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Cover Package
Western Road Trips
We sent five writers and five photographers on a mission to take us out of our comfort zone. Here’s hoping their stories inspire you to do the same this summer.
HIGHWAY 89 REVISITED
A 1,400-mile trip through several national parks takes a writer deep into his past. By Peter Fish • Photos by Scott T. Baxter
5 Movies That Capture Unforgettable Trips
By Robert Ito
SOBER SIDEWAYS
Exploring the dry side of wine country? She’ll drink to that. By Monica Corcoran Harel • Photos by Christie Hemm Klok
5 Restaurants to Fuel Your Appetite
By Farley Elliott
THE LOST CHINATOWN
In search of Northern California communities where residents were forced out. By Robert Ito • Photos by Carolyn Fong
5 Literary Gems That Put You in the Driver’s Seat
By David L. Ulin
EYES ON THE CENTRAL VALLEY
If you think it’s a straight line through America’s “fruit basket,” you’re mistaken. Photos by Penni Gladstone • Text by Teresa Flores
AN OWENS VALLEY TRAVELOGUE
A journey through an arresting landscape of craggy mountains and ancient trees, where parched land reveals how California has been shaped by water throughout history. By Doug Robinson • Photos by Gordon Wiltsie
5 Attractions Worth Pulling Over For
By Farley Elliott
Features
Alta Folio: ‘I Went Southwest’
The disappearance and afterlife of Lew Welch. By Brad Rassler • Illustration by Edward Kinsella III
A Race to the Finish
Rescuing the West Coast’s last greyhounds. By Donna Wares • Photos by Matthew Smith
The HIDDEN HAND of BIANCA MAJOLIE
Walt Disney’s first female storyteller supplied the heartfelt narratives that helped Snow White, Bambi, and Pinocchio become some of the studio’s most memorable films. By Shannon McHugh • Illustrations by John Mattos
Dispatches
The Original Frozen Dead Guy
Each March, thousands of people come to a Colorado town to honor a 125-year-old Norwegian man with coffin races, look-alike contests, and a little bit of immortality. By Greg Campbell • Photos by Jimena Peck
LETTER FROM MANHATTAN: Private Fabulousness
California cool rarely translates in New York. By Terry McDonell
ALTA PICKS: Taking the Long View
A guide to L.A.’s great Inspiration Points. By John McKinney • Photos by Gordon Wiltsie
ASK A CALIFORNIAN: Stop Hating on the Golden State
Our advice columnists dish on envious outsiders, romantic couples, and go bags. By Gustavo Arellano and Stacey Grenrock Woods
Books
Why I Write: A Daily Practice of Empathy
By Rosanna Xia
Why You Should Read This: California Against the Sea
By David L. Ulin
Why I Write: The Strange Evolution of a Childhood Hobby
By Adrian Tomine
Why You Should Read This: Shortcomings
By David L. Ulin
Q&A: A Conversation with Amy Tan
By Anita Felicelli
Why You Should Read This: The Backyard Bird Chronicles
By David L. Ulin
The Origin of The Monkey Wrench Gang
The real-life inspiration for George Washington Hayduke— the antiauthoritarian eco-saboteur in Edward Abbey’s revolutionary novel—describes his friendship with the author and the book’s enduring impact. By Doug Peacock • Illustrations by Joe Ciardiello
Upcoming Releases: Moderation and Cozy Dystopias
Books to look forward to—for the beach and your nightstand. By Paul Wilner
Falling (Again) for Dark Waters
Russell Chatham’s reissued collection of nonfiction shows that the acclaimed painter could fish, hunt, party—and write. Damn well. By Terry McDonell • Illustration by Joe Ciardiello
RECENTLY REVIEWED: From Climate Poetry to AI Experiments
Highlights from our Monday Book Review newsletter.
Vigilantes at the Door
How months of harassment and racism at Carmel-by-the-Sea led Langston Hughes to write his landmark story collection The Ways of White Folks. By Joy Lanzendorfer
WRITER’S ROOM: Storytelling for Survival
Caro De Robertis shares the process behind their latest book, So Many Stars. By Anita Felicelli
Culture
POETRY: “Passages”
By Catherine Theis
Scribbles Are Having a Moment
With three shows in New York, an exhibition in Houston, and a permanent room at SFMOMA, Cy Twombly has never been more popular. By Dean Rader • Photos by Mike Kai Chen
Poetry: “Aversion Training”
By Sage Marshall
Fiction: “Cookie”
By Peter Orner • Illustrations by Victor Juhasz
In Every Issue
Publisher’s Note: An Issue Dedicated to Road Trips
By Will Hearst
