After a brief hiatus, Alta Journal had a warm welcome back to Berkeley’s annual Bay Area Book Festival this past weekend, enjoying two days packed with literary events at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park.
On day one of the festival, Alta’s editorial director, Blaise Zerega, moderated the panel “Historical Fiction: The American West.” He was joined by Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley, author of A Dangerous Business; Guggenheim Fellow Kali Fajardo-Anstine, author of Woman of Light; and Ignatz and Eisner Awards nominee Rina Ayuyang, author of The Man in the McIntosh Suit. The standing-room-only audience was treated to a lively conversation about the authors’ three different perspectives on the West.
And on day two, Alta took part in the sunny Outdoor Fair to connect with new members, meet subscribers, sell magazines, and enjoy the company of several literary friends and partners. The booth sold out of our brand-new guide to independent bookstores of California and the West, but if you still hope to get your hands on this comprehensive book, you can purchase it from the Alta Store.
Up next, join Alta at two parties to celebrate our latest issue, Epic Tales of Survival. We’ll be at Green Apple Books on the Park in San Francisco on Tuesday, May 30, at 7 p.m., featuring readings by contributors Matthew Zapruder, Keenan Norris, and Peter Fish. And on Thursday, June 22, at 7 p.m., we’ll be in Culver City at Village Well Books & Coffee, with readings by Rachel Howzell Hall, Lynell George, and Ajay Orona.•
