New titles by Washington authors, or of local interest.

New books with local ties

"Beauty of the City: A.E. Doyle, Portland's Architect" by Philip Niles (OregonStateUniversityPress,$29.95). A biography of the man who designed many of the architectural icons of Portland, including the Central Library, Reed College and the Meier & Frank building. Niles is a professor emeritus of history at Carleton College.

"Wanderlust and Lipstick: for Women Traveling to India" by Beth Whitman (DispatchTravels,$16.95). Advice for women traveling in India, from cultural context and dressing appropriately to safety tips. Whitman lives in Seattle.

"Not For Tourists Guide to Seattle 2009" (NotForTouristsInc.,$19.95). Second edition of travel guide, "entirely written by and for locals," with helpful maps and listings for 49 different neighborhoods. For more information, go to www.notfortourists.com.

"The 10 Big Lies About America: Combating Destructive Distortions About Our Nation" by Michael Medved (CrownForum,$26.95). The Mercer Island radio commentator's latest book takes aim at "myths being taught in our schools, written about in newspapers and dramatized on television." Such "big lies" include "America was founded on genocide against Native Americans" and "The Founders intended a secular, not Christian, nation."

"The Wandering Ghost: a Sergeants Sueño & Bascom Mystery" by Martin Límon (Soho Crime, $13). Paperback version of the Lynnwood writer's latest about two CID detectives serving in Korea in the 1970s, in which the investigators search for a female MP gone missing. Adam Woog said, "Límon's crisp prose evokes a world that is at once exotic, dangerous and forlorn."

"Ice Bears" by Brenda Z. Guiberson, illustrated by Ilya Spirin (Holt,$16.95). Picture book for ages 4-8 about the life cycle of polar bears and the problem of global warming. Guiberson lives near Seattle.

Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor