Here the Seattle correspondent for the "New York Times" offers a wonderfully readable mix of journalism, history, politics and geography. In the footsteps of 1853 visionary Theodore Winthrop, Egan travels to towns along the Columbia River throughout Washington and Oregon. This book is a fine portrait of the Pacific Northwest, its people and contemporary issues, as the region struggles with its historical emphasis on natural resources.  (PNW11, $14.95)