to follow; and that makes it difficult to construct an overview in our memory. The author uses a narrative style that gives no indication of where the narrative is heading. Unless you already know the history and are familiar with the principal characters, the text can seem overloaded with detail, the value of which may be unclear till further in the story. For example, in chapter 14 we are not told till the final paragraph that the two women we have been reading about, Eliza Spaulding and Narcissa Whitman, "were the first women to cross the North American continent." (286) This new information gives greater value to the details narrated in the chapter than they seemed to have on first reading. The book is written such that we (almost) never know where we're going, only where we are at the moment. It is the first book I've read encompassing the period, and it may not have been the best choice for an initial broad overview.

Using divisions within the bibliography helps us find the organization of the book:


Chapters 1 - 3

Early Explorations, general accounts

Specific Explorations - Charlevoix, La Salle, Verendrye, Carver and Rogers, Upper Missouri River and Mandan Indians


Chapter 4

The Northwest Coast, 1776 - 1800

Explorations Across Canada

Spanish Explorations on the Missouri River


Chapters 5 - 6

Lewis and Clark


Chapter 7

Trading and Trapping Methods

Early American Adventures on the Missouri

Letters, Reports about She-he-ke's Return

Trouble with Blackfeet

Thompson and Pinch-Perch


Chapter 8

The Astorian Adventure


Chapters 9 - 11

Proposals to Occupy Oregon

The Yellowstone Expedition

The Arikara Battle and Aftermath

Opening of Rocky Mountain Fur Trade

British-American Fur Trade Conflict


Chapters 12 - 13

Hall J. Kelley

Bonneville, Wyeth and Jason Lee


Chapters 14 - 16

The Missionaries


Chapters 17 - 18

Emigrations of 1839-40

Emigrations of 1840, 1841, 1842


Chapter 19

Emigration of 1843


Chapter 20

Emigrations of 1844

Emigrations of 1846

Noted historian David Lavender has penned probably the finest single volume on the Oregon Trail ever written. Starting in 1719, 130 years before the trail was formally established, Lavender slowly and concretely builds the story of the United States first claim to this territory by examining similar efforts by the Spanish, French, Russian and English which preceded the American claims.

Incorporating and firmly underscoring the efforts of the Native Americans, the Mountain Men, Hudson's Bay Company and the early missionary efforts, Lavender reveals that these four groups did more to claim the Northwest for the United States than any politician or political party in Washington. Always in the forefront of Western Expansion, the impact of the missionary effort was pivotal to the US claim to this Norwest portion of our nation.

This is a truly fine history and a remarkably excellent piece of writing.

This is an excellent account of the great quest for the Northwest, which eventually culminated in the vast migrations of Americans along the Oregon Trail. From the early exploration efforts of Jacques Cartier (1530's); Jean Nicolet (1630's); Marquette and Joliet (1670's); LaSalle (1680's); Bourgmont (early 1700's); the Verendryes (1730's to 1740's); Jonathan Carver (1760's) and others too numerous to mention, we see how the English, French, Spanish and Americans all had the goal to establish roots in Oregon. When the mountain men came into the picture searching for their beaver pelts in the early 1800's, it was this breed of men that finally opened the routes across the Rocky Mountains which lead the wagon trains through to the Northwest. Lavender then takes us up to the first overland migrations (1840's) of the missionaries and others in search of a better way of life, along with all their sacrifices and perils. This is a great book and very insightful of events leading up to the Oregon Trail.

David Lavender's WESTWARD VISION spans the period from the mid-17th century to 1849 as he chronicles the search for a reliable overland route to, and the subsequent settlement of, what would become known as Oregon, principally that area which borders the Willamette River as it flows into the Columbia (at present-day Portland). As the subtitle of the book indicates, this is "the story of the Oregon Trail".

For the sake of summary, I arbitrarily divide this book into five parts: early exploration of the Upper Mississippi River by French-Canadians seeking a route to the "western sea", the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the subsequent unsuccessful efforts to establish an easy route to Oregon via the Missouri River and its headwaters, the influx of "mountain men" into the area and the discovery of a more southerly route (the Oregon Trail), the early settlement in Oregon of Christian missionary groups sent to proselytize the Indians, and the massive immigration of land-seekers in the 1840's which ultimately resulted in the establishment of a U.S. Oregon Territory.

