Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Teaser Tuesday Oregon Two-fer: Wild in the City and Portland in Three Centuries



Today it is not uncommon to look up and see the sickle-shaped silhouette of a peregrine falcon slicing through the clouds above our city.  The peregrine haunts our urban landscape just as it has passed gracefully above medieval cathedrals and castle ramparts for centuries. 
-- Wild in the City: Exploring the Intertwine: The Portland-Vancouver Region's Network of Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas by Michael C. Houck and M. J. Cody, from OSU Press.  This book is a must-have book for any Portland explorer.



The tens of thousands of shipyard workers, many of whom were unmarried or without their families, also had money for liquor, gambling, and prostitution.  While the circulation of books from the public library dropped, the pari-mutuel handle at the dog tracks skyrocketed.

-- Portland in Three Centuries: The Place and the People by Carl Abbott, also published by OSU Press.

This is a concise, readable history of Portland, here describing the rollicking days of WWII, when Portland's shipyards thrived.  The shipyards are pretty quiet now, as are the dog tracks, but we still have -- by reputation at least -- the most strip clubs and breweries, per capita, of any major city in the US. 


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 



7 comments :

  1. Funny about the dog tracks. I think running, beautiful scenery, and energetic young professionals when I think of Portland. Since my husband is a native of Maine, we call it "the other Portland."

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  2. Both are great teasers. I have a thing for birds of prey, so the first one really appeals to me. Here's my teaser from the bestselling novel of 1900: To Have and to Hold.

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  3. Nice Teasers, both!

    The release of the movie John Carter has prompted me to read some classics that I've never read before, and this week I'm reading The Gods of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Here's my Teaser:
    http://sunnyreads.blogspot.com/2012/03/teaser-tuesday-gods-of-mars.html

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  4. Interesting teasers. Thanks for sharing. My teaser is here.

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  5. Barbara: Portland has always had a seamy underbelly. We always blame the shipyard days, but I think it's the rain. ;-)

    Jenny: I am intrigued by the idea of a 1900 best seller. I'll come by to check it out.

    Sunny: Thanks for leaving your link. Vintage sci-fi is about the only sci-fi that catches my fancy.

    Julie: Thanks for visiting and leaving your link.

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  6. Really interesting teasers.

    http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/03/teaser-tuesday_20.html

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  7. I am a new follower. I found your blog on Faded Parchment and thought I'd check it out.
    Milan
    milanswonderfulworld.blogspot.com

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