Richard W. Etulain, a specialist in the history and literature of the American West, is the author or editor of 60 books. He is professor emeritus of history and former director of the Center for the American West at the University of New Mexico. He also served as editor of the New Mexico Historical Review. Among his best-known books are Stegner: Conversations on History and Literature (1983, 1996) and Re-imagining the Modern American West: A Century of Literature, History, and Art (1996). Etulain holds a PhD from the University of Oregon (1966) and taught at Idaho State University (1970-79) and the University of New Mexico (1979-2001). He served as president of both the Western Literature and Western History associations. He now lives in the Portland area with his wife, Joyce, a retired children's librarian.