Ed Crockett Reading and Signing

In his new memoir, Portland-native Ed Crockett—a state representative and president of Capt'n Eli's Soda—recounts his struggle to break the cycle of alcoholism, come to grips with the embarrassing specter of his father, and overcome the shaky confidence brought on by a childhood of food stamps and welfare coats, to eventually find success on the same streets where his father once spent his days passed out and begging for money. It’s a rough upbringing, but amidst the turmoil Crockett also finds role models, the importance of neighborhood roots, the joys of Wiffle Ball, and the unconditional love of family.

The Ghosts of Walter Crockett is at times harrowing and heartbreaking, but ultimately a tale of love and redemption that takes readers to a side of twentieth century Portland that has always existed in the shadows of lighthouses, lobsters, and sunsets, but is rarely explored in print.