UPCOMING EVENTS

In Conversation With Memoirist Lauren Hough

June 24, 2026 @ 6 p.m.

Novel Memphis
387 Perkins Ext.
Memphis, TN 38117

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From The New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing comes an update of John Steinbeck's trip in Travels with Charley, a cross-country journey exploring modern America with Lauren Hough's signature observational wit, searing social commentary, and perspective as someone who knows what it's like to truly exist on the margins in this country.

Lauren Hough has always been haunted by the road trips she never got to take: no money, no vacation days, no car capable of making the trip. So, upon finally finding herself in a situation where such a trip might be possible--being a writer may not always pay better than being a bartender or a cable guy, but at least the schedule's flexible--she leaps at the chance, refurbishing a ramshackle 2001 Dodge van and setting off from Austin, Texas with her Husky mix Woody by her side.

Her influences feel obvious--but a lot has changed about the United States since the 1962 trip John Steinbeck chronicles in Travels with Charley. And Lauren Hough isn't John Steinbeck--unless the Noble Prize-winning author of The Grapes of Wrath had a secret past as a six-foot-tall lesbian and Air Force vet. But even better as a social lubricant than beer, a dog is the ultimate conversation starter. With Woody as wingman, Lauren chats--at gas stations and restaurants and auto shops and bars--with an incredible cross-section of Americans from all walks of life and every possible political perspective. And as she circumnavigates the country, she documents, with all-too-rare empathy, what it means to be poor, to be marginalized, and to be seen as Other in America.

Part travelogue, part social commentary, and 100% Lauren Hough, Monster of a Land unites her poignant vulnerability, her hilarious narrative voice, and her razor-sharp insights into a journey that will show us how far we've come as a country, and how far we still have to go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

LAUREN HOUGH was born in Germany and raised in seven countries, and West Texas. She's been an Air Force airman, a bartender, a bouncer, a construction laborer, a driver, a green-aproned barista, and a cable guy. She's the author of the New York Times bestselling essay collection, Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Granta, Texas Highways, Huffpost, and The Guardian. She's a writer at large for Texas Highways. She lives in Austin with a dog named Woody Guthrie.

Bookclubs

Bookclubs all across the world have fallen in love with Courtney's novels, which offer groups an opportunity to talk about aging, family secrets and the importance of place, guilt, and parenting. Contact Courtney directly if you'd like her to attend your bookclub (either virtually or in person).
In Conversation

Before becoming a writer and teacher, Courtney worked as a journalist where she learned the art of turning an interview into a conversation. Her discussions with contemporary writers explore the complexities of their work, the craft of writing, and what it means to participate in our literary community.
Speaking

Courtney’s fiction explores themes of family, religion, and parenting. Her nonfiction is focused on matriarchy and intergenerational relationships. She has more than ten years of experience teaching creative writing to all ages. As Editor-in-Chief of the Pinch, she is knowledgeable about publishing.