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Step 1
Get to know Jack London. Jack London is associated with Sonoma more than any other writer. His books run the gamut from the northern stories of his Klondike days to his stories based on his experiences growing up in Oakland. London’s books are very accessible, and a good literary tour of Jack London would include "Valley of the Moon," set in the Sonoma Valley, "White Fang," "The Call of the Wild," "Cruise of the Snark" and "Northern Stories."
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Step 2
Visit the Jack London State Park. Although he was born and raised in Oakland, after London had achieved fame he purchased a large plot of land in Glen Ellen, and officially moved to the area in the early part of the 20th century. Today, the park features tours of his cottage as well as of his famous “pig palace,” a large feeding complex that he designed and built for the livestock he raised on his nearby ranch.
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Step 3
Get to know Robert Louis Stevenson. If Sonoma is Jack London country, then Napa is Robert Louis Stevenson’s backyard. Stevenson visited Napa county in 1880 on his honeymoon to St. Helena. Stevenson had met his American wife, Fanny, while they were both traveling in France, and came to San Francisco to marry her. After the honeymoon the couple returned to Stevenson’s native Scotland. He wrote "Silverado Squatters" in 1883, based on his experiences in Napa.
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Step 4
Visit the Silverado Museum. Although Stevenson didn’t spend more than a year in Napa Valley, the time he spent there left an indelible impression. The Silverado Museum, devoted to Robert Louis Stevenson, is in St. Helena. The small museum contains many of the writer’s works, as well as recreations of the time he spent in the area on his honeymoon.
