American Museum of Fly Fishing to Honor Tom McGuane

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

American Museum of Fly Fishing to Honor Thomas McGuane with 2017 Heritage Award

"Thomas McGuane writes better about fishing than anyone else in the history of mankind."–Jim Harrison

Manchester, Vermont (March 14, 2017) - The American Museum of Fly Fishing announced today that it will honor influential author Thomas McGuane with its 2017 Heritage Award. The celebration will take place on April 5 at a public reception held at the Racquet & Tennis Club of New York City. The event committee will be chaired by Bruce McNae.

The 2016 Heritage Award event will begin with a Leadership Circle cocktail
reception at 5:30 in the evening and a general reception at 6:15. During cocktail hour there will be an array of interesting silent auction items for guests to bid on, including travel packages, fly rods, fly reels, and much more. At 7 p.m. dinner and a live auction led by Nick Dawes will take place, immediately followed by the awards presentation. Guests will then be treated to a special interview between our honoree and his good friend and 2014 Heritage Award recipient, Tom Brokaw.

Thomas McGuane has built an impressive literary career, from humble beginnings as the "Humor Editor" at his high school newspaper, The Crane, to becoming one of the most accomplished and diversely talented authors of our generation. He gained acclaim by deftly exploring the depths of human relationships and bringing a decidedly local feel to all of his writing. Whether the context is set in Michigan, the Florida Keys, or the plains of Montana, he deeply understands the environs in which his characters live.

The author of over a dozen novels, screen plays, and short stories, his novel, The Bushwhacked Piano, won the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1971 and his novel, Ninety-Two in the Shade was nominated for a National Book Award in 1974. He is also the recipient of the 2009 Wallace Stegner Award, courtesy of the Center of the American West, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters. An avid outdoorsman who has both won Fly Rod & Reel Magazine's 2010 Angler of the Year and been inducted into the Cutting Horse Hall of Fame (2005), McGuane infuses his works with a rich appreciation of the natural world.

Karen Kaplan, the President of the Board of Trustees, shared her excitement in the announcement saying "Thomas McGuane elevated the field of writing about fishing to new heights with the publication of The Longest Silence in 1999. We are delighted to recognize not only his immense contributions to literature, but also to recognize him as a world class angler and conservationist."

To purchase tickets to this event please visit http://www.amff.org/april-5-2017-heritage-award-honoring-tom-mcguane/or contact Samantha Pitcher spitcher@amff.org.

About the American Museum of Fly Fishing:
The American Museum of Fly Fishing is the steward of the history, traditions, and practices of the sport of fly-fishing and promotes the conservation of its waters. The Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, studies, and interprets the artifacts, art, and literature of the sport and, through a variety of outreach platforms, uses these resources to engage, educate, and benefit all. The Museum fulfills this mission through our public programs (including exhibitions, gallery programs, lectures, special events, and presentations), our publications, and our quarterly journal, The American Fly Fisher.

For more information about the Museum and the 2017 Heritage Award please visit our website http://www.amff.org or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.