Start Reading The Portland Red Guide: Sites Stories Of Our Radical Past Engineered By Michael Munk Accessible From Bound Copy

become especially interested in PDX history over the last few years and this guide did not disappoint, Seeing how one movement was a precursor to another movement, I found information about individuals in these movements who seemed to push even beyond their own limits to work toward the ideas they believed in.


I'm especially looking forward to getting outside to do some of the walking tours and experiencing more of this history in the areas it took place.
Where are the Portland suffragists and feminists History is fascinating, but this look at Portland's "radical" history didn't exactly hold my interest.
The constant entries about demonstrations and strikes became a little tedious, That being said, the book is intended as a sort of travel guide to show you the different places in Portland where these radical events took place.
The interior is very well designed with good maps and interesting pictures, There were a couple of very blatant typos that any copy editor should have fixed before this was printed,

The book is well done, even if the topic isn't my cup of tea, Wow. I learned an incredible amount of the history of social movements in Portland from this book, . . union organizing, secret police squads, Black Panther connections, and tons more, The book includes maps of historical buildings and sites, tons of historical photos, and is well researched, I'm looking forward to doing my own 'Portland red walking tour' sometime soon, The Portland Red Guide is set up as sort ofbooks in one: a tour guide book the highlights key landmarks in the city related to its theme of Portland's history with leftist activism complete with maps, and a history book on the same topic divided into concise but informative bitesized pieces, organized into small paragraphs or sections highlighting an important individual, organization, establishment, or event in Portland's red history.
Each of these sections is numbered and attached to a related landmark which is marked on the map at the end of each chapter, although the book notes that a number of these landmarks no longer exist in their original forms or cannot be accessed by the public.


I read this as a history book rather than as a guidebook, so I can't speak to its success as a useful tool in touring the city, but it is a striking and profound look into Portland's history with labor unions, socialism, antiracist activism and the racist atrocities that spurred them, women's rights, and antifascism.
As mentioned, the historical recountings are divided into specific subjects which are individually given a paragraph or two of explanation as to their relevance to Portland's left, and these passages are written with passion and investment while still striking an informative, almost academic tone.
The writing is engaging and the history is captivating, and the way the book is divided into small passages makes it easy to read in small bursts without getting information overload.
While there are some obvious editing and formatting issues with the book, a few technical bumps doesn't detract much from the interesting history on this tragically underrepresented topic that will leave you eager to go out and learn more about Portland's past and present with leftist movements.


Given its focus on labor, antifascism, and antiracism movements in Portland's history, The Portland Red Guide is a very timely examination of the city's relationship to the oppressive forces of capitalism.
The Portland Red Guide covers much of Portlands radical past, particularly that of Socialists, Communists, and working class people who spoke truth to power.
It also describes situations in which those in power, whether politicians or police, oppressed people they find threatening, The book is divided into different time periods, from the nineteenth century to the present, It includes Wobblies, doctors who performed abortions, black people harassed by racist cops, Communists and sympathizers attacked by McCarthyism, and so much more.


I would have liked to have seen more on the womens movement, and neither the Freedom Socialist Party nor its feminist branch Radical Women is ever mentioned.
For that matter, Radical Womens headquarters, The Bread and Roses Center on Killingsworth Street, isnt included , nor is In Other Words: Women's Books and Resources.
The Latin root for radical is "going to the root," not "extreme, " Yet overall, this is a fascinating and informative book about a side of Portland often overlooked in mainstream history books.


The book includes not only historical and biographical information, but also site listings with exact street addresses and maps, so the reader can take walks around Portland and see locations mentioned in the book.
As a Portlander, I found it exciting to read about places Ive seen or visited numerous times, and to anticipate looking for significant places mentioned in the Red Guide.
Both history book and guide book, the Portland Red Guide will have a second, updated edition soon from Ooligan Press.

interesting subbaculture history bits from Stumptown's edgy political underbelly, I really liked the maps and photos, If one was seriously into our "little Beirut" past, they could take a tour now of all the important sites.
Lots of obscure factoids even for you nonrabble rousers, While The Portland Red Guide functions like a travel guide it reads more like a history book of social dissent.
I almost want to call it a “peoples history” of the city of Portland, but comparing it to Zinns work is a stretch.
What the book does best is provide a timeline for socialist and communist activities in this city, highlighting events and individuals who have been ignored by the conformist and counterrevolutionary historians.
The book surprisingly opens up Portlands history, making it appear not as boring as John Reed made it out to be.


The book is divided into chapters that cover specific eras, and each chapter has its own group of maps and photos that are supposed to function like a walking tour of Portland.
One of my complaints about this book is that the photos and maps can often be confusing, I wish there would have been a more direct way to identify where a certain picture was like a page number, rather than just including the photo icon by the entry.
I also had a hard time finding numbers on the maps, Perhaps it would have been better if the text, photos, and maps were more intertwined

The book itself is quite valuable, and while it includes the prominent figures and their relations to Portland such Emma Goldman, Woody Guthrie, Joe Hill, the Black Panthers, the IWW, and

so on it often touches on obscure facts.
One of the most surprising entries for me was for the “Battle of the Park Blocks,” a conflict that occurred in Maybetween Police and antiwar activists in the Park Blocks near Portland State.
The brief entry on theanarchist riot that occurred outside of the famed XRay Café was also a pleasant surprise.
Yet, my biggest complaint about the book is that it only seems to skim over the anarchist and feminist histories, heavily favoring the socialist and communists ones.


