KU News Release

Student book collections on poet, journalist win top prizes in KU contest

LAWRENCE — Book collections focusing on poet William Carlos Williams and the late journalist Hunter S. Thompson won top prizes in the 50th Snyder Book Collecting Contest at the University of Kansas.

Travis Matthew Canaday, junior from Baldwin City and Mission, and Todd R. Giles, doctoral student from Dallas, Texas, received prizes of $800 and $100 gift certificates from the KU Bookstores for their collections. The awards were announced Nov. 10.

Canaday won for his collection on Thompson and Giles for his books about Williams.

The second-place undergraduate award went to John Michael Kuhn, senior from Jamestown and Courtland, for his collection, titled “Shoestring Modernism.” David J. Peavler, doctoral student from Emporia, won an honorable mention for his collection on race relations in middle America.

Second-place was $500 and a $50 Oread Books gift certificate. An honorable mention earned $100 and a $50 Oread Books gift certificate. No second place was awarded in the graduate division, and no honorable mention was awarded in the undergraduate division.

Kansas City resident Whitney Terrell, author of The Huntsman and The King of Kings County, spoke at the awards ceremony. Terrell is a great-nephew of the contest founder, the late Elizabeth Snyder. He spoke about Snyder’s life, book collecting and influence on his writing career.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway and Dean of Libraries Lorraine Haricombe presided at the ceremony, which included a private dinner commemorating the 50th anniversary of the contest. Among the guests were the 2006 contest winners and judges, and nearly 100 former contest winners and judges.

50th anniversary commemorative posters, available at Oread Books in the Kansas Union and the KU libraries, were designed by Darren Moore of Lawrence graphic design company Titus:d.

Winners are listed below by hometown, major and level in school, parents’ names, previous school attended (when available), the title of their winning collection and their prize.

CLOUD COUNTY
From Jamestown and Courtland
John Michael Kuhn, senior in English; son of Daniel Kuhn of Jamestown; Concordia High School; “Shoestring Modernism: The Early 20th Century on an Undergraduate Budget.” Second place undergraduate division.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Baldwin City and Mission
Travis Matthew Canaday, junior in anthropology; son of Sandra Davidson of Mission; “Life and Times of an Outlaw Journalist: Hunter S. Thompson’s Articles and First Editions.” First place undergraduate division.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Mission
See Douglas County: Travis Matthew Canaday.

LYON COUNTY
From Emporia
David J. Peavler, doctoral student in history; son of David L. Peavler; bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Emporia State University; “Race Relations in Middle America.” Honorable mention graduate division.

REPUBLIC COUNTY
From Courtland
See Cloud County: John Michael Kuhn.

TEXAS
From Dallas
Todd R. Giles, doctoral student in English; master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Texas Tech University, Lubbock; “Advice to the Young Poet: William Carlos Williams and the Next Generation of American Poets.” First place graduate division.

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