Spur Awards - Western Favorites
The Spur Awards, given annually for distinguished writing about the American West, are among the oldest and most prestigious in American literature. In 1953, when Western Writers of America established the awards, western fiction was a staple of American publishing. Since then, the awards have been broadened to include other types of writing about the West.
Three primary categories of Western writing are:
These books, currently available in our collection, are listed by the year the award was given. Books are available in Cassette (RC), Large print (LP), or Braille (BR).
Traditional Westerns
Updated 10/25/07
2007
|
The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman. RC 63562 (2 c.), LP 18487, BR 16879 (2 v.) |
2006 |
Camp Ford: A Western Story by Johnny D. Boggs. LP 18386 |
2005 |
Buy the Chief a Cadillac by Rick Steber. RC 61477 (2 c.) |
2004 |
I Should Be Extremely Happy In Your Company by Brian Hall. LP 15252 |
2003 |
The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas. BR 14986 (2 v.) |
2002 |
The Way of the Coyote by Elmer Kelton. RC 56027 (2 c.), LP 14457 |
2001 |
Summer of Pearls by Mike Blakely. RC 56653 (2 c.) |
2000 |
Masterson by Richard S. Wheeler. RC 50331 (2 c.), LP 12998 |
1999 |
Journey of the Dead by Loren D. Estleman. RC 47714 (2 c.), LP 12997 |
1998 |
The Kiowa Verdict by Cynthia Haseloff. RC 48848 (2 c.), LP 11144 |
1996 |
Blood of Texas by Will Camp. LP 10355 |
1995 |
The Dark Island by Robert J. Conley. RC 54266 (1 c.) |
1994 |
St. Agnes' Stand by Tom Eidson. RC 38988 (1 c.), LP 8691 |
1993 |
Friends by Charles Hackenberry. LP 12113 |
1992 |
Nickajack by Robert J. Conley. RC 36961 (1 c.) |
1991 |
Journal of the Gun Years by Richard Matheson. RC 35048 (2 c.), LP 7350 |
1990 |
Sanctuary by Gary Svee. RC 33219 (1 c.), LP 6714, BR 8658 (2 v.) |
1989 |
Fool's Coach by Richard Wheeler. RC 54408 (2 c.) |
1988 |
Mattie by Judy Alter. RC 28301 (2 cass.) |
1987 |
Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman. RC 25396 (2 c.), LP 5342 |
1985 |
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. RC 22959 (7 c.), BR 13696 (8 v.) |
1982 |
Match Race by Fred Grove. LP 4690 |
1981 |
Eye of the Hawk by Elmer Kelton. LP 11306 |
1980 |
The Valiant Women by Jeanne Williams. RC 18060 (3 c.), BR 5182 (5 v.) |
1978 |
Riders to Cibola by Norman Zollinger. RC 12922 (2 c.) |
1977 |
The Great Horse Race by Fred Grove. RC 11343 (2 c.), LP 12496 |
1976 |
The Spirit Horses by Lou Cameron. LP 12142, BR 4453 (2 vols.) and |
| The Court Martial of George Armstrong Custer by Douglas C. Jones. LP 11422 | |
1975 |
The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout. RC 55309 (1 c.), LP 18064 |
1974 |
A Hanging in Sweetwater by Stephen Overholser. LP 11788 |
1973 |
The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton. RC 49217 (3 c.) |
1972 |
A Killing in Kiowa by Lewis B. Patten. LP 12880 |
1971 |
The Day the Cowboys Quit by Elmer Kelton. RC 48755 (2 c.), LP 7845 |
1968 |
Down the Long Hills by Louis L'Amour. RC 20424 (2 c.), LP 5266, BR 5396 (2 v.) |
1967 |
The Valdez Horses by Lee Hoffman. RC 55489 (1 c.), LP 11602 |
1965 |
Sam Chance by Benjamin Capps. LP 14199 |
1964 |
Trail to Ogallala by Benjamin Capps. RC 24559 (2 c.) |
1962 |
Comanche Captives by Fred Grove. LP 12280 |
1960 |
The Nameless Breed by Will C. Brown. LP 11080 |
1958 |
Short Cut to Red River by Noel Loomis. LP 13555 |
1957 |
Buffalo Wagons by Elmer Kelton. RC 46101 (2 c.), LP 13131 |
1955 |
Somewhere They Die by L.P. Holmes. LP 12749 |
1954 |
The Violent Land by Wayne E. Overholser. RC 60244 (2 c.) |
1953 |
Somewhere They Die by L.P. Holmes. LP 12749 |
