Alta Editors

Issue Party: Alta Journal 22 at Bookshop West Portal
James Cagney, Marcus Crowder, and Mary Ladd headlined the special event.

Best Alta Monday Book Reviews of 2022
These 10 book reviews explore myriad themes as beautifully as the books they highlight.

Top Moments from Alta Live in 2022
Relive the digital magic of Alta Journal’s weekly Zoom events with a roundup of highlights from the series’ third year.

You Are Here: 2022 Highlights
Fourteen columns that examined place and places.

The California Book Club’s 2022 Highlights
Twelve new CBC authors, including Karen Tei Yamashita, Luis J. Rodriguez, and Kim Stanley Robinson, yielded an outpouring of literary coverage.

Top Illustrations of 2022
Capturing crime scenes, eyeballs, and even Mark Twain, these talented artists crafted an intricate visual experience throughout the pages of Alta Journal.

Alta Journal Editors’ Top Stories of 2022
From the best bookstores in the West and someone finally explaining NFTs to a reflection on the legacy of Tupac Shakur and an examination of accusations of plagiarism, these articles are among our editors’ overall favorites.

Alta Journal Fiction 2022
Original and excerpted fiction stories from authors including Marianne Wiggins, Susan Straight, and Karen Tei Yamashita brought new worlds to life in Alta.

Alta Journal’s Biggest Stories of 2022
Readers were drawn to stories about WWII, literary theft, mind-altering drugs, and, of course, Joan Didion.

Best Art
A new gallery and its inaugural exhibition celebrate artists without borders.

Best Design
Above one of San Francisco’s busiest roads rests an urban oasis.

Best Nonfiction Book
The physical and emotional weight of the Sierra.

Best Magazine
2022’s top magazine was also the year’s best comeback.

Best TV Show
Not another teen show.

Best Music
Kendrick Lamar’s sixth studio album makes art out of big personal steps.

Best Fiction Book
A technologically inclined thriller. Also of note: a novel for the people of California.

Best Poetry Book
2022’s poet laureate holds tight to our very recent history.

Best Movie
A genre-bending everything bagel of a movie. Also of note: the perfect space cowboy thriller.

Best Food
Empowered restaurant employees made our mouths water this year. Also of note: a great bagel battle.

Best Podcast
A positively sexy podcast for our unsexy times.

Best Documentary
We need to talk about this docuseries.

Best Experience
This bookfair on steroids is a reader’s paradise.

Lydia Lee Takes Top Honors for Science Writing
Alta Journal contributor wins big from SPJ NorCal.

Alta Journal Wins Multiple Eddie and Ozzie Awards
The magazine and website received 6 wins and 21 honorable mentions at an awards ceremony in New York City.

Two Poems Published by Alta Journal Included in The Best American Poetry 2022
Works by James Cagney and Brenda Hillman are featured in the new anthology.

Alta Journal Awarded Editorial Team of the Year, Editorial Excellence, and Design Excellence
Folio’s Eddie and Ozzie Awards will honor the magazine and website’s entire team, editors, and creative director at a gala ceremony in New York City.

Alta Journal Is a Finalist for 28 Eddie & Ozzie Awards
Writers, designers, and illustrators including Griffin Dunne, Sands Hall, and Steve Carroll are recognized for their exceptional work in the pages of our magazine.

Alta Journal Wins 7 SoCal Journalism Awards
The Los Angeles Press Club honors 20 Alta contributors for writing, criticism, design, and illustration.

Alta Journal Contributor Shortlisted for V&A Illustration Award
Mark Smith recognized for artwork in a Jane Doe cold case story.

Alta Journal Is a Finalist for 39 SoCal Journalism Awards
Our talented writers, photographers, and illustrators are recognized for their work.

Alta Journal Honored at Society of Publication Designers’ 57th Annual Competition
Contributing illustrators win six awards in national contest.

Alta Journal Wins Three Society of Illustrators Prizes
Illustrations by Thomas Ehretsmann, Chris Sickels, and Mark Smith have been recognized in a national contest and exhibition.