WESTWARD VISION is the result of extensive research on the part of the author. Its wealth of details is both its strong point and its undoing. Probably the most commendably concise chapters (5 and 6), considering the length of the event, deal with the amazing Lewis and Clark Expedition. Perhaps Lavender thought the history of the two-year trek adequately covered elsewhere. In any case, the following chapters on the exploits and travails of the fur-trapping mountain men and the missionaries are so full of minutiae that it would require the reader to take extensive notes in order to keep track of the various groups and individuals endeavoring to cross the Great Divide into Oregon in the 1820s and 30s. (Reading this book for pleasure, I wasn't prepared to expend that much effort.) Only in Chapter 19, which gives an account of the 1843 journey of the first large immigrant train - almost 1000 persons- over the Oregon Trail, does the narrative regain a concise clarity. A major failing of the the volume is the lack of adequate maps to locate the majority of the named and innumerable places and geographical features: rivers, river forks, buttes, mountains, rocks, forts, mountain passes, river fords, trapper rendezvous, and settlements. Perusing contemporary state highway maps didn't help much. And in a work this extensive, I would have expected a large section of illustrations. Except for several very crude drawings, there were none.

What elevates WESTWARD VISION, and compels me to award four stars, is that the author makes his point magnificently, i.e. that it took many tough people with large reserves of true grit to expand the fledgling United States to the Pacific's shores. The crossing was hard:

"At the rainswept crossing of the North Platte, blue with cold, cramped by dysentery and pregnancy pangs, Mary Walker (an 1838 pilgrim) sat down and 'cried to think how comfortable my father's hogs were' (back home). As for Sarah Smith, Mary sniffed, she wept practically the entire distance to Oregon." And even recreation had a sharp edge, as at the 1832 trappers' rendezvous:

"... a few of the boys poured a kettle of alcohol over a friend and set him afire. Somehow he lived through it, and fun's fun."

Finally, Lavender eloquently suggests the reason so many embarked on the Oregon Trail at all:

"What matters is not whether fulfillment was attainable in reality (at the Trail's end), but rather that at long last in the world's sad, torn history an appreciable part of mankind thought it might be. That was both the torment and the freedom - to go and look."

Karen Ball has taken a familiar historical, Biblical situation and tweaked into a very relevant story in 2007. Not only does it work, it doesn't feel even a bit dusty.

I'm impressed with the seamlessness of this third- in-the-series book. I do want to go back and grab the first two, not because I feel like I missed something, but because I'm sure the stories are equally compelling.

What Lies Within is full of conflict and challenge which makes it a speed read. Those who love to turn pages should check further into this story.

Pet lovers, you're in for a treat. Karen is an animal lover and it is very obvious in the true-to-life details of pet/human interaction.

Finally, there is a sweet love story that should get the romance lovers' hearts afluttering.

Kyla Justice has a handsome, prominent man who wants to marry her, her construction firm is a success; she should be happy, but something is wrong. Then she meets Rafe Murphy, who was injured in the war. Rafe now owns a coffee shop, and he's definitely interested in Kyla, but she's a busy lady. Then Frederick Tischler, a friend of both Rafe and Kyla hires her to build an inner city youth center. It should be an easy job, but someone doesn't want the center to be built. From day one the site has been plagued by sabotage, injured workers, and vandalism. Kyla takes on the job, but it could put her in danger.
Karen Ball has written a suspensful story with compelling characters and a strong faith message. She takes us behind the scenes into the world of gangs and street culture.

Review : "What Lies Within" is the third book in the "Family Honor Series". Karen Ball has saved the best for last.

Karen richly develops each character and I connected with them right away. Chapter after chapter the plot thickens; and my heart raced. There are many twists and surprises revealed as the hearts of the characters Rafe, Kyla, Fredrick and gang leader King K are exposed.

The story caused me to wonder what lies deep within my own heart. As I read the struggle of Rafe Murphy - x-marine, trying to make sense of his new life; Kyla - a strong women; CEO of her successful construction company as she does her job in a male dominated field. She's as tough as they come - she has to be. The author is gut honest as Rafe and Kyla share what is in their hearts and on their minds

In the author notes Karen Ball says that this book was an answer to prayer. As I read this intricate story I could see God's message emerging from the beginning of this tale to the end. It's powerful; and enlightening in many ways.

