William L. Sullivan (1) (1953–)

William L. Sullivan, well-known for his numerous hiking books centered around Oregon, presents several hikes and the history surrounding them.

I know this book won’t have much appeal to a broad audience but it was so engaging, I wanted to review it.

When my husband and I first arrived in Oregon in April of 2020 for his work assignment at a hospital outside Portland, my aunt put me in touch with one of her friends who owns a summer home on the Oregon coast. That friend provided invaluable recommendations for things to do and see but she also mentioned that I should try to find hiking books written by William L. Sullivan. I didn’t want to pay for a physical copy since we were only going to be in the area for three months (three turned into six because the state is beautiful), so I looked at the digital library. This was the only one of his books available for digital download.

I expected to simply use this as a guidebook for hikes we might not have discovered otherwise but it was so interesting that I read it straight through, cover to cover. I don’t know that I actively planned any hikes using this book but I would constantly spout the history of the surrounding areas to my husband while we were out hiking on whatever trail we found. I don’t think I’ve ever come across another book quite like this before but it added a depth to our hikes that I enjoyed. I wish there were books like it for every state.

The author organizes the book by topic, not by area, which works best if you’re reading it as I did. If you’re using it more as a guidebook, you’ll have to rely heavily on the index. My favorite section was about Native American legends but there were a lot of amazing stories included throughout. Other topics included early European explorers, the settlers, World War II, current conservation efforts, and a lot of history in between.

I’m trying hard not to buy books while we’re traveling (we live in our RV while we’re on location, so space is at a premium), but I wish I’d had a physical copy to flip through and keep in the car on our journeys. The pictures from the e-book on my Kindle Paperwhite were hard to see. I also find it easier to flip through a reference book like this than to search through a digital file.

If you live in or plan to visit Oregon (one day when COVID restrictions are behind us), I highly recommend picking up a physical copy of this book. It will enhance your appreciation of that beautiful, geographically-diverse state.… (mais)

A lovely memoir of a family and their cabin in the back of Oregon's beyond. Spanning 25 years, it covers both the ridiculous and the sublime. Pets and people come and go, there's a murder mystery simmering on the back burner, and conflicts arise and sometimes get resolved. The cast of characters is strong and the love between the author and his wife is the clear foundation of everything. These are people you'd like to know in real life.

Once again, I find myself in debt to one of the Burton sisters.… (mais)

Wlliam Sullivan publishes several hiking guides covering different regions of Oregon. This guide covers trails located within a 2-hour drive of the Portland/Vancouver metro area.

The 3rd edition includes several enhancements from previous editions. The index in the table of contents has been expanded to indicate whether dogs are allowed, which hikes have wildflowers (including peak month), trailheads with parking fees, and rough access roads. An insert contains 80 color photos, including 48 photos of local wildflowers. A one-page list of campgrounds and cabins is provided at the beginning of each section.… (mais)