Michael Munks field book, The Portland Red Guide, reminds me of Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States.
Both books are chock full of moments when you realize the historical stories youve been told dont include everyone, I frequently read nonfiction and often read historical books, and Munks title is right up there with the best of them.
Plus, The Portland Red Guide is written as a sort of field guide, so you can travel throughout Portland, walking in the footsteps of the radicals who helped to shape the city.
Its a book anyone with even a moderate interest in Portland will enjoy thumbing through, while history buffs will want to sit down and devour the whole thing.
Is your house down the block from WWresisters' headquarters Did a worker's strike take over your office building inWas your neighborhood where all the Wobblies lived These questions and more are answered by the Portland Red Guide.


The The Portland Red Guide's dedication reads "To those who worked for a better world rather than their own place in the present one.
"

What are you doing to get your house on the map for theedition! The Portland Red Guide is a perfect read for those looking to learn more about the connection of Portlands radical history to physical sites.
The author does an amazing job at exploring the past history of Portland, Oregon by telling stories and discussing sites of radicalism through several different time periods, rather than simply inputting historical images.
With sources from the Portland Police Bureau and the infamous Red Squad, this book is a great testament to records of hostile spying radicals, civil rights, and peace activists from Portlands to thes.


While reading through The Portland Red Guide, I found it really interesting that the author wanted to stir up history from the stories instead of the structures of buildings.
He explains that many of the sites he discusses, which is true in the illustrations, that readers wont be fascinated by whats pictured, but will be intrigued by the history itself.
There were so many recollections of past poets, authors, and editors that made changes in society through their works, as well as tales of historical sites.
One that caught my attention described what was once the White Eagle Saloon, now owned by McMenamins, held a Polish Progress Group upon its opening.
Rumors spread that it was hosting meetings for plans to assassinate William Howard Taft, Falsely accused, the Portland Police Bureau felt that was enough to shut the establishment down immediately!

Historical stories such as this are what make The Portland Red Guide such an intriguing read.
Would highly recommend! Chockfull of information, maps, and historical photos! Like many of those who migrate to Portland like moths to something of an odd flame, I am inclined to the political left.
My Marxist bonafides notwithstanding, I am a dabbler in history and the history of leftist movements in particular, If you are a regular listener to Dave Anthony and Garreth Reynolds The Dollop, you will no doubt have developed a taste, as I have, for the, often bizarre, turns which the lives of revolutionary thinkers tend to take.
If you listen to the aforementioned podcast, you have also likely heard the history of perambulation as a pastime, At the risk of limiting the audience of this book on my recommendation, I will confess to being both an amateur historian and a consummate walker.
If you are like me, and I suspect you must be to have read so far, then I cannot recommend Munks guide to the radical history of this fair city the one in Oregon, not the brunchy burb in Maine enough.
Complete with maps, recommended tours, black and white photographs throughout, and clearly signposted crossreferences for those prone to Wikipedia dives, Munk offers a guide which is at once unputdownable and suitable for brief consultation when one finds oneself wanting to know more about what the Wobblies have to do with the White Eagle Saloon now owned by McMenamins or about the chronicling of Oregons Hoovervilles and slums by the famed photographer Dorothea Lange.
Munk writes with authority and invitationally, welcoming you to take a walk and breathe in a bit of the leftist history of this fine city, a practice that becomes only the more important as the forces of white nationalism and socalled Conservatism seek foothold in a place where they are assuredly not welcome.
Beware this book, however, you readers of the world, if you arent keen to lose your chains, For those interested in learning more about Portland's rich, radical history, whether a Portlander or a visitor, pick up Michael Munk's The Portland Red Guide.
Not only does it offer readers a rich, comprehensive examination of historical events that took place in Portland, but it also provides photos and maps to help give the reader a visual.
The book is designed so that sites mentioned are colored in red and are marked on maps, making them easy to follow.
As an added bonus, there are four detailed walking tours at the end of the book allowing readers to wander around Portland and experience the history themselves.
The walking tours are mostly under one mile, making them easy for anyone, Munks book explores the history of forgotten radicals who helped shape the city and its culture, I learned so much about the social movements that happened in Portland and the citys subculture, Having recently moved to Portland I thought this book was great as an introduction to citys culture and how it has evolved over the years.
And because its written as a field guide for Portland with photos and maps, you can follow those very footsteps.
This book is great for history buffs but also for anyone interested in learning more about the unique history and culture of Portland.
Boring in the way you'd expect an encyclopedic rendering to be, Some of the individual entries were quite interesting though, When I first arrived in Portland about five years ago, people who'd been here longer spoke at length about how fastand how muchthe city was changing.
I didn't notice it so much until a couple of years ago, when the bigcity crustiness started to recede to the edges.
With that recession, manyincluding myselfworry that the city's unique, notalwaysrosy history might get lost in the shuffle of yoga studios and broth bars.


But I digress, What I love about Munk's book is that it provides those who may only have a pop culturebased understanding of Portland with the rich history that still fuels the political activism in the city.
Portland may catch some heat for being too curated these days, but an active citizenry is still a hallmark of this city.
To see the roots for today's activists laid out in an easytofollow, chronological retelling is refreshing, informative, and inspiring for those who wax poetic about "old" Portland.
Munk's history and discussion of Portland was a good starting off point, At times it felt more like a zine that someone I knew wrote, instead of a comprehensive guide to the radical times and history in Portland.
The author adds an ending note of 'if I missed something, sorry! There's, like, a lot of history!" but I was still confused why some things were put in and not others.
I suppose I also just needed a bigger overall picture of Portland's story before I dug in with the radical retellings of if.


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