Product Description

In the closest thing he may ever write to an autobiography, Chuck Palahniuk provides answers to all these questions and more as he takes you through the streets, sewers and local haunts of Portland, Oregon. According to Katherine Dunn, author of the cult classic "Geek Love", Portland is the home of America's 'fugitives and refugees.' Get to know these folks, the "most cracked of the crackpots,' as Palahniuk calls them, and come along with him on an adventure through the parts of Portland you might not otherwise actually believe actually exist. No other travel guide will give you this kind of access to "a little history, a little legend, and a lot of friendly sincere, fascinating people who maybe should've kept their mouths shut." Here are strange personal museums, wierd annual events and ghost stories. Tour the tunnels under downtown Portland. Visit swingers' sex clubs, gay and straight. See Frances Gabe's famous 1940's Self-cleaning house. Look into strange local customs like the I-Tit-a-Rod Race and the Santa rampage. Learn how to talk like a local in a quick vocabulary lesson. Get to know, I mean really get to know, the animals at the Portland Zoo. Oh, the list goes on and on.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73299 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

From the Publisher
By the Author of Fight Club

About the Author
Chuck Palahniuk is the author of Fight Club (made into a film by director David Fincher), Survivor, Invisible Monsters, Choke and Lullaby. His latest novel is Diary. For more information, visit www chuckpalahniuk.net

Customer Reviews

It is what it is
I would certainly not recommend this book for people who are not hardcore fans of Palahniuk - its a short book containing anecdotes about his home city, Portland, Oregon.

It would certainly be of interest if you planned to travel there, and this is the only reason I picked it up myself despite being a Palahniuk fan.

Many of the stories are quite amusing, and the affection that he has for the city is infectious. It is also interesting in a sense that it is as close to an autobiographical work we will get of Palahniuk, so long time fans of his will definitely find something in here for them.

Ultimately, while this is not a book i would recommend to many people, I did enjoy it and do not regret purchasing it.

In short - buy if you think you would be interested in some mildly amusing tales about the author and the city, or if you plan to visit there soon.

(Or if you happen to be from the City of Roses, then stop reading and get purchasing!)

A dime short of a dollar
Its hard when a book by your favourite author doesn't live up to your expectation. Nonetheless, this book starts well, and although I had no interest in the city itself, the anecdotes throughout the book will entertain fans of Non Fiction and Haunted.

This book is for Chuck enthusiasts or anyone interested in alternative travel autobiographies (a new genre?).

An excellent alternative guide to Portland
If you want to explore a side of Portland that you won't find in any other guide books then this is the book for you. From the underground Shanghai tunnels to the self cleaning house, this will amaze and entertain even life long Portland residents. If you're visiting the Rose City or have lived here for years, you will surely find this a fun and fantastic read.