Pride Month books and summer reading recommendations from Oregon experts

Pride Month books and summer reading recommendations from Oregon experts

These books are among a dozen recommended readings this summer by the books guides of JX Reads. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0769017/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3825x1579+0+0/resize/792x327!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F95%2F05%2F9faeaa8349c49d9adf93b58e9024%2Fjx-reads-books-credit-megan-isser-owner-of-bloomsbury-books-in-ashland-oregon.jpg]These books are among a dozen recommended readings this summer by the books guides of JX Reads. (Megan Isser, owner, https://bloomsburyashland.com/) Looking for your next summer read? Librarians and booksellers from across Southern Oregon and the South Coast shared their favorite picks on the Jefferson Exchange, recommending everything from queer history and historical fiction to spy romances, dark satire and investigative nonfiction. With June marking Pride Month and summer vacation season underway, the panel highlighted books that explore LGBTQ+ history and identity alongside lighter reads perfect for a beach bag or relaxing afternoon. PRIDE MONTH PICKS "The Six Loves of James I [https://coosbay.catalog.coastlinelibraries.org/Record/1048544]" by Gareth Russell Sami Pierson, director of the Coos Bay Public Library, recommends this biography of King James I of England. Drawing on historical records, Russell examines the king's relationships with both women and men while exploring the political intrigue of the royal court. Pierson said the book remains fascinating even beyond its LGBTQ+ themes because of its portrait of power, ambition and manipulation among England's ruling elite. "Even if you removed his relationships out of this book, it is a fascinating book of just intrigue and paranoid personalities," Pierson said. "The Lilac People [https://catalog.jcls.org/GroupedWork/08cc5e23-d187-7bd6-3398-851b2e1becfb-eng/Home?searchId=26015424&recordIndex=1&page=1&searchSource=local&referred=resultIndex]" by Milo Todd Set in Nazi Germany, this historical novel follows a trans man who escapes persecution and struggles to survive through World War II. Ashland Public Library Branch Manager Kristen Anderson said the novel highlights an often-overlooked chapter of LGBTQ+ history. "Gayness and queerness have existed for centuries," Anderson said. The story also introduces readers to Magnus Hirschfeld, a pioneering researcher whose work studying gender and sexuality was largely destroyed by the Nazis. "The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, Visionary of Weimar Berlin [https://catalog.jcls.org/Record/411098?searchId=26015430&recordIndex=1&page=1&referred=resultIndex]" by Daniel Brook For readers interested in the real-life history behind The Lilac People, Anderson recommends Brook's biography of Hirschfeld. The book examines the life of the Jewish physician and sexologist whose research challenged binary ideas about gender and sexuality decades before such discussions became mainstream. Much of Hirschfeld's research was lost when the Nazis destroyed his institute. Anderson described it as a compelling nonfiction companion to Todd's novel. "Whistler [https://www.annpatchett.com/whistler]" by Anne Patchett Bloomsbury Books owner Megan Isser recommends Patchett's novel as both a Pride Month read and a comforting summer escape. The story explores family, memory and the consequences of secrets, including closeted sexuality. Isser said Patchett's steady storytelling style makes the novel particularly appealing during the hectic summer months. "With all of the intensity of the memories that happen in this book, the kindness and love is what just put my nerves at ease," Isser said. "Tuxedo Society [https://coosbay.catalog.coastlinelibraries.org/GroupedWork/1fad7796-f0d8-5b0b-b633-e8ae78fc3bc2-eng/Home?]" by Paul Rudnick Pierson describes this novel as a fast-paced mix of queer romance, comedy and espionage. "It's just a fun read, and a fast read that is perfect for relaxing and just kicking back," she said. The story follows an actor who unexpectedly finds himself drawn into the world of international spying while navigating a budding romance. Pierson said it is an ideal vacation read. SUMMER READS FOR THE BEACH — OR ANYWHERE ELSE "The Flatshare [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36478784-the-flatshare]" by Beth O'Leary Pierson recommends this popular romantic comedy about two strangers who share an apartment but never meet because they work opposite schedules. Their relationship begins through notes left for one another and gradually develops into something deeper. Pierson called it the kind of book that leaves readers feeling good after turning the final page. "We'll Prescribe You a Cat [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/763041/well-prescribe-you-a-cat-by-syou-ishida-translated-by-e-madison-shimoda/]" by Syou Ishida Pierson also recommends this Japanese bestseller and its sequel, We'll Prescribe You Another Cat. She said the books are part of a growing trend of cat-themed Japanese fiction that offers gentle, uplifting stories and low-stress reading. "They're not demanding of you," Pierson said. "They're just light and easy to read." "Yesteryear [https://catalog.jcls.org/GroupedWork/8ea455b4-99d0-8e2f-b20a-5af7ba5bfdcf-eng/Home?searchId=26015418&recordIndex=1&page=1&searchSource=local&referred=resultIndex]" by Caro Claire Burke Anderson describes this dark satire as one of the books likely to generate conversation this summer. She calls it a "ping pong book" because it ricochets between the curated social media life of a modern-day trad-wife influencer and the realities of life in the 1800s. The novel serves as a critique of those who romanticize the past, and Anderson and Pierson praised its unpredictable plot and sharp social commentary. "It's billed as dark satire," Anderson said. "It's just got a crazy cool hook." Calamity Club [https://www.spiegelandgrau.com/the-calamity-club] by Kathryn Stockett The author of The Help returns with her first novel in roughly 15 years. Set in 1930s Mississippi, the book explores issues including eugenics, prostitution and forced sterilization while following a cast of interconnected characters. Anderson said the novel balances heavy subject matter with humor and memorable personalities. "It's the characters," Anderson said. "That's what drives the story." "London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704979/london-falling-by-patrick-radden-keefe/]" by Patrick Radden Keefe For nonfiction readers, Isser recommends this investigative account of a young man's death and the hidden networks of wealth and power surrounding the case. "If you want a thriller, a real-life thriller, this book is incredible," Isser said. She praised Keefe's reporting and said the book is a gripping investigation into family, secrecy and influence. GUESTS * Kristen Anderson, branch manager, Jackson County Library Services * Sami Pierson, director, Coos Bay Public Library * Megan Isser, owner, Bloomsbury Books Mike Green, host of The Jefferson Exchange, is with three book guides for JX Reads: (clockwise) Kristen Anderson of Jackson County Library Services, Sami Pierson of Coos Bay Public Library and Megan Isser, owner of Bloomsbury Books in Ashland. JPR student engineer, Morgan Ackley, is seen in the engineering booth. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c7ff414/2147483647/strip/false/crop/4096x1676+0+0/resize/792x324!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F2f%2Fd8497a3b47e2a682f9231a647b0d%2Fjx-reads-mike-green-kristin-anderson-sami-pierson-megan-isser-1.jpg]Mike Green, host of The Jefferson Exchange, is with three book guides for JX Reads: (clockwise) Kristen Anderson of Jackson County Library Services, Sami Pierson of Coos Bay Public Library and Megan Isser, owner of Bloomsbury Books in Ashland. JPR student engineer, Morgan Ackley, is seen in the engineering booth. (JPR Senior Producer Natalie Golay)

