Alta Journal: Stories of California and the West

THE LATEST FROM ALTA

Don't miss this week's upcoming events and new stories.

California Gray Wolf Reaches Los Angeles County

The arrival of BEY03F raises questions about the increasing presence of alpha predators in California.

5 min

A Grand Avenue Runs Through It

6 min

earthship, tres piedras, new mexico, renegade architect michael reynolds. atlantis earthship

Your Next Home Could Be an Earthship

greg sarris, lisa see, john freeman, california book club, grand avenue

Announcement of Special Guest

5 min

a woman in psychedelic colors waters blooming flowers in a backyard record garden as palm trees and stereo speakers glow at sunset .

Eight Playlists That Capture the Sound of CA

4 min

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Let Me See About Getting the Words Right

founded in 1960, marcus books is the longest continuously operating black owned bookstore in the united states

Bay Area: Marcus Books

“In Case You Forgot, I Am Not Your Negro”

angela flournoy seated on a park bench wearing a mustard shawl, holding a small notebook and pen, surrounded by trees and dappled light.

Writer’s Room: Friendship As a Prism

5 min

CURRENT ISSUE

Issue 34: California Sounds

A look inside Alta Journal’s Issue 34.

6 min

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

wild dark shore by charlotte mcconaghy, hamnet by maggie o’farrell, the let them theory by mel robbins and sawyer robbins, books, california bestsellers

READING LIST

Alta Journal ’s California Bestsellers List (February 5, 2026)

This week’s bestselling titles include Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, and The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

TURN THE VOLUME UP

Crowd-Surfing in Southern California

From Anaheim to La Jolla, these five venues carry on SoCal’s punk legacy—nurturing new bands while honoring icons from X to Blink-182.

Latest from the California Book Club

Join the West Coast literary conversation every month.

portraits of robert hass, dagoberto gilb, and susan straight alongside the covers of their books, announced as the california book club’s spring 2026 selections.

The New Canon

Announcing the Spring 2026 Books

In this newsletter, we introduce the three books that make up the California Book Club’s choices for April, May, and June.

6 min

THE MONDAY BOOK REVIEW

Sign-up for our weekly book review email.

Lives of the Poet

Swirl & Vortex brings Larry Levis back to prominence.

8 min

Twisted Intersection

humboldt cut by allison mick, book review

The Forest Remembers

8 min

how to commit a postcolonial murder by nina mcconigley, book review

Split Self, Split Sisters

author gabriel tallent poses beside the cover of his novel crux, the subject of a critical review examining risk, genius, and obsession.

Love Me Like a Rock

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

A LITTLE DARK CLOUD

Sunshine Pop: When the Sun Goes Down

A doomed debut at the Rendezvous Ballroom didn’t stop the Beach Boys. Instead, it helped launch sunshine pop—a California sound full of shimmer, shadows, and ambition.