''Owen Wister Award'' is an annual

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awar ...

from the

Western Writers of America Western Writers of America (WWA), founded 1953, promotes literature, both fictional and nonfictional, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional Western fiction, the more than 600 current members also include histori ...

given to lifelong contributions to the field of

Western literature Western literature, also known as European literature, is the literature written in the context of Western culture in the languages of Europe, as well as several geographically or historically related languages such as Basque and Hungarian, an ...

. Named for writer

Owen Wister Owen Wister (July 14, 1860 – July 21, 1938) was an American writer and historian, considered the "father" of western fiction. He is best remembered for writing '' The Virginian'' and a biography of Ulysses S. Grant. Biography Early life ...

('' The Virginian''; 1902), it is given for "Outstanding Contributions to the American West".Owen Wister Award
- Western Writers of America. - Retrieved: 2008-07-05 Originally given for "best book of the year", it was expanded in 1967 to include anyone advancing Western literature. From 1961 to 1990 it was called the ''Saddleman Award'' (sculptor Spero Anargyros; polished bronze statuette of a cowboy in Levi’s, saddle slung over his right shoulder, branding iron in his left hand ) and sponsored by Levi Strauss & Co. After Levi Strauss dropped its sponsorship, the award was retitled the ''Owen Wister Award'' for "Lifetime Achievement" in Western history and literature. From 1991 to 1994 recipients received an engraved bronze figure of a cowboy, since 1994 winners have received a bronze buffalo design on wood base from sculptor Robert H. Duffie.

Winners

List of recipients of the ''Saddleman'' and Owen Wister''.

''Saddleman''

* ''Saddleman'' honorees are: ** 1961: Will Henry ** 1962: Jeanne Williams ** 1963: Fred Grove ** 1964:

Mari Sandoz Mari Susette Sandoz (May 11, 1896 – March 10, 1966) was a Nebraska novelist, biographer, lecturer, and teacher. She became one of the West's foremost writers, and wrote extensively about pioneer life and the Plains Indians.Bristow, Dav ...

** 1965: Benjamin Capps ** 1966: Alvin M. Josephy, Jr. ** 1967: S. Omar Barker ** 1968: Nelson C. Nye ** 1969: Frederick D. Glidden ** 1970: John Wayne ** 1971: Thomas Thompson ** 1972:

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

** 1973: Glenn Vernam ** 1974: W. Foster-Harris ** 1975: Nellie Snyder Yost ** 1976:

Dorothy M. Johnson Dorothy Marie Johnson (December 19, 1905 – November 11, 1984) was an American writer best known for her Western fiction. Biography Early life Dorothy Marie Johnson was born in McGregor, Iowa, the only daughter of Lester Eugene Johnson and Ma ...

** 1977:

Elmer Kelton Elmer Stephen Kelton (April 29, 1926Kelton, Elmer (2007). - ''Sandhills Boy: The Winding Trail of a Texas Writer''. - New York, New York: Forge. - p.26. - . – August 22, 2009) was an American journalist and writer, known particularly for hi ...

** 1978: A. B. Guthrie, Jr. ** 1979: Lewis B. Patten ** 1980: C. L. Sonnichsen ** 1981:

Louis L'Amour Louis Dearborn L'Amour (; né LaMoore; March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988) was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels (though he called his work "frontier stories"); however, he also wrote hi ...

** 1982: Eve Ball ** 1983: Bill Gulick ** 1984: Dee Brown ** 1985:

Leon Claire Metz Leon Claire Metz (November 6, 1930 – November 15, 2020) was an American cultural historian, author, television documentary personality, and lecturer on the American Old West period. Metz presented hundreds of his programs to groups all over t ...

** 1986:

Jack Warner Schaefer Jack Warner Schaefer (November 19, 1907 – 24 January 1991) was an American writer known for his Westerns. His best-known works are the 1949 novel ''Shane'', voted the greatest western novel, and the 1964 children's book ''Stubby Pringle's C ...

** 1987: Clint Eastwood ** 1988: Don Worcester ** 1989: Wayne D. Overholser ** 1990: Max Evans

''Owen Wister''

* ''Owen Wister'' honorees are: ** 1991:

Glendon Swarthout Glendon Fred Swarthout (April 8, 1918 – September 23, 1992) was an American writer and novelist. Several of his novels were made into films. ''Where the Boys Are'', and ''The Shootist'', which was John Wayne's last work, are probably the bes ...

** 1992: Tom Lea ** 1993: Douglas C. Jones ** 1994: Robert M. Utley ** 1995: Gordon D. Shirreffs ** 1996:

David Lavender David Sievert Lavender (February 4, 1910 – April 26, 2003) was an American historian and writer who was one of the most prolific chroniclers of the American West. He published more than 40 books, including two novels, several children's books, ...

** 1997: José Cisneros **:No award was given in 1998. ** 1999: Norman Zollinger ** 2000: Dale L. Walker ** 2001: Richard S. Wheeler ** 2002: David Dary ** 2003: Don Coldsmith ** 2004: Matt Braun ** 2005: Judy Alter ** 2006: Andrew J. Fenady ** 2007:

John Jakes John William Jakes (born March 31, 1932) is an American writer, best known for American historical and speculative fiction. His Civil War trilogy, ''North and South'', has sold millions of copies worldwide. He is also the author of The Kent Fam ...

** 2008:

Tony Hillerman Anthony Grove Hillerman (May 27, 1925 – October 26, 2008) was an American author of detective novels and nonfiction works, best known for his mystery novels featuring Navajo Nation Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Several of his work ...

** 2009: Elmore Leonard ** 2010: N. Scott Momaday ** 2011: James A. Crutchfield ** 2012: Loren D. Estleman ** 2013: Jory Sherman ** 2014: Robert J. Conley ** 2015: Win Blevins ** 2016: Lucia St. Clair Robson ** 2017:

Louise Erdrich Louise Erdrich ( ; born Karen Louise Erdrich, June 7, 1954) is an American author of novels, poetry, and children's books featuring Native American characters and settings. She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian ...

** 2018:

Rudolfo Anaya Rudolfo Anaya (October 30, 1937June 28, 2020) was an American author. Noted for his 1972 novel ''Bless Me, Ultima'', Anaya was considered one of the founders of the canon of contemporary Chicano literature. The themes and cultural references of ...

** 2019:

Will Bagley William Grant Bagley (May 27, 1950 – September 28, 2021) was a historian specializing in the history of the Western United States and the American Old West. Bagley wrote about the fur trade, overland emigration, American Indians, military histor ...

** 2020: Johnny D. Boggs

References

{{reflist Culture of the Western United States Western (genre) writers American literary awards