California condor flies into Southern Oregon for first time in more than a century

Yurok Wildlife Department Technician Sandra Hahn releases B9 into the Northern California Condor Restoration Program’s (NCCRP) condor release and management facility. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ac2cc5a/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x1736+0+0/resize/792x458!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F38%2F386f83424c12bd9752d51acd7b55%2Fcondor-b9.jpg]Yurok Wildlife Department Technician Sandra Hahn releases B9 into the Northern California Condor Restoration Program’s (NCCRP) condor release and management facility. (Matt Mais ) A young California condor has become the first of its species recorded in Southern Oregon in more than a century after completing a nearly 400-mile flight from Northern California, according to the Yurok Tribe's condor restoration program. The bird, known as B9, is a 2-year-old female released through the Northern California Condor Restoration Program [https://www.yuroktribe.org/yurok-condor-restoration-program]. Her journey took her from Northern California near Redding, across the Oregon border south of Medford, through the Cave Junction area and along the Southern Oregon Coast before returning home. B9's flight is believed to be the first documented visit by a California condor to Southern Oregon since the late 1800s or early 1900s. The sighting is being celebrated by the Yurok Tribe and conservation partners as evidence that the restored population is expanding its range. Tiana Williams-Claussen, director of the Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department, said B9's flight reflects the natural curiosity of a young condor exploring its range. "She followed her instincts as a young, curious sort of creature," Williams-Claussen said. The flight marks a milestone for a restoration effort aimed at returning California condors to the region. The Yurok Tribe began working to restore the species in 2008 and released its first condors in partnership with Redwood National Park in 2022. Today, 23 condors are flying free in Northern California. Williams-Claussen said condors hold deep cultural significance for the Yurok people, who view them as an important part of ceremonies and world renewal traditions. She described the birds' return as helping restore both ecological and cultural connections that were lost when condors disappeared from the region. California condors are the largest birds in North America, with wingspans more than nine feet. They can travel 100 to 200 miles in a day and are known for soaring long distances on wind currents. Williams-Claussen said B9's journey also shows how younger birds are learning from older condors already established in the wild. "Every subsequent cohort of birds that we've brought out has been able to build on that original knowledge that those first four birds brought to expand the range farther and farther," she said. GUEST * Tiana Williams-Claussen, director, Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department [https://www.yuroktribe.org/wildlife]

