Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon »

With a disturbing but mordantly funny body of work that began with 1996's Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk has become a cult author who regularly attracts both the interest of Hollywood and the bewilderment of readers who have never seen writing so fearless, modern, and smart.

The author of the best-selling novel Fight Club reveals his favorite Portland, Oregon landmarks in this autobiographical travel guide that describes the City of Roses as "the home of America's fugitives and refugees." Covering a bit of culture and a bit of history, the guide begins with a Portland vocabulary lesson and then offers descriptive listings of selected restaurants (with key recipes), architecture, museums, swingers' sex clubs (gay and straight), events, transportation, shopping, and photo opportunities, along with wry commentary from the author. The guide does not include maps, photographs, or an index. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The New York Times

Palahniuk's tribute to Portland feels more like a memoir than a city guide. In interchapter ''postcards'' Palahniuk recalls, among other scenes, his first acid trip (at a Pink Floyd laser show in 1981), the time he got beaten up in 1991 and a debauched New Year's Eve screening of ''Fight Club'' in 1999. For the nonfan these fragments won't add up to much, memories both slightly unbelievable and insistently bizarre. For readers devoted to his books, they'll no doubt be reassuring. Here's a writer whose life looks a lot like his fiction. — Taylor Antrim