books: review
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FUGITIVES AND REFUGEES: A Walk in Portland, Oregon (2003)
Aside from the Trailblazers I didn’t know anything about Portland, but
now I want to make a road trip!
By John
C. Lyons
Senior Staff Writer
Written by: Chuck Palahniuk
Format: Paperback
Price: $16.00
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
ISBN: 1400047838
Genre: Travel Essays
In Fugitives and Refugees, the new travelogue released this week and written by author Chuck Palahniuk, we get to take a peek at all the interesting, crazy, and naughty things that Portland, its outskirts, and its underground have to offer. And Palahniuk gets to do something that he loves: listen to other people’s stories and log all the highlights for the rest of us to read in awe.
Granted there are a few sections of non-humorous, travel items here that you would expect to find in any travelogue, but each I found to be quite informative and most are interesting to read. You’ve got recipes, zoos, photo opportunities, landmarks, etc. But the thing that makes this travel book something that I (and others who wouldn’t normally read a book of this kind) found worth the investment is that it may be the closest thing to an autobiography of Chuck that fans can read. And usually it is damn hilarious!
Between each section focusing on a particular element of Portland, Chuck inserts a “postcard” which takes a glimpse into his life at a particular time. For people with no sense of humor or who don’t know Palahniuk’s work these postcards and the book itself will probably only succeed in some sort of terrifying reaction and could quite possibly hurt tourism in Portland, but for the rest of us this is the meat of the little gem! Here you have Chuck and fighting, Chuck and drugs, Chuck and music videos, Chuck and parties, and much more!
This travelogue could quite possibly turn off as many people as it will turn on to the city. When Palahniuk graduated from high school he moved away to Portland, as he says many people have because it is the cheapest city on the west coast (hence the title of the book). I have not read many travel books (ok, none) but I would guess I am correct in suggesting that most travel books do not focus on the best places to get laid, haunted houses, strange underground tunnel system tours where people grab at your genitals, stripper bingo, I-tit-erod races, Apocalypse bashes, Santa Rampages, and on and on. As Chuck states Portland holds the “most cracked of the crackpots” and they are brought into the light here.
Fugitives and Refugees is a hilarious and informative read! If any of the subjects I listed here sound disgusting to you don’t read the travelogue, but go and enjoy the city for its gardens, the largest hairball, the safe tunnel system tours, and the self cleaning house. For anyone who is a little “off” you will enjoy the read and, like me, will probably want to make a road trip there in the near future to partake in some of the “underground” fun for yourself. I never knew Portland, Oregon could be so insane!
Interested in reading more about or purchasing Fugitives and Refugees, click here.
(03-0708)
related links:
Chuck
Palahniuk - author site
Random
House - book excerpt