How Oregon cut pesticide-related bee deaths

Nomada vegana is a bee species found in Central and North America. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/960bb62/2147483647/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/792x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F40%2F71%2Fda4ab21242dbb71d15038b2ab798%2Fstelis072018.jpg] Nomada vegana is a bee species found in Central and North America. (Andony Melathopoulos, Ph.D. / Oregon State University) Oregon has not recorded a confirmed pesticide-related bee kill since 2020, according to Oregon State University researchers. Recent data shows bee pesticide poisonings have declined significantly over the past decade. Researchers attribute much of that progress to education efforts aimed at helping pesticide applicators reduce risks to pollinators while managing pests. Since the creation of Oregon's Pollinator Health Task Force in 2013, Oregon State University has trained about 13,000 licensed pesticide applicators. Researchers said the program focuses on helping professionals identify situations that pose the greatest risk to bees and adjust their practices accordingly. Recent data highlights a significant downward trend in bee pesticide poisonings across Oregon over the last decade. Following the formation of a state pollinator health task force in 2013, Oregon State University (OSU) has led a massive educational effort, training approximately 13,000 licensed pesticide applicators. Andony Melathopoulos, an Oregon State University associate professor of pollinator health, said the training helps applicators balance pest management needs with pollinator protection. While pesticide-related bee deaths have declined, honeybees continue to face other threats, including Varroa mites, viruses and poor nutrition. Ramesh Sagili, director of the Oregon State University Honey Bee Lab, said maintaining healthy colonies is critical to supporting Oregon's beekeeping and pollination industries, which contribute more than $500 million annually to the state's economy. "We have to have those strong robust colonies for meeting the needs for pollination and, of course, as beekeepers that's their bread and butter, so we want them to thrive as well," Sagili said. Oregon's commercial hive losses currently stand at about 25%, compared with a national average of 35%. Beyond honeybees, Oregon State University researchers are documenting the state's wild bee populations through the Oregon Bee Atlas. Researchers have identified more than 560 species so far and believe the total could eventually reach 900. The project is supported by the nation's largest Master Melittologist program and aims to map where wild bee species live across Oregon to help researchers monitor and protect their populations. Residents can support pollinators by planting native species and participating in programs such as Bee Stewards through Oregon State University's Extension Service. GUEST * Andony Melathopoulos [https://extension.oregonstate.edu/people/andony-melathopoulos], associate professor of pollinator health, Oregon State University * Ramesh Sagili [https://honeybeelab.oregonstate.edu/users/ramesh-sagili?gid=67801], associate professor of apiculture, Oregon State University

