This year the winner of the Award is Robert Morgan,bestowed for his novel, The Road From Gap Creek.
In making the award the Selection Panel noted: “his novel is remarkable for its authenticity in capturing and conveying the quality of life and language of the mountain people of WNC. Also noted was the careful historical detail and powerful characters set in the difficult period of cultural and economic transition of the Depression and World War II.”
A prize of $1,500 accompanies the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award and will be presented to the author at an annual Award event. The Award event, followed by a reception, is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 5-7 PM at the Renaissance Hotel (31 Woodfin St), directly across the street from The Old Kentucky Home.The award reception is generously being sponsored by the Renaissance Hotel. Event tickets are $20 general admission and $10 for WNCHA members. Tickets may be reserved by contacting the Asheville History Center at 828-253-9231.
In addition to the recognition of Mr. Morgan, for the first time in 59 years, in order to more broadly support the writers of Western North Carolina the other four finalists for the award have also been invited to attend the event and read a brief excerpt from their work. The finalists were chosen from an original group of nominations numbering twenty-eight, and are as follows:
- Flora, Gail Godwin,
- Met Her On The Mountain, Mark Pinsky
- The Bird Dreamer, Michael Francis Reagan
- Guest on Earth, Lee Smith
Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, the Award has been presented annually for printed works that focus special attention on Western North Carolina since 1955.
To be considered, an entry had to be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama, or poetry. It had to be a first edition work. The publication date of the published work to be considered had to be in the calendar year 2013 between January 1 and May 31, 2014 and the author had to be a native of the Western North Carolina region or a resident of WNC for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award. If the author does not qualify as a native or resident, the focus or setting of the work must be Western North Carolina. Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the western most 25 counties.
The WNC Historical Association and the Lipinsky family of Asheville presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. Last year the winner was Wiley Cash for his novel, A Land More Kind than Home Other authors who have received the award include John Paris, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Charles Frazier, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, and Wayne Caldwell.
The Award Panel this year consists of Michael Sartisky, PhD, Chair, President Emeritus of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities; Richard Graham, PhD, President, WNCHA; Wayne Caldwell, former Wolfe Prize recipient; Jim Stokely, board member, Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee; Michael McCue, board member, North Carolina Humanities Council, Gwin Jones, Immediate Past Chair WNCHA; Sharon Gruber, Former Director, WNCHA; Ann Howell, author and community volunteer; Polly Johnson, Instructor of History at Mars Hill University; and Kay Manley, retired bookstore owner and book lover.