Josh Weil Author Talk and Signing for What Came West
Josh Weil Author Talk and Signing for What Came West comes to Bank Square Books in Mystic on Sunday, July 26, offering readers the opportunity to meet the acclaimed novelist behind one of the year’s most talked-about historical fiction releases. The free event features Weil in conversation with behavioral scientist and author Stuart Vyse, followed by a book signing.
Centered on the American frontier just before the California Gold Rush, What Came West follows Silas Hall, an outsider searching for purpose in the untamed Sierra Nevada. Through parallel narratives, the novel explores ambition, violence, belonging, and the consequences of one life-changing decision. The book has earned widespread praise for its vivid storytelling and fresh examination of the mythology of the American West.
Event Details
Event: Josh Weil Author Talk and Signing for What Came West
Date: Sunday, July 26, 2026
Time: 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Venue: Bank Square Books
Address: 80 Stonington Road, Suite 8, Mystic, CT 06355
Admission: Free
About What Came West
Set in the Sierra Nevada during the 1840s, just before the Gold Rush transformed the American West, What Came West tells the story of Silas Hall, a man driven by a lifelong search for belonging. As waves of settlers pour into California, his fragile life is shattered by violence, leading to a desperate act that changes his future forever.
The novel unfolds through two intertwined narratives: a tense account of Silas’s flight through the wilderness and a deeply personal letter written to the son he left behind. Together, they create a compelling exploration of the myths, conflicts, and human costs that shaped the American frontier.
About Josh Weil
Josh Weil is the author of The Great Glass Sea, the novella collection The New Valley, and the story collection The Age of Perpetual Light. His work has earned numerous honors, including the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Book Foundation’s “5 Under 35” award, the California Book Award, and a Pushcart Prize. A Fulbright Fellow, Weil now lives in California’s Sierra Nevada, where the landscape helped inspire What Came West.
In Conversation with Stuart Vyse
Joining Weil for the discussion is Stuart Vyse, a behavioral scientist, teacher, and writer. A contributing editor for Skeptical Inquirer magazine, Vyse has also written for publications including The Atlantic, Time, Medium, Tablet, and The Good Men Project.
Why Attend
Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction, literary fiction, or simply enjoy hearing authors discuss their creative process, this free event offers an opportunity to gain insight into one of the year’s notable new novels and meet an award-winning writer in an intimate bookstore setting.