The story starts off with a bang as Rafe Murphy (leader of Force Recon Marine Squade) is in the middle of trying to save his men from impending death as the enemy is ready to pounce on them.

When he comes home he gets involved in a war that is much more personal; something he never expected to be involved with - fighting a gang in his very own neighborhood. Rafe comes to grips with the fact that those involved in combating gangs - and those resisting them - need prayer 24/7. This is a new type of combat for him. The world of gangs is a dark, pervasive place, where humanity gives way to violence and mercy to degradation. Once in a gang the only way out is death. There is only one source of light in such darkness and that is Jesus Christ. Rafe and Kyla learn that there is nothing good that lives in their hearts - but Jesus.

At the beginning of each chapter there is a quote from someone famous and a scripture. Some of these quotes and scripture pierced my heart before the chapter did. A few of the many quotes that the holy spirit used to get my attention are "We crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for yesterday & fear of tomorrow." Fulton Oursler

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones that you did do...Explore. Dream. Discover" Mark Twain.

"God knows all hearts and He sees you. He keeps watch over your soul" Proverbs 24:12

The impact of this book is deep. It continues to work on my heart and my mind as the Lord keeps replaying segments of this book in my mind; through my day. It makes me realize yet again that God knows what is in the depths of my soul and still loves me. He will use me if I'm willing to be willing to let Him do the impossible deep inside my heart, mind and soul. This book is a keeper. You'll want to re-read this story and discover treasure you might have missed the first time.

Nora St.Laurent
Book Club Servant Leader
www.psalm415.blogspot.com
www.noveljourney.blogspot.com
www.novelreviews.blogspot.com

Kyla Justice's construction company has been a great success, but though she is making money she feels unfulfilled as she has not given anything back to society. However, an opportunity arises to do so when a church asks her to convert a dilapidated mess into a youth center. She readily agrees though she did not realize that even Job would be pressed to remain a believer.

The Blood Brotherhood gang does not want a youth center in their territory. The owner of the site does not want a youth center built on his property as he has other avaricious plans if the construction fails. Her boyfriend Mason does not want her building a youth center in the dangerous slums. The suppliers do not care one iota about a youth center as they want top dollar for shabby material. Three previous contractors were run off or paid to leave. Now Kyla faces sabotage and worse as she remains persistent in her mission though someone targets her for harm. Only former Army Staff Sergeant Rafael "Rafe" Murphy, a local coffee shop owner, supports her quest but he has an agenda to keep her safe; he is falling in love with Kyla.

The latest Family Honor tale (see SHATTERED JUSTICE) is a terrific inspirational thriller that subtly conveys the biblical message of good deeds are important but one must give oneself to God to be with the Lord. Kyla is a fabulous center holding the plot together as she is a combination of fortitude and despair. She makes the tale as Karen Ball brings her biblical theme to life in a modern day urban gangland setting.

Harriet Klausner

I love this book. It has inspired to venture out to the Pacific Northwest and go on a tasting tour of my own.

I thought this book was a beautiful book, but lack some information that is useful for those wanting to tour. The book is in order by geograhic location which is very useful and there is good information about the wineries, such as what they produce and a bit of history about the vineyards. But, I found it is not a great touring book. There is no mention of directions to the wineries, there are maps, but having done much wine touring in the Northwest directions are needed. There was also no hours of operation listed for any wineries, this would also be another useful piece of information for planning your tour. It would have also been nice to have some information about the area regarding hotel accomodations and food. My conclusion is if you are a Northwest wine lover, which we are, it is a great coffee table book.

I love this book. It has inspired to venture out to the Pacific Northwest and go on a tasting tour of my own.

This book offers all levels of wine lovers great information. While the geographically-organized chapters are heavy on trechnical topics, the author really tries to explain the reasons each area makes wine and what influences its taste, without talking down to the reader. It also makes a super resource for someone who seeks a touring guide. Every producer in each region is profiled, too, with comprehensive contact information, making planning a wine tour easy. The photos of both winemakers and vineyards are also wonderful. For anyone who loves NW wines or wants to understand them better, this book can't be beat.

Hi, this is Bill Sullivan, the author of this book. Because of the large fires in Southern Oregon this past summer, I've decided to completely update this book. I've rehiked the trails and discovered some interesting new paths. The old edition is now out of print, but I'll have the new second edition available April 1, 2003 -- at the same price. I think it will be worth the wait!