Oakland, Oregon, moved itself to survive. Its residents are still preserving it

Historic buildings in Oakland, Oregon, the first city on Oregon's Historic Register. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eab5f68/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1334x831+0+0/resize/792x493!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F49%2F3e%2F687c2d324a4cae3c0ea2ef731dfe%2Foakland-oregon.png]Historic buildings in Oakland, Oregon, the first city on Oregon's Historic Register.(https://www.umpquavalleywineries.org/discover-oakland-oregon-a-historic-gem-emerging-as-a-wine-destination/ ) Most towns grow around the railroad. Oakland, Oregon, took a different approach: It moved to meet it. Founded in 1852, the Douglas County community later relocated its town center about 1.5 miles to connect with the railroad. "They actually moved the entire town, rolling down on logs and with oxen," Mayor Bette Keehley said. More than 170 years later, that unusual history continues to shape Oakland. The town's leaders have worked to preserve its historic downtown while navigating the challenges of maintaining infrastructure and services in a small rural community. "We need to preserve our historic district because that's really all that Oakland has as a calling card to the rest of the world," Keehley said. Located north of Roseburg, Oakland has fewer than 1,000 residents but a history that remains central to its identity. Keehley jokingly calls it "the other Oakland, the better Oakland." That history is evident throughout downtown. Oakland was the first city listed on Oregon's State Historic Preservation Office register and maintains strict standards designed to preserve its 19th-century character. While building interiors can be modernized, exterior changes must maintain the historic appearance. The town's historic look has even attracted Hollywood. Parts of the 1993 film "Fire in the Sky" and the 1991 film "Grand Tour" were filmed in Oakland. But preserving a historic town has not insulated it from modern challenges. In recent years, Oakland has faced severe snowstorms and the Archie Creek Fire, which damaged the watershed feeding Calapooya Creek, the town's sole water source. Keehley credited Public Works Director Jim Hart with helping the city navigate complex federal disaster recovery programs and secure funding for infrastructure repairs. "If we had not sought funding from FEMA, we would have already been bankrupt," she said. Bette Keehly, mayor, Oakland, Oregon [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4d16f7d/2147483647/strip/false/crop/104x127+0+0/resize/104x127!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F99%2F41%2F35297f32452a8d2012ec78045c0f%2Foakland-oregon-mayor-bette-keehly.png]Bette Keehly, mayor, Oakland, Oregon (City of Oakland, Oregon ) “We need to preserve our historic district because that’s really all that Oakland has as a calling card to the rest of the world,” Keehley said. The world did come calling in the 1990s when the town was selected as the location for a couple of Hollywood films. The 1993 film, Fire in the Sky [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106912/?ref_=sr_t_1] told the story of an Arizona logger who disappeared for several days after encountering a UFO. Grand Tour [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104362/?ref_=sr_t_2]was filmed in 1991 and starred Jeff Daniels. However, maintaining a historic town comes with modern challenges. Recent years have brought critical environmental challenges, including damaging snowstorms and the Archie Creek fire, which devastated the watershed for Calapooya Creek—the town’s only water source. Keehley credits Public Works Director Jim Hart as a "godsend" for navigating complex FEMA regulations to save the town’s infrastructure. “If we had not sought funding from FEMA, we would have already been bankrupt,” she said. Keehley, who has served as mayor for 17 years, said she originally ran for office to help stabilize a dysfunctional City Council. Since then, she said, Oakland has weathered repeated economic and environmental challenges, including the boom-and-bust cycles common to small rural communities. GUEST * Bette Keehley, Oakland, Oregon Mayor

How fines from Eureka’s red-light district helped pay city bills

The mugshot of Janice Murray is part of a historic collection of images, data and artifacts from the early 20th century when Eureka, California benefited annually from significant amounts of funds it extracted from the city's "Red Light District." Sex workers helped subsidize police salaries and build the town's infrastructure. Today, efforts are underway to build a public monument memorializing the contributions of these unknown women whose sex work supported the development of Eureka during the early 20th century. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/058a004/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1130x803+0+0/resize/743x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8e%2Fed%2F0cc33edf4e5d998ece85b6dbb235%2Feureka-red-light-district-janice-murray-mug-shot.png]The mugshot of Janice Murray is part of a historic collection of images, data and artifacts from the early 20th century when Eureka, California benefited annually from significant amounts of funds it extracted from the city's "Red Light District." Sex workers helped subsidize police salaries and build the town's infrastructure. Today, efforts are underway to build a public monument memorializing the contributions of these unknown women whose sex work supported the development of Eureka during the early 20th century. (Eureka Police Department Mug Books / Humboldt County Historical Society ) More than a century ago, women in Eureka’s red-light district were quietly helping fund the city itself. Now a historian and the mayor want their role in the city’s history publicly recognized. In 1903, the city of Eureka, California [https://www.eurekaca.gov/], had only $1,156 in cash on hand. That same year, workers in the local red-light district contributed $840 to the city treasury — nearly matching the city’s entire reserves. Historian Lynette Mullen said the payments were part of a system that operated in Eureka during the early 1900s. Police would warn brothel operators about upcoming arrests. The women would then plead guilty and forfeit their bail, sending the money into city accounts. Between 1900 and 1914, sex workers in the district contributed nearly $14,000 to the city’s general fund — the equivalent of about $500,000 today. City officials used the money to pay bills, fund police salaries and pave streets. By 1909, Mullen said, the volume of fines was so large that the money sometimes overflowed the tables where it was counted. At the time, state law prohibited prostitution, but Eureka maintained a designated district where the industry operated. Despite their role in the city’s finances, the workers themselves were largely absent from official records. Mullen said that omission overlooks their agency. The proposed monument is being supported by the Ink People Center for the Arts [https://www.inkpeople.org/dreammaker-data/monument-to-eurekas-red-light-women]. Mullen said she was working with Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel to establish a physical monument recognizing the women and their contributions to the city. GUEST * Lynette Mullen, historian