Historical Novels of the West
Updated 10/25/07
2007 |
The Night Journal by Elizabeth Crook. |
2006 |
High Country by Williard Wyman. |
2005 |
People of the Raven by Kathleen Gear. RC 61406 (4 c.) |
2004 |
So Wild a Dream by Win Blevins. RC 61705 (3 c.) |
2003 |
Perma Red by Debra Earling. RC 56419 (2 c.) |
2002 |
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. BR 14084 (4 v.) |
2001 |
Gates of the Alamo by Stephen Harrigan. RC 51379 (4 c.) |
2000 |
Prophet Annie by Ellen Recknor. RC 52609 (3 c.), LP 11582 |
1999 |
The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton by Jane Smiley. RC 46078 (4 c.), LP 10762 |
1998 |
Comanche Moon by Larry McMurtry. RC 45001 (5 c.), LP 10749, BR 12758 (6 vols.) |
1996 |
Sierra by Richard Wheeler. RC 43937 (3 c.), LP 10104 |
1994 |
The Far Canyon by Elmer Kelton. RC 39434 (2 c.), LP 9142 |
1992 |
Slaughter by Elmer Kelton. RC 38638 (3 c.), LP 9010 |
1991 |
The Medicine Horn by Jory Sherman. RC 47770 (2 c.) |
1990 |
Home Mountain by Jeanne Williams. RC 32734 (3 c.), LP 6757, BR 8696 (3 v.) |
1989 |
Panther in the Sky by James Thom. RC 30514 (5 c.) |
1988 |
The Homesman by Glendon Swarthout. RC 29819 (2 c.), LP 5978 |
1987 |
Wanderer Springs by Robert Flynn. RC 28194 (3 c.) |
1986 |
Roman by Douglas C. Jones. LP 5305 |
1985 |
The Snowblind Moon by John Cook. RC 22391 (6 c.) |
1984 |
Gone the Dreams and Dancing by Douglas Jones. RC 23676 (2 c.) |
1983 |
Sam Bass by Bryan Woolley. RC 20421 (2 c.) |
1982 |
Ride the Wind by Lucia Robson. RC 18566 (5 c.) |
1977 |
Swimming Man Burning by Terrence Kilpatrick. RC 11301 (2 c.) |
1976 |
The Kincaids by Matt Braun. RC 15895 (4 c.) |
1969 |
White Man's Road by Benjamin Capps. BR 1155 (3 v.) |
1968 |
The Red Sabbath by Lewis Patten. LP 14202 |
1965 |
Mountain Man by Vardis Fisher. RC 44306 (3 c.) |
1962 |
The Winter War by William Haines. LP 10851 |
1960 |
From Where the Sun Now Stands by Will Henry. RC 52947 (2 c.) |
Nonfiction-Western History and Biography
Updated 10/26/07
From 1994 to Present both History and Biography awards were offered in the nonfiction catagory. Prior to 1994, an award was given for either history or biography. Titles available are listed below:
2007 |
Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides. RC 64017 (3 c.), LP 18362 |
2006 |
Chief Joseph: Guardian of the People by Candy Moulton. BR 16515 (2 v.) |
2005 |
Black Kettle: The Cheyenne Chief by Thom Hatch. RC 61754 (3 c.) |
2004 |
One Vast Winter Count: the Native American West by Colin G. Calloway. RC 58263 (4 c.) |
2003 |
Blood of the Prophets by Will Bagley. RC 63040 (5 c.) |
2002 |
Andrew Jackson and His Indian Wars by Robert Temini. RC 54210 (3 c.) |
2001 |
A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell by Donald Worster. RC 53101 (6 c.) |
1999 |
Duke: The Life and Image of John Wayne by Ronald Davis. RC 46583 (3 c.) |
1996 |
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. RC 43291 (5 c.) |
1992 |
Let Me Be Free: the Nez Perce Tragedy by David Lavender. RC 37172 (3 c.) |
1989 |
The Great Plains by Ian Frazier. RC 30970 (2 cass.) |
1987 |
Jessie Benton Fremont by Pamela Herr. RC 26320 (3 c.) |
1985 |
Phil Sheridan and His Army by Paul Hutton. RC 26665 (3 c.) |
1981 |
Cowboy Culture: a Saga of Five Centuries by David Dary. RC 17130 (3 c.) |
1980 |
The Peace Chiefs of the Cheyennes by Stan Hoig. RC 18076 (2 c.) |
1975 |
Lamy of Santa Fe by Paul Horgan. RC 9668 (4 c.) |
1973 |
Burnt Out Fires by Richard Dillon. BR 2357 (5 v.) |
1961 |
Lives and Legends of Buffalo Bill by Don Russell. RC 13616 (3 c.) |
1960 |
South Pass 1868 by James Chisholm. RCU 5344 (2 c.) |
1956 |
Men to Match My Mountains by Irving Stone. RC 23215 (5 c.) |