Spur Award for Best Western Novel
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the works of fiction which have won the Spur Award
for Best Western Novel:
Spur Award
The Spur Award is an annual literary prize awarded by the Western Writers of America. Founded in 1953 with only four categories , the award today has expanded to include the following categories:...
for Best Western Novel:
- 1953 - Novel: "Lawman" by Wayne D. OverholserWayne D. OverholserWayne D. Overholser was an American Western writer. Overholser won the 1953 First Spur Award for best novel for Lawman using the pseudonym Lee Leighton...
using the pseudonym Lee Leighton - 1954 - Novel: "The Violent Land" by Wayne D. Overholser (2)
- 1955 - Novel: "Somewhere They Die" by L.P. Holmes
- 1956 - Novel: "High Gun" by Leslie Ernenwein
- 1957 - Novel: "Buffalo Wagons" by Elmer KeltonElmer KeltonElmer Stephen Kelton was an American journalist and writer, known particularly for his Western novels.-Biography:...
- 1958 - Novel: "Short Cut to Red River" by Noel Loomis
- 1959 - Novel: "Long Run" by Nelson C. NyeNelson C. NyeNelson Coral Nye is an award-winning American author of Western fiction who wrote close to 125 titles and co-founded the Western Writers of America guild. He wrote under the name Nelson C. Nye, as well as the pseudonyms Clem Colt and Drake C...
- 1960 - Novel: "The Nameless Breed by Will C. Brown
- 1961 - Novel: "The Honyocker by Giles A. LutzGiles A. LutzGiles Alfred Lutz was a prolific author of fiction in the Western genre. Born in March 1910 in Missouri, United States, Lutz for many years wrote short stories about the American West that were published in pulp magazines...
- 1962 - Novel: "Commanche Captives" by Fred GroveFred GroveFred Grove was a Native American author and winner of five prestigious "Spur Awards" from Western Writers of America for his western novels. He was born in Hominy, Oklahoma.-Biography:...
- 1963 - Novel: "Follow the Free Wind" by Leigh BrackettLeigh BrackettLeigh Douglass Brackett was an American author, particularly of science fiction. She was also a screenwriter, known for her work on famous films such as The Big Sleep , Rio Bravo , The Long Goodbye and The Empire Strikes Back .-Life:Leigh Brackett was born and grew up in Los Angeles, California...
- 1964 - Novel: "The Trail to Ogallala by Benjamin Capps
- 1965 - Novel: "Sam Chance" by Benjamin Capps (2)
- 1966 - Novel: "My Brother John" by Herbert R. Purdum
- 1967 - Novel: "The Valdez Horses" by Lee HoffmanLee HoffmanLee Hoffman, born Shirley Bell Hoffman, was an American science fiction fan, an editor of early folk music fanzines, and an author of science fiction, Western and romance novels.In 1950-53, she edited and published the highly-regarded science fiction fanzine, Quandry...
- 1968 - Novel: "Down the Long Hills" by Louis L'AmourLouis L'AmourLouis Dearborn L'Amour was an American author. His books consisted primarily of Western fiction novels , however he also wrote historical fiction , science fiction , nonfiction , as well as poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into movies...
- 1969 - Novel: "Tragg's Choice" by Clifton Adams
- 1970 - Novel: "The Last Days of Wolf Garnett" by Clifton Adams (2)
- 1971 - Novel: "The Day the Cowboys Quit" by Elmer Kelton (2)
- 1972 - Novel: "A Killing in Kiowa" by Lewis B. PattenLewis B. PattenLewis Byford Patten was a prolific author of American Western novels, born in Denver, Colorado. He often published under the names Lewis Ford, Len Leighton and Joseph Wayne. He used the last two names when writing in collaboration with Wayne D...
