Posts filed under ‘Reviews’
Jan. 15, 2008 (Vol. 14, No. 6) – Oregoniana
Libby, Brian. “Tales from the Oregon Ducks Sideline.” Much better than the standard team biography- this book on the University of Oregon’s football team moves along in short 2-3 paragraph “chapterettes”, has good photographs, and actually pays some attention to pre-1980s Oregon football. Libby is a sportswriter for various publications. He skips some controversies (the ridiculous locker room, glossing over recruiting and scholarship violations) and sticks entirely to the football field, but for what it is, it’s good.
The reading level works for 6th graders on up, I’d say. For some reason, the publisher used pure white paper. When are they going to learn? 97819701823 Sports Publishing LLC, 2007. $20.
Cutler, Robin R. “A Soul on Trial: A Marine Corps Mystery at the Turn of the Century.” Back in 1907 James Sutton, a Portlander from NW Hory Street who had joined the Marines, died on the grounds of the Naval Academy in Annapolis of a gunshot to the head after suffering a beating. His death was originally ruled a suicide, but his mother pushed for hearings that became a national sensation. (For example, the NY Times had 57 articles and six editorials on the matter.) Well praised in David Loftus review in the Oregonian, from which this is cribbed. Rowan & Littlefield, 2007. 400 p. $27.
Berg, Laura. “The First Oregonians” 2d edition. A long-overdue update of a 1991 title. This book has 17 chapters by different authors, covering the federally recognized tribes in Oregon, and general chapters on Languages, the culture of the tribes and pow-wows, art, and how the state’s geography affected the First Oregonians traditional and current lives.Two important reasons to have this book are that, unlike the first edition, it has an index, and second, that it updates the tribal histories to include more information on the “termination” of several reservations in the 20th century, and in some cases, their restoration. It also includes information on the casino boom, and other efforts to create a sound economic base for the tribes. The cover is much better, and in color. Unfortunately, the photographs are printed in a mediocre manner, as opposed to the crisper images of the 1st edition, so be sure to keep the 1991 edition if you have it, and (save the time of the reader) put a note in the 2d edition that the first has better photos. For all Oregon Libraries. Oregon Council for the Humanities, 2007, Paperback, 348 pages, index and bibliography.
— Tony Greiner can be reached at tony_greiner@hotmail.com
Dec. 1, 2007 (Vol. 14, no. 3) – Oregoniana Reviews
Oregon Public Broadcasting has produced a video, “Oregon at War” that it has been running recently. Unlike many OPB offerings, this one is available for purchase, and at $20, a bargain. I have not seen it, but understand that it has interesting footage and comentary on things such as the Mexican farm-labor “bracero” program, training camps, and other things not normally part of World War II reporting.
Oregon at War
60 min on 1 DVD
List $19.95
Member $17.95
deMotier, Beren. “The Brides of March: Memoir of a Same-Sex Marriage.” DeMotier is one of the people who married during Multnomah County’s ill-fated legalization of same-sex marriages. Rebecca Ragain’s review in the Hollywood Star-News says Beren’s book is “accessible and humorous.” As far as I know, the only memoir of this interesting time in Oregon’s history. 147 pages, Pb, $15.95.
Available at Amazon, Broadway Books (1714 NE Broadway) and Barberama
(2935 NE Broadway.) http://www.thebridesofmarch.com
O’Toole, Randal. “The Best-Laid Plans.” O’Toole (who lives in Bandon) provides a refreshing opposition to the group-think of the Government Planning crowd. His “Vanishing Automobile and Other Myths” targeted the waste that accompanies light-rail and similar projects. He expands his scope in this volume to criticize excesses in government planning in general. How fresh to see pointed criticism on zoning laws that require dense housing, the myth that light rail leads to development (anyone who has taken the train to the Portland airport knows the barren field at “Cascades Station”); “Smart Growth” plans and other government efforts to control where and how we live. This book is not limited to Oregon, but does contain many pages on Oregon, and several chapters specifically on Portland. An essential purchase for academic libraries, and for our bigger public libraries. Cato Institute, 2007. Extensive index and end notes. $23. ISBN – 9781933995076
—Tony Greiner, PCC
