Alta Journal - California Book Club - Janet Fitch

 

Last night, I watched the California Book Club monthly online event hosted by Alta Journal. This month, the featured book and author was White Oleander by Janet Fitch.

I remember reading White Oleander more than two decades and really enjoyed it at the time. I really enjoyed hearing Janet Fitch talk about White Oleander, her writing process and so on.

Above is the YouTube video from last night's event featuring Janet Fitch, should you care to view it.

Alta Journal - California Book Club - Grand Avenue by Greg Sarris

 

Earlier this month, I attended Alta Journal's California Book Club virtual event featuring author Greg Sarris and his book, Grand Avenue. Lisa See was this month's special guest interviewer.

I'd never heard of Greg Sarris before or any of his books. He's a Native American writer from Santa Rosa, California, who has lived quite a colorful life. 

I must say that listening/watching Greg Sarris speak during this live, online event was amazing! I now want to read Grand Avenue and another one of his books. I'd say that this month's California Book Club event is one of my favorites!

Above is the YouTube video of Greg Sarris talking about his writing!

Have you attended any author events recently?

Alta Journal -California Cook Club - Lisa See

 

I love attending virtual author events! I've attended several of the monthly California Book Club virtual events over the years. I've really enjoyed attending these live events from the comfort of my own home. The authors selected for each month's California Book Club are phenomenal!

On Thursday, December 18, 2025, Lisa See was featured for December 2025. She discussed her book On Gold Mountain and about her family's history.

Great episode! I've added the video footage from the event for you to watch if interested!

Alta Journal - California Book Club - Amy Tan Discusses Her Book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles!!

 

Wow, what a treat it was to listen to author, Amy Tan, discuss her nonfiction book titled, The Backyard Bird Chronicles during

Alta Journal's monthly live California Book Club event!!

Something like 1800+ people from around the globe showed

up for this virtual author event!!

Apparently, The Backyard Bird Chronicles was never originally supposed to be published... Amy Tan's was behind on a novel she was writing, so her editor (or was it her publisher?) wanted to see her birding journals... From there, it was decided her birding journals should be published and the rest is history.

During the live event, the audience sees Amy Tan sitting in her rooftop garden in Sausalito, California which is where she started her birdwatching and journaling in 2016. It was cool to view where Ms. Tan began her birdwatching adventure. See the below photo.

I now want to read The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan and have added it to my ever growing reading wishlist!

Do you enjoy attending author events/signings in-person or virtually?

Have you attended any author events/signings recently?

Alta Journal - California Book Club - Shortcomings Adrian Tomine

 

Yesterday evening was another fun, virtual author event hosted by Alta Journal!! I love Alta Journal's monthly California Book Club events. They always have great authors featured each month in conversation with host, John Freeman, and a different moderator also in conversation with the author featured each month!

This month's California Book Club featured author, Adrian Tomine, discussing his book, Shortcomings, a graphic novel. I loved hearing how Adrian Tomine created the artwork for his graphic novels and the history of writing and making artwork for his books.

I've never read anything by Adrian Tomine before. In fact, I've never even heard of Adrian Tomine until recently. I love discovering new to me authors.

Next month, Amy Tan will be discussing her book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, via Alta Journal's California Book Club. I'm excited to attend this upcoming virtual event.

Have you attended any in-person or virtual author events recently? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

Alta Journal - California Book Club - Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins

 

So, once again, I found myself attending Alta Journal's California Book Club, which is a monthly online book club event. May's book club selection was Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins.

The funny thing is I've had Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins on my reading wishlist since roughly 2018. I haven't read this novel yet. So, I found it ideal to watch this live author event where Claire Vaye Watkins was in conversation with moderator, John Freeman, and author, Karen Russell.

I still want to read Fame Gold Citrus now even more now after watching this online event. Fame Gold Citrus falls into the cli-fi genre and dystopian genre as well.

I also learned that the author's father was part of the Manson Family.

Alta Live: Bonnie Tsui, On Muscle

 

Bonnie Tsui is out with a new nonfiction book titles, On Muscle and was published yesterday on April 22, 2025.

Earlier today, I enjoyed Bonnie Tsui discussing her book, On Muscle, on Alta Live for 37 minutes with host, Beth Spotswood. 

Wow, wow, wow, what a great talk!! I now look forward to reading On Muscle by Bonnie Tsui!! Did you know that there's a muscle that gives you goosebumps? News to me!! Lots of other things are discussed about the science and cultural aspects of muscles.

Below is the replay of this event, should you care to watch it!

Alta Journal's California Book Club Featuring Author, Ishmael Reed and His Novel, Mumbo Jumbo

 

I've become a huge fan of Alta Journal's California Book Club over the years. They offer a superb selection of amazing author guests lined-up throughout the year. One author each month is featured in the California Book Club and the author is joined by host John Freeman along with a guest moderator/interviewer.

On Thursday, April 17th, from 5-6pm PDT, author, Ishmael Reed discussed his novel, Mumbo Jumbo and answered questions from guests attending virtually.

