In Search of Western Oregon [Paperback]

Ralph Friedman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1990

Distributed by the University of Nebraska Press for Caxton Press

This is the definitive guide for things to see and to do in western Oregon. This volume is packed with historical details, folklore, anecdotes, geology, fishing, flora, fauna, biography, hiking trails, and a good deal more. These elements are combined with photos of thousands of off-the-beaten-path finds.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Someone, contemplating a trip through Oregon should, by all means, carry this book. But for those, who elect to stay home, Friedman''s book is of interest also for the book comes close to being a state encyclopedia."—Charles K. Graydon, Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin

(Charles K. Graydon Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin )

About the Author

A Chicagoan by birth, Ralph Friedman first saw Oregon at the age of seventeen after hitchhiking and riding boxcars across the country. He has written on every state and continent except Antarctica - but Oregon is his major interest. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 782 pages
• Publisher: Caxton Press; First Edition edition (January 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870043323
• ISBN-13: 978-0870043321
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #989,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love-Song To A State, July 27, 2003

By 

W. C HALL (Newport, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Search of Western Oregon (Paperback)

Ralph Friedman hitchhiked his way to Oregon in 1933 as a 16-year-old. He spent the next six decades or so lovingly chronicling the unique people and places of his adopted state.

"In Search of Western Oregon" is really a culmination of his life's work. Yes, it's structured as a travel guide; but it's also much more. Friedman covers the well-known sites and history, but his clear emphasis is on the forgotten faces and places that are such an essential part of the Beaver State. Many of the photographs in this book are by Friedman's wife, Phoebe, his partner in both life and work.

Friedman's earlier "Oregon For The Curious," also still in print, offers a similar, but less comprehensive, treatment of both halves of the state. Separately, or together, they provide a unique overview of this diverse, beautiful, often still wild state, and the people who have attempted to find a life in harmony with it. It's wonderful for the armchair traveler and invaluable for anyone who has the desire and opportunity to travel off the beaten path.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-have for locals, March 28, 2001

By 

Carbonbased "Carbonbased" (Pacific NW) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Search of Western Oregon (Paperback)

People from other states should settle for something thin, like Scenic Driving Oregon, but for natives who are looking to explore deeper, who have wondered what's up that pigpath, this is the very best. Too bad he didn't do Eastern Oregon in the same manner.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for going "off the beaten path"., November 16, 2009

By 

C. Sullivan "2boyzmom" (Beaverton, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Search of Western Oregon (Paperback)

I purchased this book to help me find some 'off the beaten path' locations in and around Washington County. Its not written as a guide book for the casual tourist. Rather, its really meant for people who are already familiar with the general locale. Familiarity with the general streets and locations will aid considerably for successfully locating your 'out of the way' place of choice. Once you get the hang of the book and it's instructions it you'll find yourself in places you didn't know existed. I was particularly excited about the volume of cemeteries mentioned in the book. These hold incredibly rich clues to the life and times of the areas and can be a valuable source of local history. This is well worth the $14.95 I paid for it.