The American Tour is back, and this time we’re featuring California! I’ll be highlighting some amazing authors who were born or currently reside in the Golden State. Join me in surfing these awesome recs!
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Wandering Stars, released in February 2024, is set in two separate locations and times: 1864 Colorado and 2018 California. It is a continuation of Orange’s debut There There which was an instant hit. The story follows Star, Charles, Opal, and her children as their identities are stripped by the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and the prevalence of present-day gun violence.
Tommy Orange is from Oakland, California, and is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. As a college graduate, he worked at a bookstore in San Leandro which ultimately inspired him to start writing. Now he is a teacher in New Mexico!
And Then? And Then? What Else? by Daniel Handler
You might recognize this author by his pen name, Lemony Snicket. Daniel Handler is the author behind A Series of Unfortunate Events, a personal favorite of mine. This memoir tells all, including Handler’s time in San Francisco and his love of Baudelaire’s poetry (I bet that name rings a bell). Not only is this a memoir, but it also acts as a writing guide for aspiring authors.
Daniel Handler hails from San Francisco, California. He attended Wesleyan University, where I got to hear him speak once! He is a fan of Edward Gorey and Roald Dahl, and loves to play the accordion.
Always Coming Home Ursula K. Le Guin
This novel is set in post-apocalyptic Napa Valley. It explores the life of the Kesh people, who are survivors of an ecological disaster and live contrary to many of our modern social constructs. Published in 1985, Always Coming Home feels ahead of its time. Le Guin immersed herself in the Kesh world, even making a language, recipes, and cultural songs for the book.
Ursula K. Le Guin was born in Berkeley, California. She grew up in a literary household and her family had a summer home in Napa Valley, which may have served as the inspiration for this novel’s setting. She was a prolific author, leaving 23 novels behind when she passed at the age of 88.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This retro story takes place in Malibu during 1983. The Rivas family has always known life in the limelight; the patriarch Mick was a famous singer and his children all have talents of their own like surfing, photography, and modeling. The Rivas’s also host a famous end-of-summer bash, which is a highly anticipated event for all those who attend. Over the course of the night, though, interconnected secrets and drama are unearthed between the four Rivas siblings.
While Reid is East Coast born and bred, she now lives in Los Angeles with her family. Beyond Malibu Rising, a great number of her books are set in California including The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six.
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
The Celebrants is about the unmistakable joy of being alive. Under tragic circumstances, a group of college friends make a pact to celebrate each other’s living funerals. Decades later they’re still reuniting in Big Sur, California for their celebrations. The friends support one another through milestones, but this year there is a secret which could interrupt their tradition completely.
Rowley is originally from Maine, but moved to Palm Springs with his husband and adorable pups. He is a New York Times bestselling author and most well-known for writing The Guncle.
Golden State by Ben H. Winters
1984 meets The Giver in this dystopian sci-fi set in a state based off southern California. Truth is valued above all else, and Laz is the only one who can know about the Objectively So (or speculations). In this world, cameras are always watching so there is no room for lies.
Winter’s birthplace was Maryland, but he relocated to Los Angeles with his wife and three kids. Beyond books, he works on TV shows and has dabbled in music as well as comedy.
California has more to offer than just film and television; these writers are proof that California produces a great amount of creativity from its community. Be sure to check out these books!
Interested in reading up on more authors around the USA? Check out the rest of The American Tour here.
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