Wildness is as much a perception as reality.-- 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 good inspiration to get out there and do some hiking!
The Pacific Northwest was an international trouble spot in 1845.-- Portland in Three Centuries: The Place and the People by Carl Abbott, also published by OSU Press. It looks like a concise, readable history of Portland, and I love the cool zine cover.
A Few More Pages hosts Book Beginnings every Friday. The event is open for the entire week.