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Special Section: 25 Books That Define California
Explore the list to see Alta Journal's picks. Did we get it right?
A NOVEL CHALLENGE
We asked authors, critics, and booksellers: What is your favorite California novel? We received more than 200 nominees and tallied the results to arrive at the top 25. Whether you are looking to build a California library from scratch or revisit some old favorites, we’ve got the list for you.
Features
The Battle Over Black Bears
Almost everyone in Lake Tahoe agrees that allowing large predators to eat human food is a bad idea. But there’s little consensus on what to do when these scimitar-clawed creatures start insisting on it. A fatality and an increased number of home invasions and attacks have raised the stakes—just in time for spring, when hibernation ends. By Jordan Fisher Smith • Photos by Chris Hardy
Sketchbook: Disasters Bring Out Our Best
Words and Illustrations by Matt Mahurin
At Home with the Bean King
Rancho Gordo founder Steve Sando built a legume empire. He’s finally relaxing—a little. By Gustavo Arellano
“Things That Could Not Be Avoided”
A crusading detective’s encounter with a charismatic cult figure and his followers in the Oregon forest had a deadly consequence. By Ruby McConnell • Illustrations by Mark Smith
A Life Time of Portraits
The Huntington’s upcoming retrospective of Don Bachardy’s art reveals tales of love, death, and Los Angeles itself. It may also present a message of hope and survival. By Hunter Drohojowska-Philp • Photos by Christina Gandolfo
THE FANTASY LIFE
Leigh Bardugo conquered the YA category with her magical novels, achieving fame and financial success. Then, five years ago, she took the leap to adult fiction and began building new worlds for millions of readers. By Edan Lepucki • Photos by Dustin Snipes
A LEIGH BARDUGO PRIMER
Four novels that demonstrate the author’s imagination and skill. By Edan Lepucki
THE CIA AND THE COLLAGIST
The Howard Smith retrospective at the Palm Springs Art Museum showcases the elusive designer’s expansive portfolio. By Carolina A. Miranda
Dispatches
Californian Spoken Here
A righteous tale of the rad search to identify the California accent and its ever-changing permutations. By Adam Rogers • Illustration by Martin Gee
Alta Picks: Go Chase Waterfalls
The 10 waterfalls you’ll find in Alta Picks vary from world-famous and easy to access to under the radar and at the end of a long trail. All of them are stunners, especially during this peak waterfall season. By Elizabeth Casillas and Beth Spotswood
Kill an Urchin, Save a Sea
To protect the ecosystem off the coast of Mendocino, divers are smashing urchins as fast as they can. By Kailyn McCord • Illustration by Zoe Matthiessen
Books
Why I Write: The Multidimensional View of America
By Ishmael Reed
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS: Mumbo Jumbo
By David L. Ulin
Why I Write: I Do Not Know and Do Not Want to Know
By Claire Vaye Watkins
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS: GOLD FAME CITRUS
By David L. Ulin
WHY I WRITE: 17 REASONS
By Manjula Martin
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS: THE LAST FIRE SEASON
By David L. Ulin
Unearthing a Buried Treasure
How the groundbreaking work of anthropologist Carobeth Laird finally came to light. By Denise Hamilton • Illustration by Anita Kunz
LONG LIVE PRINT
From Spy and the “short-fingered vulgarian” (guess who?) to Vanity Fair, Graydon Carter’s memoir celebrates the golden era of magazines. By Terry McDonell
Culture
POETRY: “The Consecration of Mt. Tam”
By Judy Halebsky
POETRY: “WE ARE STILL ALIVE IN LOS ANGELES”
By Mike Sonksen
FICTION: “RENAISSANCE, MT”
By Bridget Quinn • Illustrations by Victor Juhasz
In Every Issue
PUBLISHER’s Note: Kevin Starr’s Vision
By Will Hearst
CROSSWORD: COLORFUL WRITING
By Rebecca Goldstein and Rafael Musa
