Offering a much deeper and richer experience of the place than a travel book, this sampling will interest visitors to Portland, Oregon as well as residents whose daily life includes not only the places mentioned in the book but also the cultural atmosphere of the city. Trombold (Linfield College, Oregon) and Donahue (Birmingham-Southern College, Alabama) present portions of histories, memoirs, autobiographies, short stores, novels, and news reports--80-plus selections in all--describing views of early days as well as the city's evolution and contemporary life. Some of the writers have national stature, others are local, or, in two cases, anonymous. Each selection is introduced with information about the author and the context. Small b&w historical photos add another dimension. Though not usual in an anthology of this type, an index would have been a welcome enhancement. Published by the University of Washington Press, with Oregon Historical Society. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)