Amy Wang

Amy Wang was an editor and writer at The Oregonian for 25 years, including stints as arts editor and books columnist. She has a special interest in stories that showcase diversity in arts and literature. She lives in Southwest Portland, and writes a Substack newsletter about books called Bookworm at amywang.substack.com.

‘Kauaʻi Storm,’ Tori Eldridge’s new mystery, is also a story about Hawaiian culture and family

May 11, 2025Amy Wang

The Portland author says she hopes readers will come away with an appreciation of what Native Hawaiians — the Kanaka Maoli — are facing today.

Kimberly King Parsons wins 2025 Oregon Book Award for fiction for her ‘filthy and weird’ novel, ‘We Were the Universe’

April 28, 2025Amy Wang

Other winners at Monday night's ceremony include poet Charity E. Yoro, nonfiction authors Rebecca Clarren and Jaclyn Moyer, writers for young readers Anne Broyles and Makiia Lucier, and playwright Brianna Barrett.

In her novel ‘Sunshine Girl,’ journalist Nancy Townsley peeks into ‘newsrooms of yore’

April 15, 2025Amy Wang

Townsley, longtime reporter for Portland-area community newspapers, will launch her first novel April 22 at Broadway Books.

In “The Antidote,” Portland author Karen Russell crafts a story of memory and community set during the Dust Bowl

March 7, 2025Amy Wang

The second novel by Russell, whose "Swamplandia!" was a Pulitzer Prize finalist, goes on sale March 11.

Author Q&A: Leslie Barnard Booth on picture books, the natural world, and a pair of Oregon Book Award nominations

February 16, 2025Amy Wang

The Portland writer’s first two picture books – “A Stone Is a Story” and “One Day This Tree Will Fall” – are both in the running for the Eloise Jarvis McGraw Award for Children’s Literature.

Eugene Public Library Foundation wins national award for its ‘Love Your Library’ campaign

January 30, 2025Amy Wang

Patrons designed promotional logos for the library and, during a “Library Love-In,” wrote postcards about what the library means to them.

Portland Book Festival: A day for books and browsers, authors and audiences

November 3, 2024Amy Wang

Crowds attending Saturday's celebration of reading listened to author panels, shopped in a book fair, and watched illustrators draw chimeric animals from children's prompts.

Portland Book Festival: Oregon author Waka T. Brown bucks the middle grade slump

October 29, 2024Amy Wang

The two-time Oregon Book Award winner says she initially drew inspiration from her three sons. Seeing them coming of age was “almost like a revisiting of that time when I learned to love books.”

Portland Book Festival: More than 250 volunteers help create connections and community between 80+ authors and 8,000 readers

October 28, 2024Amy Wang

Amanda Bullock, the festival’s lead curator, explains how featured books are chosen, and festival volunteers talk about the fun of being “in the real mix of it.”

‘Coming Home’: Reviving Old Town Portland’s rich and diverse history

September 26, 2024Amy Wang

Vanport Mosaic's week-long journey beginning Sept. 28 into the sturdy multi-ethnic roots of Old Town is part of a national Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy.

David Ciminello’s sensual new novel, ‘The Queen of Steeplechase Park,’ is both a cookbook and a story about family

September 23, 2024Amy Wang

The Portland author will read from the novel Oct. 3 at Annie Bloom’s Books in an appearance with Stevan Allred.

Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center marks 30 years with celebration, new mural by Alex Chiu

September 8, 2024Amy Wang

The mural tells the story of the community that has grown up around the Northeast Portland center run by the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization.

A father and daughter, growing up in the woods

August 28, 2024Amy Wang

Oregon writer Scott Nadelson talks about "Trust Me," his new "vignette novel," which he calls "Frog and Toad for adults."

A home for Hawaiians in the Pacific NW

July 18, 2024Amy Wang

With a population of more than 40,000 stretching from Forest Grove to Beaverton to Hillsboro to Clark County and beyond, greater Portland is a hub for native Hawaiian culture and arts.

In ‘The Tree Collectors,’ Portland author Amy Stewart tells the stories of people who love trees

July 13, 2024Amy Wang

The author of several books about the natural world will talk about her latest on Aug. 12 at Powell’s Books; on Aug. 24 she will lead a tree walk and talk at Hoyt Arboretum.

Prose Before Bros: A book club where women of color share reading and community

June 13, 2024Amy Wang

Besides monthly club meetings, group members participate in reading-themed happy hours, book swaps, a book festival, and retreats.