CANYON, Texas—An award-winning author and historian will speak Nov. 2 at West Texas A&M University for the Center for the Study of the American West’s Garry L. Nall Lecture in Western Studies.

Dan Flores, the A. B. Hammond Professor Emeritus of Western History at the University of Montana, will speak about his latest book “Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals & People in America” at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT’s Canyon campus.

“A primary theme of my most recent book, ‘Wild New World,’ is that the past does not remain in the past. However much we want to pretend history is irrelevant, the truth is that we live in the reality the past has created,” Flores said.

The event—which also is the last Distinguished Lecture Series event of the semester—is free and open to the public.

Flores holds a special interest in the High Plains and has delivered lectures at WT in previous years, said Dr. Alex Hunt, CSAW director, Regents Professor of English and WT’s Vincent-Haley Professor of Western Studies.

“‘Wild New World’ is a fascinating book that has a lot to do with the megafauna that lived in this region after the last ice age,” Hunt said. “It is to our advantage to understand the historical relationship between life in this region and the region’s climate. These things have both changed a great deal over time, and things are changing now. We have a lot to learn from this deep history.”

“Wild New World,” which is Flores’ 11th book, recently won the 2023 Rachel Carson Environment Book Award, and Kirkus Reviews named “Wild New World” as one of the best nonfiction books of 2022. Previous best-selling books by Flores include “Coyote America” and “American Serengeti.”

The Nall Lecture, held each semester by CSAW, honors Dr. Garry L. Nall’s service to WT and scholastic achievements. This endowed lecture series supports CSAW’s mission to promote the study of the American West by bringing a noted scholar to campus each semester.

Offering intellectually challenging, critically reflective and regionally responsive academic programs is part of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.

About WT’s Distinguished Lecture Series

The Distinguished Lecture Series was created to enhance education in the classroom by inviting people of national prominence to speak to WT students and the community about important issues. For information, visit wtamu.edu/academics/distinguished-lecture-series.

About the Center for the Study of the American West

CSAW was formed in fall 2016 with a mission of fostering the study of the American West at West Texas A&M University and building bridges between the university, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the regional populace. CSAW seeks to promote the American West both as a culturally unique region and as a product of broad historical forces. For more information about CSAW and upcoming events, please visit wtamu.edu/csaw.