Words with Friends

How to Make Book-Loving Friends IRL in Portland

Recite poems from memory. Share a work in progress. Read to Clive the dog. Nerd out on graphic novels.

02/20/2026 By Matthew Trueherz

seeing things

An Exhibition Rehumanizing Portland’s Unhoused Population

Dance company Urban Bush Women, and other events in town.

02/05/2026 By Matthew Trueherz

seeing things

Things to Do in Portland This Week, January 2026

Author Sara Jaffe chases guitar noise at PICA, and other events in town.

01/29/2026 By Matthew Trueherz

Transit Trip

We Took the Express Bus to Hood River to Play in the Gorge

There’s a lot to do in this summer town during its sleepy season.

01/27/2026 By Margaret Seiler

Words with Friends

The Open Mic That Counts Amateurs and Award-Winning Authors as Regulars

One-Page Wednesdays, hosted by Portland novelist Emme Lund, feels like a public writers’ group.

01/22/2026 By Matthew Trueherz Illustrations by Stephan Dybus

Required Reading

Must-Visit Portland Indie Bookstores

Our list of more than 20 shops spotlighting the African diaspora and children’s books, sci-fi and fantasy, artist monographs, comics, and…yarn?

12/22/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

seeing things

A Holiday Market of Glossies and Art Books

The Portland Art Book Fair, Little Women, and other events in town.

12/11/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Arts and Letters

Mother Foucault’s, the Lifeblood of Portland Literary Bohemia

“Hey, this is a real way to live,” says owner Craig Florence, who’s formalizing the community around his bookshop as a nonprofit.

10/29/2025 By Jaydra Johnson Photography by Michael Novak

things to do

Tom Toro and Dracula Both Come to Town

Also: Louise Bourgeois and Isabelle Albuquerque at the Lumber Room.

10/09/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

things to do

A Posthumous Book from Geek Love Author Katherine Dunn

Also: Demetri Martin, and other events in town this week.

10/02/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Long Story Short

A Tiny Travel Bookstore That Takes You Places

Tucked inside Cargo, Patrick Leonard’s Postcard Bookshop is an argument for armchair travel.

08/20/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson

reading ahead

Book Launches and Author Events in Portland This Summer

A fresh crop of summer reads from Portlanders Jon Raymond, Leni Zumas, and more.

07/17/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

fit to print

A Magazine Shop Brings Portlanders Offline and Into Chinatown

Focused on global art and design publications, Chess Club fills a hole in Portland’s print-loving heart.

01/14/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Where to live now

Neighborhood Guide: Multnomah Village

Gift shops, historic cafés, and a sprawling public park.

01/13/2025 By Alex Frane

Booktopia

With New HQ, the City’s Literary Heart (Finally) Finds a Permanent Physical Form

Literary Arts’ expansive Southeast building will house a bookstore, café and bar, and all-ages community resources.

09/18/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Down the Aisles

11 Portland Authors’ Favorite Indie Bookstores

Where do Renée Watson, Dane Liu, Erica Berry, and Jon Raymond shop for books? Hint: it’s not Amazon.

05/06/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

First-time Caller

Alison Roman Is in Her Advice Hotline Era. We Got Her Portland Tips.

Her podcast is called Solicited Advice, and that’s exactly what we did.

05/01/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Book Biz

Portland Gets Its First-Ever Romance Bookstore, Finally

Black-owned Grand Gesture Books looks to fill a hole in Portland’s bookish heart.

01/04/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Unionized

8th Time’s the Charm: Powell’s and Employees Agree to a Contract

Following a strike and more than 10 months of bargaining, employees at Powell’s Books have voted to ratify to the eighth contract on offer.

12/20/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

New Word Order

3 Newish Portland Bookstores to Know About

Because one city can never have too many bookshops, we say.

10/17/2023 By Dalila Brent