# Event Details - **Event Name**: Spying on America: Book Launch - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 23 Jul, 2026 at 07:00 pm – Thu, 23 Jul, 2026 at 08:30 pm - **Event Description**: A book launch in celebration of author Bill Gaston's newest book!About this EventJoin us for a warm and funny evening with Bill Gaston, author of the new “fascinating road trip” book, . Will Ferguson describes it as “a journey through the looking glass into that torqued version of Canada we call the United States.”On a June morning in 2022, Bill Gaston drives off the Victoria–Port Angeles ferry in a rented Dodge Charger with his two sons. Born in the U.S. but “Canadian through and through,” Gaston is on a road trip to Tabor, Iowa, the town founded by his great, great, great-grandparents as the westernmost hub of the Underground Railroad.The Gastons’ 11-day trip to Tabor and back takes them up and down and across a swathe of rural red states. Motivated equally by a curiosity to find out what really makes Americans tick and the motto ya gotta stop, the Gastons explore the American west, navigate unmapped dirt roads, eat too many French fries, overnight in clapped-out motels, visit a Buddhist mountain monastery, marvel at spectacular landforms, and enjoy unlikely conversations with real Americans.Both a sideways glance at contemporary American culture and a mordant yet tender account of the true meaning of ancestry, Spying on America is an unpredictably insightful exploration of family, Canada’s neighbour, and the “American bald ego.”This event is free, but please register here as capacity is limited. Books will be on hand for sale and signing!About the author:Bill Gaston was born in Tacoma, Washington, and grew up in Canada, becoming a Canadian citizen as a teenager to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War. He has lived and worked, mostly as an itinerant scholar, all across Canada, in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Toronto, Vancouver and, finally, Victoria. Gaston is the author of The World, winner of the Ethel Wilson Prize for Fiction; Gargoyles, winner of the Victoria Book Prize and finalist for a Governor General’s Award; Mount Appetite, finalist for the Giller Prize; and the memoir Just Let Me Look at You, finalist for the RBC Taylor Prize. He lives, grows food, and writes, with the writer Dede Crane, on Gabriola Island, in the Salish Sea.About Upstart & Crow:Located on Granville Island, Upstart & Crow is a not-for-profit literary arts studio for curious readers and creative storytellers alike. We are international in our outlook, and local in our sensibilities. We create opportunities to surface new talent and champion bold ideas through events, workshops, literary launches, unique partnerships — and yes, we also sell books!Accessibility:The main studio of our shop is accessible for folks with mobility aids. There is a washroom on the main floor available for attendees. As part of disability justice and community care for the chronically ill, vulnerable and elderly, we ask that you refrain from attending if you feel sick.Questions: hello[at]upstartandcrow.com. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/vancouver/spying-on-america-book-launch/100001991439605468 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, trips-adventures, workshops - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 1 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes - Location: Upstart & Crow - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: CAD ## Event venue details - **city**: Vancouver - **state**: BC - **country**: Canada - **location**: Upstart & Crow - **lat**: 49.2704784 - **long**: -123.1343519 - **full address**: Upstart & Crow, 1387 Railspur Alley, Vancouver, Canada ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Spying on America: Book Launch - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/06e894da21ce8ec243b8be11097a61716a17b652166e6bf6961cab1428e2f6de-rimg-w1200-h600-dcfaf7ee-gmir.jpg?v=1781073012 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Spying on America: Book Launch being held? - **A:** Spying on America: Book Launch takes place on Thu, 23 Jul, 2026 at 07:00 pm to Thu, 23 Jul, 2026 at 08:30 pm at Upstart & Crow, 1387 Railspur Alley, Vancouver, Canada. - **Q**: Who is organizing Spying on America: Book Launch? - **A:** Spying on America: Book Launch is organized by Upstart & Crow. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Spying on America: Book Launch is ideal for comedy fans, stand-up enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a dedicated session of curated laughs, professional acts, and sharp wit from seasoned performers. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Vancouver, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Spying on America: Book Launch sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Spying on America: Book Launch", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/06e894da21ce8ec243b8be11097a61716a17b652166e6bf6961cab1428e2f6de-rimg-w1200-h600-dcfaf7ee-gmir.jpg?v=1781073012", "startDate": "2026-07-23", "endDate": "2026-07-23", "url": "https://allevents.in/vancouver/spying-on-america-book-launch/100001991439605468", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Upstart & Crow", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1387 Railspur Alley", "postalCode": "V6H 3R7", "addressLocality": "Vancouver", "addressRegion": "BC", "addressCountry": "CA" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "49.2704784", "longitude": "-123.1343519" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "A book launch in celebration of author Bill Gaston's newest book!", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "CAD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-05", "availabilityEnds": "2026-07-23", "validFrom": "2026-09-05", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/vancouver/spying-on-america-book-launch/100001991439605468" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "CAD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-05", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-05", "url": "https://allevents.in/vancouver/spying-on-america-book-launch/100001991439605468", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "CAD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-05", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-05", "url": "https://allevents.in/vancouver/spying-on-america-book-launch/100001991439605468", "price": 0, "name": "Donation" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Upstart & Crow", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/upstart-and-crow/17807873" } ] } ] ```