Long-time Thune staffer and midwestern scholar Jon Lauck earned a nice recognition for a book he edited on the Midwest which won recently won the Midwest Book Award. According to the Capitol Journal:
On June 27, the book was named winner in the general history category at the 30th annual Midwest Book Awards during a pandemic-caused virtual “online watch party,” according to a news release from Augustana University’s Center for Western Studies in Sioux Falls, which published the book in 2019.
Lauck, a senior aide to U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and a prolific writer of history about the Midwest and the Great Plains and where they each begin and end, is founding president of the Midwestern History Association.
and…
“It must be especially gratifying to Jon to win this award because he has been at the forefront of trying to put new emphasis on the study of the Midwest,” Nixon told the Capital Journal via email. “That was the driving focus of Jon Lauck’s 2013 book, “The Lost Region: Toward a Revival of Midwestern History.” This new, award-winning book is simply Jon Lauck practicing what he’s already preached.”
Congrats to Jon and the other writers on the well-earned recognition.
Congratulations! Sounds like a terrific read. It’s quite true that Jon has been, for years, leading the charge to reinvigorate Midwestern history scholarship. I greatly enjoyed The Lost Region. In fact, my library includes an autographed copy.