- 1973 - Novel: "The Time It Never Rained" by Elmer Kelton (3)
- 1974 - Novel: "A Hanging in Sweetwater" by Stephen Overholser (son of Wayne D. Overholser)
- 1975 - Novel: "The ShootistThe ShootistThe Shootist is a 1976 Western starring John Wayne in his final film role. It was based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout. Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout wrote the screenplay...
" by Glendon SwarthoutGlendon SwarthoutGlendon Fred Swarthout was an American writer.-Life:Glendon Swarthout was the only child of Fred and Lila Swarthout, a banker and a homemaker. Swarthout is a Dutch name from the area around Groningen, in the Netherlands, and his mother’s maiden name was Chubb, from English farmers of Yorkshire... - 1976 - Novel (tie): "The Spirit Horses" by Lou CameronLou CameronLou Cameron is an American novelist and a comic book creator.Born in San Francisco in 1924 to Lou Cameron Sr. and Ruth Marvin Cameron, a vaudeville comedian and his vocalist wife.Lou Cameron served in Europe during World War 2 in the U.S...
and "The Court Martial of George Armstrong Custer" by Douglas C. JonesDouglas C. JonesDouglas Clyde Jones was an American author of historical fiction, including alternative history fiction. As a boy, he had lived for a time in Fort Smith, Arkansas, adjacent to former Indian territory.... - 1977 - Novel: "The Great Horse Race" by Fred Grove (2)
- 1978 - Novel: "Riders To Cibola" by Norman Zollinger
- 1979 - Novel: "The Holdouts" by William Decker
- 1980 - Novel: "The Valiant Women" by Jeanne Williams
- 1981 - Novel (tie): "Eye of The Hawk" by Elmer Kelton (4) and "Horizon" by Lee Head
- 1982 - Novel: "Match Race" by Fred Grove (3)
- 1983 - Novel: "Leaving Kansas" by Frank Roderus
- 1984 - Novel: no award
- 1985 - Western Novel: "Lonesome DoveLonesome DoveLonesome Dove is a 1985 Pulitzer Prize–winning western novel written by Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the Lonesome Dove series, but the third installment in the series chronologically...
" by Larry McMurtryLarry McMurtryLarry Jeff McMurtry is an American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter whose work is predominantly set in either the old West or in contemporary Texas... - 1986 - Western Novel: "The Blind Corral" by Ralph Robert Beer
- 1987 - Western Novel: "Skinwalkers"Skinwalkers (novel)Skinwalkers a mystery novel, is the seventh book by author Tony Hillerman.-Plot summary:When an unknown assailant tries to kill Officer Jim Chee by firing a shotgun into his trailer, and three other people are found murdered in different locations around the Navajo reservation, Chee and Lieutenant...
by Tony HillermanTony HillermanTony Hillerman was an award-winning American author of detective novels and non-fiction works best known for his Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels... - 1988 - Western Novel: "Mattie" by Judy Alter
- 1989 - Western Novel: "Fool's Coach" by Richard S. WheelerRichard S. WheelerRichard S. Wheeler is the award-winning novelist of over sixty books about the American West, including the Barnaby Skye series of novels...
- 1990 - Western Novel: "Sanctuary" by Gary SveeGary SveeGary Svee is an American author and journalist, known for his Westerns. He was born in Billings, Montana, growing up on the banks of the Yellowstone, Rosebud and Stillwater rivers, and is a graduate of the University of Montana's School of Journalism.Svee is a former editorial director for the...
- 1991 - Western Novel: "Journal of the Gun Years" by Richard MathesonRichard MathesonRichard Burton Matheson is an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is perhaps best known as the author of What Dreams May Come, Bid Time Return, A Stir of Echoes, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and I Am Legend, all of which have been...
- 1992 - Western Novel: "Nickajack" by Robert J. ConleyRobert J. ConleyRobert J. Conley is a Cherokee author and enrolled member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, a federally recognized tribe of American Indians. In 2007, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas.Conley was born in Cushing, Oklahoma and...
