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Western Heritage Literary Awards, from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Go West

Posted by
on May 6, 2009 at 9:54 am

On April 18th, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum announced their 48th annual Western Heritage Awards. Literary awards are given in seven categories; Western novel, nonfiction, art, photography,juvenile, magazine article and poetry. For more information on all the awards there is an article in the Spring 2009 Persimmon Hill, the museum’s magazine. 

Outstanding Western Novel went to Jackalope Dreams. (I just ordered a copy for the library, the reviews and excerpts are very convincing) 

Book description straight from the publisher, University of Nebraska Press (buy regionally).

The departed men in her life still have plenty to say to Corey. Her father, a legendary rodeo cowboy who punctuated his lifelong pronouncements with a bullet to his head, may be the loudest. But in this story of Montana—a story in which the old West meets the new and tradition has its way with just about everyone—it is Corey’s voice we listen to. In this tour-de-force of voices big and small, sure and faltering, hers comes across resonant and clear, directing us to the heart of the matter.
Played out against the mythology of the Old West—a powerful amalgam of ranching history, Marlboro Men, and train robbery reenactments—the story of the newly orphaned, spinsterish Corey is a sometimes comical, sometimes poignant tale of coming-of-age a little late. As she tries to recapture an old dream of becoming a painter—of preserving some modicum of true art amid the virtual reality of modern Montana—Corey finds herself figuring in other dramas as well, other, younger lives already at least as lost as her own.  jackalope-dreams

The University of Oklahoma Press should be very proud to take the awards for the Outstanding Nonfiction with The North American Journals of Prince Maximilian of Wied
Volume I: May 1832–April 1833
Edited by Stephen S. Witte, Marsha V. Gallagherwied

and the Outstanding Art Book for In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein
By Peter H. Hassrick, Elizabeth J. Cunninghamin-contemporary-rhythm

American Farmer: The Heart of our Country takes best Photography Book. This is a portrait collection of the modern American farmer, represented by farmers from all these states; Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Texas Tech University Press published the Outstanding Juvenile Book, Melodie A. Cuate’s Journey to Gonzales.

Third in the award-winning Mr. Barrington’s Mysterious Trunk Series, which presents Texas history to young readers through fiction.

journey-to-gonzales

Dan Flores took top honors for his Outstanding Magazine Article, “Bringing Home All the Pretty Horses,” published in Montana, The Magazine of Western History.

And the Outstanding Poetry Book went to Poems from Dry Creek by John Dofflemyer. An interesting website about the poet, from the Bar-D Ranch folks.

poems-from-dry-creek