Author breaks writing traditions in new novel

David Guterson visits UAlbany to talk about his inventive new novel Evelyn in Transit

By Lillian Magurno, NYS Writers Institute intern

Friday, February 13, 2026

When readers hear the name David Guterson, they most likely think of his 1994 best-selling novel Snow Falling on Cedars.

“If I had a brand, Snow Falling on Cedars would be it,” said Guterson in a post on LitHub. Guterson will be our featured guest on Thursday, Feb. 19, at Page Hall on the Downtown UAlbany Campus.

Not only has the novel been studied in literature classrooms, but it has also been adapted into a movie in 1999 starring Ethan Hawke, Max von Sydow, James Cromwell, and Yûki Kudô. While the author of 13 published books, seven of which are novels, Snow Falling on Cedars is the novel and “brand” that he is remembered for.

Yet according to Guterson, the “brand” he created with Snow Falling on Cedars does not exist. Guterson’s most recent publication Evelyn in Transit is drastically different from his best-selling novel, introducing a new writing style to his anthology.

Evelyn in Transit follows the strong-willed misfit Evelyn Bednarz who hitchhikes across the American West looking to fulfill her own happiness and find a better life for her son, Cliff. Throughout the novel, we see the perspective of both Evelyn and a Tibetan Buddhist monk named Tsering, which show how their lives have a strange and surprising connection.

“What should any and all of us do with our time on planet earth, and why?” said Guterson in discussion of Evelyn in Transit on his website, “I don't have answers, but I really like the questions, and writing this novel was a great way for me to think about them, and I hope it creates a context wherein others can think about them too.

Evelyn in Transit has received high praise, including from musician and Pulitzer Prize winning author Paul Harding who described the novel as “an inspired portrait that is both cosmic and sacred.”

With the release of his new novel, Guterson is set for a tour across the country to discuss his publications. His last stop on the tour is at the University at Albany with the New York State Writer’s Institute on Thursday, February 19th.

The discussion with Guterson will take place at Page Hall on UAlbany’s Downtown Campus at 7:30 p.m. where attendees will be able to purchase copies of Evelyn in Transit and have the chance to talk with the best-selling author and get their books signed.

David Guterson in conversation

7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 19

Page Hall, UAlbany Downtown Campus

135 Western Avenue

Albany NY 12203