- 1993 - Western Novel: "Friends" by Charles Hackenberry
- 1994 - Western Novel: "St. Agnes' Stand" by Tom Eidson
- 1995 - Western Novel: "The Dark Island" by Robert J. Conley (2)
- 1996 - Western Novel: "Blood of Texas" by Preston Lewis (writing as Will Camp)
- 1997: W.W.A.Western Writers of AmericaWestern Writers of America, founded 1953, promotes literature, both fiction and non-fiction, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional western fiction, the more than five hundred current members also include historians and other non-fiction writers as well as authors...
changed the time-frame from 'year published' to 'year award presented' - 1998 - Western Novel: "The Kiowa Verdict" by Cynthia Haseloff
- 1999 - Western Novel: "Journey of the Dead" by Loren D. EstlemanLoren D. EstlemanLoren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter....
- 2000 - Western Novel: "Masterson" by Richard S. Wheeler (2)
- 2000 - Western Novel: "Summer of Pearls" by Mike Blakely
- 2001 - Western Novel: "The Gates of the Alamo" by Stephen HarriganStephen HarriganStephen Harrigan is an American writer, known primarily for his 2000 historical novel The Gates of the Alamo. He was born in Oklahoma City in 1948, grew up in Texas and currently lives in Austin. Harrigan began his career as a journalist, as a staff writer and later senior editor at Texas Monthly...
- 2002 - Western Novel: "The Way of The Coyote" by Elmer Kelton (5)
- 2003 - Western Novel: "The Chili Queen" by Sandra DallasSandra DallasSandra Dallas is an award-winning American author of both novels and non-fiction books, as well as an ex-reporter for BusinessWeek magazine.-Biography:...
- 2004 - Western Novel: "I Should Be Extremely Happy In Your Company" By Brian HallBrian Hall (author)Brian Hall is an American author. Son of Louis Alton Hall and Peggy Smith Hall, he grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University from 1977 to 1981, graduating summa cum laude with an A.B. in English Literature....
- 2005 - Western Novel: "Buy The Chief A Cadillac" by Rick Steber
- 2006 - Western Novel (tie): "Camp Ford: A Western Story" by Johnny D. Boggs and "The Undertaker's Wife" by Loren D. EstlemanLoren D. EstlemanLoren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter....
(2) - 2007 - Best Western Short Novel: "The Shape ShifterThe Shape ShifterThe Shape Shifter is eighteenth in the Chee/Leaphorn Navajo Tribal Police series of crime fiction novels by Tony Hillerman. A New York Times best-seller and the last Chee/Leaphorn novel before Hillerman's death on October 26, 2008.-Characters:...
" by Tony Hillerman (2) - 2008 - Best Western Short Novel: "Tallgrass" By Sandra Dallas (2)
- 2009 - Best Western Short Novel: "Another Man's Moccasins by Craig JohnsonCraig JohnsonCraig Johnson may refer to:*Craig Johnson , member of the Alaska House of Representatives*Craig Johnson , American football coach*Craig Johnson , , NHL player...
- 2010 - Best Western Short Novel: "Far Bright Star" by Robert OlmsteadRobert OlmsteadRobert Olmstead is an award-winning American novelist and educator.-Early life and education:Olmstead was born in 1954 in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. He grew up on a farm. After high school, he enrolled at Davidson College with a football scholarship, but left school after three semesters in...
- 10 authors have won the award on more than one occasion: Elmer Kelton (5): 1957, 1971, 1973, 1981, 2002; Fred Grove (3): 1962, 1977, 1982; (2) each for: Clifton Adams 1969, 1970; Benjamin Capps 1964, 1965; Robert J. Conley 1992, 1995; Sandra Dallas 2003, 2008; Loren D. Estleman 1999, 2006; Tony Hillerman 1987, 2007; Wayne D. Overholser 1953, 1954; Richard S. Wheeler 1989, 2000