Travel
DRIVE
Next road-
trip classics
No, you can’t read behind the
wheel. But these days, promis-
ing books are released in digital
audio immediately upon publi-
cation. Got a weeklong journey
ahead? The buzz is strong for
Kristin Hannah’s The Great
Alone (St. Martin’s Press, 2018),
an epic, heart-wrenching family
saga set in the Alaskan wilder-
ness. Tommy Orange’s There
There (Alfred A. Knopf, 2018),
a crackling novel that peers into
the fractured yet dynamic lives
of 12 urban Native Americans
living in Oakland, is also get-
ting rave reviews. For shorter
afternoon drives, a tale or
two from Maxim Loskutoff ’s
Come West and See: Stories (W. W.
Norton & Co., 2018; shown
below)—a debut collection with
a dystopian bent set in the rural
Northwest—fits the bill. And
for quick pops of insight while
commuting, try David Naimon’s
Portland-based radio show and
podcast Between the Covers,
which makes it easy to keep up
with the contemporary-lit scene
and find new titles.
GOVancouver’s page-turners
There’s no shortage of literary festivals across the western U.S., but the Vancouver
Writers Fest (writersfest.bc.ca) in Canada gives them all a run for their money. Beyond
the books and talks, the October gathering is a chance for word nerds, plus more than
100 authors from as far away as the U.K. and Australia, to explore one of the West’s
coolest coastal hubs. This year, three stars—and their picks for favorite stops in the city—
have us particularly excited.AMINATTA FORNA
LATEST WORK
Happiness (Atlantic Month-
ly Press, March 2018)
weaves a delicate tale out
of wintry London encoun-
ters between an American
wildlife biologist, a Ghana-
ian psychiatrist, and an ur-
ban fox.
FIRST STOP
Stanley Park, a 1,000-acre
oasis with beaches, trails,
and an actual rain forest.
“I’m looking forward to
riding a bicycle and maybe
spotting a coyote.”AMITAVA KUMAR
LATEST WORK
Immigrant, Montana (Al-
fred A. Knopf, July 2018)
tells the funny, smart, and
ultimately profound story
of a young Indian immi-
grant’s romantic life after
he arrives in New York City
for college.
FIRST STOP
The city’s dynamic Indian
restaurant scene. “I’d like
to get me some real Pun-
jabi food.”ELAINE CASTILLO
LATEST WORK
America Is Not the Heart
(Viking, April 2018) fol-
lows three generations of
women and their journeys
from the Philippines to the
Bay Area in pursuit of an
elusive American Dream.
FIRST STOP
Nearby Richmond, B.C.
“Family and friends have
been steering me toward
Richmond for the best
Asian food, especially
Chinese food.”- STANLEY PARK’S
SEAWALL BIKE PATH.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ALL CANADA PHOTOS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; AMAAL SAID; MICHAEL LIONSTAR