Elmer Kelton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elmer Stephen Kelton
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Kelton at the 2007 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | April 29, 1926 Five Wells Ranch, Andrews County, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 22, 2009 (aged 83) San Angelo, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
| Period | 1957–2009 |
| Genre | Westerns |
| Spouse | Anna (née Lipp) Kelton |
| Children | 3 |
Elmer Kelton (born April 29, 1926 – died August 22, 2009) was a famous American writer. He was best known for his exciting Western novels. Elmer Kelton was born in Andrews County, Texas.
He went to the University of Texas and graduated in 1948. After college, Kelton worked as a journalist. He was the farm and ranch editor for the San Angelo Standard-Times newspaper from 1948 to 1963. Later, he became an associate editor for Livestock Weekly from 1968 to 1990. In 2007, he published his memoir, Sandhills Boy, which told his life story.
Elmer Kelton's novels won many important awards. He received seven Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. He also won three Western Heritage Awards from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. For his amazing work over his lifetime, he was given the Owen Wister Award.
Elmer Kelton's Awards and Honors
Elmer Kelton was recognized many times for his writing. Here are some of the awards he received for his novels and his lifetime achievements:
| Year | Award Name | Category | Winning Work |
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| 1957 | Spur Award | Novel | Buffalo Wagons |
| 1971 | Spur Award | Novel | The Day the Cowboys Quit |
| 1973 | Spur Award | Novel | The Time It Never Rained |
| 1974 | Western Heritage Award | Western Novel | The Time It Never Rained |
| 1977 | Owen Wister Award | Western literature | Lifetime achievement |
| 1979 | Western Heritage Award | Western Novel | The Good Old Boys |
| 1981 | Spur Award | Novel | Eyes of the Hawk |
| 1988 | Western Heritage Award | Western Novel | The Man Who Rode Midnight |
| 1992 | Spur Award | Novel of the West | Slaughter |
| 1994 | Spur Award | Novel of the West | The Far Canyon |
| 2002 | Spur Award | Best Western Novel | Way of the Coyote |
| 2010 (after his death) | American Cowboy Culture Association | Fictional works | Lifetime achievement |