I'm a bit puzzled by the previous review, because Sullivan'sbooks really do have fewer factual errors than most. In fact, he claims to offer a reward to anyone who reports an actual error -- this info is on page 2 of the book -- and he updates the book often, as you can tell by the copyright dates. If the reviewer above really has found a glitch, I'd suggest he report it to Sullivan (the address listed on Sullivan's Website). Maybe the reviewer has an old edition of the book?

I've recently moved to Southern Oregon and this guide has been an invaluable introduction to the hikes in the area. The book is well organized, and does a good job of ranking hikes according to difficulty and seasonality. One failing, however, is the large number of factual errors such as confusing north for south, or mis-stating the number of road miles to the trailhead. These sorts of errors had the positive value of making one more self-sufficient.

Right off the bat, I want you to know that this is a highly biased review.

First, Randi Platt is an old friend of mine, lost for years and then found again after her first Fe-As-Ko book hit the stands. We're such old friends that I know where "Leckner" and "Perrault" came from.

Second, I live in Walla Walla, Washington and if we didn't have a team like this in 1898, we sure did in 1973 when Kurt Russell (that's right - former Disney poster child, then the consummate cyber-soldier, Goldie's husband, etc.) played for the Walla Walla Padres. It was a third-rate farm club for the San Diego Padres, managed by a woman called Peppermint Patty - that alone tells you a lot about the team.

With that said, I loved the book. Problem is, I kept reading it aloud because its language is meant to be spoken. I have the same problem with Garrison Keilor's books.

It begs to be a movie and Russell should star in it. It would be a "Wild Wild West meets Major League".

Anyway, it's a very fun read and a story well-told. Thanks for it, Randi.

um. i think this book is good. um, im gonna use it for my next book to read in class. If is a good book to read. Um, i like baseball. GO METS!

It seems that the FDR writer is back wanting more Fe-As-Ko stories from cowpoke Royal Leckner.

This time it's 1897, Royal and E.M have been married about four years. And so have Leviticus and Lou(ella) Perrault, owners of the Four Arrows ranch. Royal is still foreman of the ranch and caretaker of its owner. As he reminds us, Leviticus and Lou(ella) Perrault are "short a hat size", but "nice and honest, which is better than smart and fox-like any day."

It's time to take the cattle to Portland for the annual sale, and Royal is bringing Leviticus along to teach him how "to sign on the dotted line". E.M. foresees trouble in Portland and decides she'd better go along as well. So the cattle get loaded and all are headed for the city. Except, Leviticus who has managed to walk onto the train, down the aisle and right back off - something's caught his eye. It shouldn't be a surprise that a long-time rock thrower like Leviticus would get fascinated by a base-ball. Once they get Levi back on the train, Lou(ella) says they are going to get themselves a base-ball in Portland.

As it turns out (and things do turn in Royal's life), the buyer isn't available when they go to sell the cattle, so it's declared a day off. E.M's off to buy hats and Royal goes shopping with Levi and Lou(ella). Innocently enough, Royal accepts baseball tickets for an expedition game from one of the local storekeepers. This probably wasn't the best place to take Leviticus for "he may only have a half mind, but the half he does have is damn hard to unset." Worse, Royal runs into E.M.'s half sister and full-time trouble, Augusta, who is also the owner of this Bowery Bulldogs. E.M. shows up and immediately takes exception to find Royal in the club house drinking champagne with Augusta. Knowing this isn't going anywhere right, Royal decides to take his new fishing pole and get out of town, leaving E.M. to sell the cattle.

Days later, E.M. shows up with a wagon overloaded with men passing the bottle, whooping, hollering and following out. These are not men Royal recognizes. Like Jack sent to town to sell a cow, but coming back with magical beans, it seems that Leviticus traded the herd of 1200 cattle for his very own baseball team, just as Lou(ella) said they'd have. Smart and fox-like Augusta had him "sign on the dotted line" when E.M. wasn't looking. And now it is up to the Leckner's to look for the giant beanstalk, despite winter coming, no cash, and ten extra mouths to feed. But E.M. is not without her resources; she has her father sitting in jail, the "seven vestal Burnbaums", daughters of Idlehours late banker, and Lou(ella's savant talent with numbers.

