Looking for a thoughtful gift that lasts longer than a scented candle? Whether you’re shopping for the booklover in your life or treating yourself to something clever, funny, and distinctly Californian, Alta Journal has you covered this season. From collectible back issues to literary folios and full-year subscriptions, here’s your guide to the best Alta has to offer.
Best Back Issues—Perfectly Giftable
$15 each with free shipping
These standout issues are packed with timeless writing and literary treasures—and they ship free, no wrapping required.
Issue 31—25 Books That Define California
From East of Eden to The Joy Luck Club—a guided tour through the novels that shaped the Golden State.
Issue 27—L.A. Storytellers
A love letter to Los Angeles literature, featuring the voices that make the city one of the world’s great narrative centers.
Issue 19—Joan Didion
A tribute to the queen of California letters, with essays, rare photographs, and a rediscovered commencement speech.
Issue 13—Noir
A dark, moody dive into California crime fiction and the genre’s enduring literary power.
Browse and shop all back issues
Perfect $5 Stocking Stuffers
Slim, beautifully designed, and easy to tuck into a tote, these Alta Folios are just $5—ideal for the curious reader on your list (including you).
‘I Went Southwest’
The story of Beat poet Lew Welch’s disappearance and enduring influence.
Mapping the West
Susan Schulten’s cartographic history of how we’ve visualized California and the West over centuries.
The Last Poems of Jim Harrison
A quiet, powerful folio of final poems by the author of Legends of the Fall.
Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa: Ocean Memory
Tayi Tibble’s visionary writing on ancestry, water, and time—first published in Alta Issue 27.
Holiday Special: The Altatude Cartoon Bundle—Only $25
Holiday Special: The Altatude Cartoon Bundle—Only $25
Cartoons have been part of Alta Journal since day one. This two-volume set includes our favorite jokes from both print and online—satirical, absurd, and deeply Californian.
Alta All Access: 25% Off for the Holidays
Want the full Alta experience for yourself or a gift that keeps giving? For a limited time, you can subscribe to Alta All Access for just $45/year (normally $60). Here’s what you’ll get:
- Four beautiful print issues delivered to your door
- Unlimited digital access to altaonline.com and our archive
- A FREE copy of California Rewritten, by California Book Club host John Freeman (a $30 value)
- The Alta Weekly Newsletter, with original reporting
- Invitations to Alta Live, California Book Club, and more
