Recipient of the Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Western Novel of 1996 - Out of Eden, by Kate Lehrer

The judges praised Out of Eden as "a universal tale of search for a nonexistent ideal and one in which we can all relate to the character's struggle for freedom and independence."

"Whatever it is about this place and time called 'the West,' we can't seem to get enough of its tales - true ones and tall ones that blend history, mythology and folklore. Its unspeakable tragedies speak just as loudly across the years as its brightest moments. The West remains part of our collective consciousness."
-Academy Award Winner
Tommy Lee Jones
Emcee and Western Heritage Award Winner,
Lonesome Dove

Through the Western Heritage Awards competition, stories of the West, both past and present, are judged for accuracy and artistic quality. For over forty years these awards have honored those who tell great stories of the West whether through literature, film, television or music.

More information about The Western Heritage Awards Program and The National Cowboy Hall of Fame can be found on their website.