To give the benefit of hindsight to this rather nefarious situation, Platt has Royal Leckner tell his story years after the events while narrating to one of FDR's WPA depression writers. Platt dresses Royal's storytelling with a narration so colorful it's hard not to want to read every line out loud. It's a talented writer that can write a spellbinding story that hangs together right down to the funny bone. And Platt does this yet again in her third fe-as-ko, as she keep the plot moving, the bases loaded, and the pages turning until it all adds up to another home run for us, the readers of these fe-as-kos.

This book was very useful in my trip around south central Alaska. The content was up to date and specific and his reviews of the restaurants/lodging held true. As radio connections were sporadic, we took turns in reading the guide out loud as we traveled from one place to another. Not only was it very informative, but also Don's humor was a pleasant addition. Use other books for research, but bring this one along.

This book has been truely invaluable in preparing for a trip. It is not written in the normal dry style of many travel planners, but with wit and humor. As I read through the tidbits on the communities the author's dry humor and research come through. He is not afraid to tell you where the tourist traps are and when those self-same traps are worth a look because of the tacky items in them. The commentaries are honest and straight forward. Well worth the read if you are planning a trip to Alaska.

I'm the original author of this book, having researched and written the 1st edition in 1983. After that, I got very involved in writing about the South Pacific islands and had to bow out, so I'm happy to see the way Deke and Don have developed the book through five subsequent editions. Last summer my wife and I returned to the area and tried following my old edition. It was striking how little had changed and we enjoyed our trip immensely. We pitched our tent on some of the same sites I'd used nearly two decades earlier! I suggest you use the far superior new edition of Alaska-Yukon - it's a wonderful part of the world, and you're in for a real adventure.

Once again I have purchased a "Road and Recreation Atlas" and found little or no mine locations. My recreation is prospecting/metal detecting and rockhounding and while the contents state "mines" they are few and far between if at all. Are they trying to tell me there was very little mining in Oregon or that I should choose a new hobby because they don't classify mine as a "recreation". I think they are just trying to say that their maps are just not accurate enough or their "Field Checkers" (oxymoron if I've ever heard one) are so lazy or dumb, they can't locate a mine with a GPS? All me and a few other amateur explorers are asking for is a general location of mines, and we don't expect it to be spot on. That would enable us to plan a little bit and hopefully not get lost doing it. If it says "mine location" then it should show them. DeLorme does on most of their Atlas and Gazetteer's so why can't Benchmark?~desertdan

Benchmark are absolutely the best road atlases out there. I have the AZ, UT, OR, and CA maps that I have purchased for trips (I use my CA one all the time, but I live here) and find them invaluable. I can always find my way when lost, and they really do a great job of showing detail that you wouldn't expect, even in metro areas. They show the most random and remote Forest Service or BLM roads, and points of interest on those roads that you would otherwise need specialty maps to see. If there's a dirt road or otherwise going there, these maps show it. Highly recommended!

If you are going to do much traveling in the more rural areas of Oregon, then this Atlas is almost a necessity. I had the 1998 edition and just purchased this one (2006) to help with our travels this summer. I have found it to be accurate and it has almost all of the roads that are available to a modern automobile - it might keep a person from getting lost and it certainly helps if you are planning a trip into an area with which you are not too familiar.

We took a trip to Portland over a long weekend, and this guide was incredibly useful. Although we used the web to make our hotel reservations, we use this guide for everything else. The food reservations were always spot on, as were the things to do reservations.

Very complete. 200 restaurant reviews includingcuisine, price range, address, phone number, web site and location on map. The 'Things to Do' section was great also. These editors have actually been there. The 'Lodging' and 'Nightlife' sections seemed just as good as the rest of the book.

Now in an updated sixth edition, Best Places: Portland is a handy travel guide to the best restaurants, lodgings, sights, shopping, and more to be found in Portland, Oregon. Icons for "editor's choice", "good (monetary) value", "family", and "romance" allow for quick and easy selection of Portland features to suit one's needs. Best Places: Portland prides itself on only mentioning the best of the best; even one-star establishments will be a cut above. Suggested day trips and three-day itineraries will aid the reader in maximizing enjoyment on minimum funds. Best Places: Portland is not a catch-all travel guide; it focuses specifically on listing "must-see" places along with brief descriptions, addresses, websites, and so on. A superb resource for business or leisure travelers alike.