The Best Books by Oregon Authors in 2025
This was a big year for Oregon writers. Some of the most talked-about books of 2025 came from authors living right here — including a couple of National Book Award finalists. Today, Portland Monthly senior associate editor Matthew Trueherz is here to walk us through a few standouts in fiction and nonfiction, featured on the magazine’s annual best books list.
Discussed in today's episode:
- Wolf Bells, by Leni Zumas
- God and Sex, by Jon Raymond
- One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad
- Reading the Waves, by Lidia Yuknavitch
Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here.
Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448.
Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram.
Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.
If you enjoyed this interview with Ivan Hernandez, the Oregon Food Bank Digital Communications and Engagement Manager, learn more here.
Learn more about the sponsors of this December 22nd episode:
DUER - Mention code CCPDX for 15% off
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Portland and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Why Portland’s Affordability Is Tanking, and the Moda Center Deal Is Getting Rockier. Plus, 911 Operator Response Times Improve!
We're talking about improved wait times for emergency calls, what happened at the big Moda Center renovation business summit, and why it’...

Land Back in Northeast Portland, Grocery Digital Price Tag Fears, and Some Truly Portland Missed Connections
A Portland church is giving its land back to a local indigenous organization, and why consumer advocates are concerned about digital pric...

Portland’s Best Neighborhood Bars
We’re revisiting a conversation about the essential neighborhood bars holding our city together. These community hubs are our third space...

Portland's Unwanted Roommate Grant, County Contractor Blew Millions, and Your Pettiest Gripes Judged
A homeless services provider on the verge of shutting down could owe Multnomah County millions of dollars, and Mayor Keith Wilson’s home-...

A Park for a Portland Legend, Tracking Your Councilor's Travel Spending, and Downtown’s Pop-Up Program
We're talking about a new downtown park honoring a local icon, the deep dive a city reporter made into our City Councilors’ travel expens...

OHSU's Messy CEO Firing, Wildfire Emergency Declared, and Portland Home to Best Bar in America
We're talking about big leadership changes coming to our major health providers, Gov. Tina Kotek declaring a wildfire emergency, and the...

Oregon State Hospital Scandal, the Bottle Bill Is Unraveling, and an Unusual CSA
We're talking about why Oregon is now considered to have the worst state hospital in the nation, and why our leader’s best laid plans for...

Moda Center's Funding Fight Continues, PCC’s Ethics Scandal, and Listeners Weigh In
We're talking about the latest concerning public funding for the Moda Center, as well as the state ethics investigation into former PCC p...

How To Fix Portland’s Worst Traffic Jam, the Council Impasse That Could Cost 100 Jobs, and Why’s Oregon So Old?
Today, we're talking about ideas to bring down the state’s median age, why Portland City Council can’t seem to agree on how to fund about...

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Every Region Needs A Park Map Tool Like Salt Lake’s — Presented By City Cast Portland
Do you know how many parks Portland has? Residents of Salt Lake County have wondered about their parks for years — that is, until City Ca...