This was a fun virtual event to attend. I've been meaning to read Mumbo Jumbo for a few years now and I'll have to grab it and read it for sure now.

Alta Journal's California Book Club - The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

 

I love attending Alta Journal's California Book Club monthly virtual author events. These events are amazing! I really love the content for these virtual events and how they are presented. The hosts, authors and other speakers brought in for these events offer insightful and engaging conversation about each book that's chosen for that particular month's book club selection! The fact that these events are virtual makes it great for me as I can watch the events from the comfort of my own home.

I've read The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen back in 2022 and enjoyed it. I found the discussion about this novel to be enlightening as I learned some new things/thoughts about the book during this virtual event.

Do you enjoy attending author events? Have you attended any author events recently?

Alta Journal's California Book Club Event - Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong

 

Last Thursday evening, I enjoyed attending Alta Journal's California Book Club virtual event, which featured Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong. This event began at 5pm PST and lasted well over an hour.

I enjoyed hearing the the author, Rachel Khong, discuss her novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, and give a short reading from it. This novel spotlights the topic of Alzheimer's disease. My understanding is that Goodbye, Vitamin didn't start out as book about Alzheimer's, but rather inspired by the topic of memory.

Memory was discussed quite a bit by the author in the online event. She talked about how memory shapes who we are and without them we'd essentially not no who we are. Plus, how people have different memories about the same event/situation. 

Other things were discussed, of course, but the discussion regarding the topic of memory was the most fascinating to me.

This will probably be my last author event for 2024 and it was another wonderful one from Alta Journal. 

Have you attended any virtual or in person author events recently? Let me know in the comment section below!

Author Gary Phillips In Conversation With John Freeman - Alta Journal's California Book Club!

 

I have yet to read anything written by Gary Phillips. In fact, I'd never heard of him until recently. So, in the interest of learning more about Gary Phillips, I decided to watch Alta Journal's California Book Club virtual event with John Freeman and special guest, Naomi Hirahara!

I enjoyed watching this virtual author event earlier this evening and now want to read Violent Spring more than ever. Violent Spring was published 30 years ago in 1994 and is set in Los Angeles, California. It's also the first novel in a series of four novels featuring the leading character, Private Investigator Ivan Monk. Violent Spring takes place a year after the LA Riots, which occurred in 1992. There are plenty of other features that make this novel sound wonderful.

Have you read any books by Gary Phillips? Also, have you attended any author events recently? Let me know in the comment section below!

Alta Journal's California Book Club - Javier Zamora - Solito

 

I love attending author events!! Since the pandemic hit four years ago, all of the author events I've attended since then have been virtual ones. Virtual events are convenient for so many reasons.

On Thursday, June 20th @ 5pm Pacific Time, I attended Alta Journal's California Book Club virtual event featuring Javier Zamora discussing his memoir, Solito.

I have yet to read Solito. I look forward to reading it! Solito sounds amazing. I enjoy reading about the immigrant experience. In Solito, the author writes about his journey to the USA from El Salvdor as a 9 year old child back in 1999. He left behind his grandparents and aunt to join his mother whom he hasn't seen in four years and a father he barely remembers. The journey takes something like two months.

In general, I enjoy reading memoirs and learning about the lives of others that are so different from my own. I truly believe that we are all interconnected by the human condition. By understanding the lives of others, it helps us to become more compassionate and empathetic to the way others have lived their lives.

Have you read Solito? If so, what did you think of it?

Also have you attended any recent author events?

California Book Club - Alta Journal - Jessica Hagedorn!

 

 

A week ago today, I attended Alta Journal's California Book Club event online with the amazing writer, poet, and playwright, and multimedia performance artist, Jessica Hagedorn. This was the 4th virtual author event I attended this year and I enjoyed this event so much. Ms. Hagedorn gave two readings. Her readings aren't average, to say the least... They are quite captivating.

I'd been so looking forward to this online book club event, because I'd read three of Jessican Hagedorn's novels - The Gangster of Love, Dream Jungle, and Dogeaters back around 2009. All three novels are amazing!

If you're looking for something different in terms of novels, then PLEASE RUN, DON'T WALK and grab yourself a novel written by Jessica Hagedorn. You won't be disappointed.

I have Jessica Hagedorn's novel, Toxicology, lined up to read hopefully sooner rather than later. I have a few books I need to read first before getting to it though. 

Happy reading!

California Book Club - Alta Journal - Laila Lalami

 

Last month, I attended my 3rd online virtual author/bookish event this year when I watched Alta Journal's California Book Club featuring author, Laila Lalami, discussing her novel, The Other Americans. 

I have yet to read anything written by Laila Lalami despite the fact I learned about her as a writer back in early 2021. Laila Lalami was in conversation with writer, Viet Thanh Nguyen, during an online event promoting Nguyen's novel, The Committed.

Anyway, I wanted to learn more about Laila Lalami and her writing, so I attended Alta Journal's online California Book Club last month to hear Laila Lalami talk about her novel, The Other Americans. I enjoyed the discussion very much.

Above is a YouTube video of Alta Journal's California Book Club for March 2024 featuring Laila Lalami should you care to view it.