Humanities of Portland 2025
Notable Women of Portland 
Notable Women of Portland by Tracy J. Prince and Zadie Schaffer (2017)
Intro: Mother-daughter authors Tracy Prince, PhD, and Zadie Schaffer created a book that, according to Prince, “goes into the messy parts of history. History is messy, and I don’t believe in cleaning it up.”
From the cover: “The story of Portland, Oregon, like much of history, has usually been told with a focus on male leaders. This book offers a reframing of Portland’s history—starting from 10,000 years of Native American women, to pioneer women, to women of the Progressive Era, WWI, WWII, and post-war women, with additional chapters on Women in the Arts and Women in Politics.”
Pair with: Women of Nob Hill Tour (Slabtown Tours)
Blue Moon over Thurman Street
Blue Moon over Thurman Street by Ursula K. Le Guin (1994)
Intro: Ursula Kroeber Le Guin lived just a short walk from Friendly House on Thurman Street. Though best known for her 23 science fiction novels, Blue Moon over Thurman Street combines her poetry with Roger Dorband’s photography. Their seven-year collaboration captures not only a beloved Portland neighborhood but a slice of American life.
Optional: Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin’s only science fiction book based in Portland, OR.
Pair with: Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin (2018) directed by Arwen Curry
Burying My Dead
Burying My Dead by Bettie Lennett Denny (2018) 
Intro: Before moving to Oregon, Bettie Denny had a career in TV broadcasting and PR for non-profits. In this historical fiction, she revives a character from a previous work to explore the history of Portland through layered timelines and visits to meaningful city landmarks.
Pair with visit to: John Wilson Room, Oregon Historical Society, Portland Chinatown Museum
Portland Confidential Sex Crime & Corruption in the Rose City
Portland Confidential Sex Crime & Corruption in the Rose City (2018) by Phil Stanford
Intro: Former Portland Tribune columnist Phil Stanford weaves an entertaining tale of 1950s Portland, rife with crime and corruption. Featuring archival photos, the story culminates in 1957, when Bobby Kennedy, then a lawyer for the Senate Rackets Committee, broadcasts the city’s secrets on national television.
During our club meeting the author reminded us that story did not end in the 1950s. He likes to wait for 25-35 years to pass before touching on these true crime stories:
The Peyton-Allan Files by Phil Stanford (2010)
Pair with: Drug Store Cowboy (1989), directed by Gus Van Sant
Bonus visit Filming locations 1) Irving Apartments – 2127 Northwest Irving Street 2) Nob Hill Pharmacy – 2100 Northwest Glisan Street…
Punjabi Rebels of the Columbia River
Punjabi Rebels of the Columbia River: The Global Fight for Indian Independence and Citizenship by Johanna Ogden (2024)
Intro: Johanna Ogden, a Portland-based independent historian and activist, explores the lives of Indian migrant laborers in Oregon who supported the Indian independence movement. Her book examines citizenship, labor, whiteness, and an overlooked chapter in U.S. and Indian history.
Pair with: Pot Luck (Indian Food) or local Indian Food Restaurant there are a number of options in NW Portland: Swagat Indian Cuisine, Siri Indian Cuisine, Bhuna Restaurant and Haveli – NW Portland.
In St. Johns: Naan N Curry
Portland’s Audacious Champion
Portland’s Audacious Champion: How Bill Naito Overcame Anti-Japanese Hate and Became an Intrepid Civic Leader by Erica Naito-Campbell (2024)
Intro: Bill Naito, son of Japanese immigrants, became one of Portland’s most influential civic leaders. His granddaughter Erica Naito-Campbell tells his story, highlighting projects like Montgomery Park—just blocks from Friendly House.
Pair with: Trip to Portland Japanese Garden
More Than Just Fun and Games
More Than Just Fun and Games: the life and legacy of Charles Jordan (2014) By Charles Jordan
Intro: Charles Jordan was Portland’s first African-American city commissioner (1974–1984) and namesake of the Charles Jordan Community Center. His autobiography reflects on his groundbreaking work in parks and recreation and environmental leadership. Friendly House has purchased 10 copies for wider access that can be checked out onsite.
African Americans of Portland
Author: Kimberly Stowers Moreland years of working to preserve the history and buildings of Black in Portland and in the State of Oregon. Pair with a walking tour led by The Oregon Black Pioneers.
African Americans of Portland by Kimberly Stowers Moreland (2013)
Intro: Kimberly Stowers Moreland is a small business owner with an MBA in Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management from George Fox University. Her urban planning and non-profit experience support her work in community development. She has contributed extensively to Oregon Black Pioneers’ publications and exhibits. This book is a spring board for a longer quest to amplify the significance of African Americans in the development of Portland.
Flour Water Salt Yeast
Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish (2012)
Intro: Ken’s Artisan Bakery is a staple of the Portland food scene. This book is “part technical treatise, part cookbook and part love letter to the staff of life… Mr. Forkish lays it all out in lucid, straightforward prose.” – The Wall Street Journal.
Pair with trip to Ken’s Artisan Bakery 338 NW 21st Avenue, Portland, OR 97209.
Chasing The Dead
Chasing The Dead by Tom Towslee (2023)
Intro: Former journalist Tom Towslee worked in public relations and political communications. His novel follows a down-on-his-luck journalist navigating Portland’s darker corners.
“Standard’s job at a Portland, Oregon, daily newspaper was gone along with his wife, the Blazers and Duck tickets (Gone Ducks), and the house…”
The Traveling Archivist 
The Traveling Archivist Eastern Oregon by Mary B. Hansen (2025)
Intro: Mary B. Hansen, a retired archivist, once trained our leader in archival best practices. Her novel follows Della, who uncovers long-buried documents detailing the massacre of 34 Chinese gold miners—a chilling discovery that rattles the community’s self-image.
Pair with: Trip to City of Portland Archives and Records Center
This webpage post contains affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Images of the 2025 bookclub authors and gatherings.