Spur Award for Best Novel of the West (1954-2006)

The Spur Awards, given annually by the Western Writers of America, recognize the best books that are about the American West.

Click on the title to read a short summary of the book, and to place a hold.

The number in parentheses after each book is the year in which it was awarded the Spur Award.

High Country: A Novel by Willard Wyman (2006)

Buy the Chief a Cadillac by Rick Steber (2005)

So Wild A Dream by Win Blevins (2004)

Perma Red by Debra Magpie Earling (2003)

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall (2002)

The Gates of the Alamo by Stephen Harrigan (2001)

Prophet Annie by Ellen Recknor (2000)

The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton by Jane Smiley (1999)

Comanche Moon by Larry McMurtry (1998)

Sierra by Richard S. Wheeler (1997)

Stone Song: A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse by Winfred Blevins (1996)

The Far Canyon by Elmer Kelton (1995)

Empire of Bones by Jeff Long (1994)

Slaughter by Elmer Kelton (1993)

The Medicine Horn by Jory Sherman (1992)

Home Mountain by Jeanne Williams (1991)

Panther in the Sky by James Alexander Thom (1990)

The Homesman by Glendon Swarthout (1989)

Wanderer Springs by Robert Flynn (1988)

Roman by Douglas C. Jones (1987)

The Snowblind Moon by John Byrne Cooke (1986)

Gone the Dreams and Dancing by Douglas C. Jones (1985)

Sam Bass by Bryan Woolley (1984)

Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson (1983)

Aces and Eights by Loren D. Estleman (1982)

No award given for 1981.

No award given for 1980.

No award given for 1979.

Swimming Man Burning by Terrence Kilpatrick (1978)

The Kincaids by Matthew Braun (1977)

No award given for 1976.

No award given for 1975.

No award given for 1974.

Chiricahua by Will Henry (1973)

No award given for 1972.

No award given for 1971.

The White Man's Road by Benjamin Capps (1970)

The Red Sabbath by Lewis B. Patten (1969)

The Wolf Is My Brother by Chad Oliver (1968)

Hellfire Jackson by Garland Roark (1967)

Gold in California by Todhunter Ballard (1966)

Mountain Man by Vardis Fisher (1966)

Indian Fighter by E.E. Halleran (1965)

Gates of the Mountains by Will Henry (1964)

Moontrap by Don Berry (1963)

The Winter War (large print) by William Wister Haines (1962)

From Where the Sun Now Stands by Will Henry (1961)

The Buffalo Soldiers by John Prebble (1960)

The Fancher Train by Amelia Bean (1959)

Silver Mountain by Dan Cushman (1958)

Generations of Men by John Clinton Hunt (1957)

No award given for 1956.

Journey by the River by John Prescott (1955)

The Wheel and the Hearth by Lucia Moore (1954)