An Architectural Guidebook to Portland

Now in an updated and expanded second edition reflecting Portland's growth in the twenty-first century, An Architectural Guidebook to Portland is teacher Bart King's guide to the amazing buildings that distinguish Portland, Oregon as a place worthy of sightseeing. From 19th-century cast-iron front buildings to the Old Town and Chinatown to the breathtaking downtown bridges and much more, An Architectural Guidebook to Portland is sure to intrigue architecture enthusiasts, Portland tourists, and armchair travelers alike. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this blend of historic preservation and history vignettes, which features over 250 separate entries.

[Review of the second edition] When I accepted the offer to receive and review a copy of the book An Architectural Guidebook To Portland, Second Edition by Bart King, I'll admit I wasn't waiting with anticipation for it to show up. In fact, had his request not had the line "No pressure! The book is particularly helpful as a cure for insomnia, however.", I probably would have let it pass. But much to my surprise, this was far more fun to read than I expected, and I'm glad I had the chance to see it. Contents: Introduction; Downtown; Cultural District, Government Center; Yamhill; Old Town - Chinatown; The Pearl; Northwest; Southwest; Southeast; Northeast; Downtown Bridges; Glossary; Photo Credits; Bibliography; Index Portland has a very rich and colorful history from the early days as "Stumptown" to the present. And going into old historic sites fascinate me, as I can often "feel the past" when I imagine what things must have been like back then. But reading a book where someone waxes eloquent about the finer points of Romanesque versus Richardsonian Romanesque doesn't do a thing for me. Fortunately, this book is *far* from that. King divides up the city into some basic areas, and then covers approximately 20 to 30 buildings of note in each, ranging from the late 1800's to buildings that are due to start in the upcoming year. The first difference I noticed is that his choices are not all "excellent" examples of some style or architect. In fact, a number of his choices were voted "ugliest building in Portland" by various panels. You may not necessarily agree with the opinions, but he's not afraid to point out both thoroughbreds and nags. And he does it with a sharp and cutting sense of humor. Each selection usually has a short inset or sidebar that contains an interesting factoid that brings the building's history to life. Even the glossary is worth reading (yes, I was *that* hooked!). My favorite was probably the definition of portico... "A covered porch. There are many different styles. You do not care." It's not often I laugh out loud when reading. Especially so when architecture is the subject matter. This was a definite exception. "Serious" students of architecture might feel that King doesn't treat the subject matter with the reverence that it deserves. To that I say, get a life. But for the average person who goes to work in downtown Portland every day without noticing the rich history around them, this book is a true gem.

I picked up a copy of this book in the Portland Airport, although I will confess that I didn't have high hopes for it. This guidebook turned out to be a great traveling companion. Its short entries are perfect for bursts of reading, and the the book really keeps the history (and humor!) flowing. I appreciated the book's ongoing commentary and interesting (even bizarre) facts. King seems to have done a great job of providing a thorough overview of the city's buildings, from the oldest to ones from the 21st century. I would not only highly recommend this book for the casually interested, and the architecture expert, but also for the disinterested . . . it will hook them in!

I bought this book because I work with the author. I assumed it would gather dust on the coffee table while making me look smarter for owning it. BIG SURPRISE!! I finished my novel and picked up Mr. King's book last week. I have to tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Not only did I find stories about places I have been, I learned about new places I would like to see. The bullets at the end of each section are some of the best writing, in my opinion. Mr. King's voice in this book carries the reader through. Enjoy!!

King's book is modern day masterpeice. He takes a subject hard to write or read about (architecture) and a city not famously known for its architecture (Portland) and creates a wonderful read. I am a resident of Portland and I have only heard of a minority of the builings in the book. It astonishes me how little I know about my own city. I highly recommend An Architectural Giudebook to Portland.