Mark Spragg (born 1952) is an American writer. He is the author of three novels and one book of nonfiction, mostly set in Wyoming, where he grew up.

Biography

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Mark Spragg grew up on the Crossed Sabers Ranch, a Wyoming dude ranch eight miles east of Yellowstone National Park.[1] He graduated from the University of Wyoming in Laramie in 1974, with a major in English. He worked on an oil rig, shoed horses, and led pack trips to support his writing.[1]

In 1999 he published a memoir, Where Rivers Change Direction, about his unusual childhood, with no TV or radio but surrounded by vast expanses of rugged outdoor beauty. The book received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly[2] and Library Journal,[3] and won the 2000 Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award for Nonfiction[4]

Spragg later published the novels The Fruit of Stone, An Unfinished Life, and Bone Fire. He also co-wrote the screenplay to An Unfinished Life with his wife, Virginia Korus Spragg.[5]

He lives with his wife, Virginia, in Red Lodge, Montana.

Works

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Novels

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The Fruit of Stone. Riverhead Hardcover, 2002. Highbridge Audiobook, 2003. Riverhead Trade, 2003. Vintage Contemporaries, 2011. ISBN 978-0307739384 Reviewed in the Economist [6] and Publishers Weekly ".[7] According to WorldCat, the book is held in 817 libraries.[8]

An Unfinished Life. Knopf, 2004. Vintage, 2005. ISBN 978-1400076147. Reviewed in the New York Times by Claire Dederer[9] and USA Today [10] According to WorldCat, the book is held in 1342 libraries.[11]

Bone Fire. Knopf, 2010. Vintage, 2011. ISBN 978-030747435-3 Reviewed in Outside Magazine [12] and Library Journal s "[13] According to WorldCat, the book is held in 829 libraries.[14]

Nonfiction

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Where Rivers Change Direction. University of Utah Hardcover, 1999. Riverhead Paperback, 2000. ISBN 978-1-5732-2825-1 This books was reviewed in Publishers Weekly "[15] and Library Journal "[16] According to WorldCat, the book is held in 805 libraries [17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mark Spragg: The Useful Life". WyoFile. Jun 14, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: Where Rivers Change Direction by Mark Spragg, Author University of Utah Press $21.95 (267p) ISBN 978-0-87480-617-5". Publishersweekly.com. 1999-11-01. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  3. ^ "Where rivers change direction / | University of Toronto Libraries". search.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "Mark Spragg | Penguin Random House". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  5. ^ "An Unfinished Life". Retrieved May 20, 2020 – via www.imdb.com.
  6. ^ "Pony express". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  7. ^ Zaleski, Jeff. "The Fruit Of Stone (Book)." Publishers Weekly 249.24 (2002): 38. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
  8. ^ Spragg, Mark (May 20, 2002). The fruit of stone. Riverhead Books. OCLC 48777347. Retrieved May 20, 2020 – via Open WorldCat.
  9. ^ Dederer, Claire (2004-11-07). "Fiction: The War at Home". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  10. ^ Pray, Jackie (October 13, 2004). "'An Unfinished Life' is simply charming". USA Today. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  11. ^ Spragg, Mark (May 20, 2004). An unfinished life. Knopf. OCLC 54035113. Retrieved May 20, 2020 – via Open WorldCat.
  12. ^ "Books: Bone Fire". Outside Online. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  13. ^ Bankhead, Henry. "Bone Fire." Library Journal 134.18 (2009): 59. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
  14. ^ Spragg, Mark (May 20, 2010). Bone fire. Alfred A. Knopf. OCLC 401140216. Retrieved May 20, 2020 – via Open WorldCat.
  15. ^ Zaleski, Jeff, and Paul Gediman. "Forecasts: Nonfiction." Publishers Weekly 246.37 (1999): 70. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
  16. ^ Samson, Sue. "Book Reviews: Arts & Humanities." Library Journal 124.17 (1999): 72. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
  17. ^ Spragg, Mark (May 20, 1999). Where rivers change direction. University of Utah Press. OCLC 41580492. Retrieved May 20, 2020 – via Open WorldCat.
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