Joe R. Blakely is the author of 20 books about Oregon. Mr. Blakely’s books have been reviewed in newspapers, magazines, and on radio, and television. Joe R. Blakely has made presentations on his books to clubs, associations, museums, and to many groups. His biography of Oswald West Oregon’s 14th governor (1911–1915) is the only one published on this famous governor. He wrote the legislation that saved Oregon’s beaches. He helped initiate the building of the Columbia Gorge Highway., Women got the right to vote in 1912 and he closed down the lawless town of Copperfield Oregon using his petite secretary Fern Hobbs.
Joe R. Blakely’s books have been used in high school and college classes. His most popular books are about building Oregon’s Coast highway, and his two biographies of Governor West and Oregon’s great conservationist William Lovell Finley. His book about the University of Oregon’s “Tall Firs” was the first one written about this famous team that won the very first NCAA basketball Championship in 1939. And the first book he wrote “The Bellfountain Giant Killers” is a heartwarming story of a tiny school winning a state high school basketball championship in 1937.
What’s unique about Blakely’s novels is that after writing a history, he then follows that up with a story based on his research. Historical Fiction?
Mr. Blakely also has three books on baseball, Two non-fiction and one fiction.
His latest book is about Eugene’s Saturday Market..