I was distressed and saddened to hear that Great Northwest Books burned. Owner Phil Wikelund always kept a good stock of regional titles, and Phil and manager John Henley have long been wonderful laid-back supporters of the region’s collectors and appreciators of Pacific Northwest books and manuscripts. I also heard that Walt Curtis lost his archives in the fire — Walt the author of “Mala Noche,” Walt the “unofficial poet laureate of Portland,” Walt the voice in the recent film “Salmon Poet.” And Walt, for many years a collector of paper ephemera, like street posters for concerts and readings. The last time I was at Great Northwest was for the launching of Michael Munk’s “Portland Red Guide,” where we sang “Solidarity Forever” and the Reed College anthem, “Epistemology Forever” played by a glorious band, and ate terrible food with a splendidly eclectic group of people. We’ve lost a great old building and a wonderful Portland institution. We still have Phil, and John, and Walt, and may they recover and carry on.

— Richard H. Engeman
Oregon Rediviva LLC
www.oregonrediviva.com