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101-562: Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925 – August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns , but he went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers , many of which have been adapted into motion pictures. Among his best-known works are Hombre , Swag , City Primeval , LaBrava , Glitz , Freaky Deaky , Get Shorty , Rum Punch , Out of Sight and Tishomingo Blues . Leonard's short story " Three-Ten to Yuma "
202-537: A gunman shot congresswoman Gabby Giffords and 18 others at a gathering in Tucson. Giffords was critically wounded. The incident sparked national attention regarding incendiary political rhetoric. Three ships named USS Arizona have been christened in honor of the state, although only USS Arizona (BB-39) was so named after statehood was achieved. Arizona is in the Southwestern United States as one of
303-521: A Japanese invasion of the U.S. West Coast (which in fact materialized in the Aleutian Islands Campaign in June 1942), from 1942 to 1945, persons of Japanese descent were forced to reside in internment camps built in the interior of the country. Many lost their homes and businesses. The camps were abolished after World War II. The Phoenix-area POW camp site for Germans was purchased after
404-518: A Spanish Franciscan , became the first European to contact Native Americans. He explored parts of the present state and made contact with native inhabitants, probably the Sobaipuri . The expedition of Spanish explorer Coronado entered the area in 1540–1542 during its search for Cíbola . Few Spanish settlers migrated to Arizona. One of the first settlers in Arizona was José Romo de Vivar . Father Kino
505-568: A channel over millions of years, and is about 277 miles (446 km) long, ranges in width from 4 to 18 miles (6 to 29 km) and attains a depth of more than 1 mile (1.6 km). Nearly two billion years of the Earth 's history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut through layer after layer of sediment as the Colorado Plateau uplifted. Arizona is home to one of
606-730: A divine hero to the Pima people of the Gila River Valley . It was probably considered – and rejected – for its sentimental value before Congress settled on the name "Arizona".) Brigham Young , leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City in Utah , sent Mormons to Arizona in the mid- to late 19th century. They founded Mesa , Snowflake , Heber , Safford , and other towns. They also settled in
707-403: A dry heat from 90 to 120 °F (32 to 49 °C), with occasional high temperatures exceeding 125 °F (52 °C) having been observed in the desert area. Arizona's all-time record high is 128 °F (53 °C) recorded at Lake Havasu City on June 29, 1994, and July 5, 2007; the all-time record low of −40 °F (−40 °C) was recorded at Hawley Lake on January 7, 1971. Due to
808-548: A number of Western titles, including Hopalong Cassidy from 1948 to 1953. They also published comics starring actors known for their Western roles, including Tom Mix Western (1948–1953) and Gabby Hayes Western (1948–1953). Similarly, Dell Comics published Roy Rogers comics from 1948 to 1961, and Magazine Enterprises published Charles Starrett as the Durango Kid from 1949 to 1955. The Franco-Belgian comic-series Lucky Luke by Morris (cartoonist) and René Goscinny
909-886: A position he kept for several years, writing on the side. Leonard had his first success in 1951 when Argosy magazine published his short story "Trail of the Apaches". During the 1950s and early '60s, he continued writing Westerns, publishing more than 30 short stories. His debut novel, The Bounty Hunters , was published in 1953 and was followed by four more Westerns. His early work already showed his affection for outsiders and underdogs. He developed his characters through dialogue, each defined by their manner of speech. In many stories, he favored Arizona and New Mexico as settings. Five of his westerns were adapted as movies before 1972: The Tall T (1957), 3:10 to Yuma (1957), Hombre (1967), Valdez Is Coming (1971), and Joe Kidd (1972). In 1969, his first crime story, The Big Bounce ,
1010-758: A rampage. In 1934, the baseball team the Detroit Tigers made it to the World Series , winning the Series in 1935. Leonard developed lifelong fascinations with sports and crime. He graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School in 1943 and, after being rejected for the Marines for weak eyesight, immediately joined the Navy , where he served with the Seabees for three years in
1111-466: A setting. LaBrava , a 1983 novel set in the latter locale, was praised in a New York Times review, which said Leonard moved from mystery suspense short story writer to novelist. His next novel, Glitz (1985), an Atlantic City gambling story, was his breakout in the crime genre. It spent 16 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list , and his subsequent crime novels were all bestsellers. In his review of Glitz , Stephen King placed Leonard in
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#17328527805481212-473: A single letter, or a blank where a letter is meant to be. 'What in the hell's a Albanian?,' a guy named Clement asks in Chapter 4 of City Primeval (1980). Typesetters may have pounced upon what they took to be a typo, but Leonard never misheard. In that respect, as in others, he was less like Hemingway—of whom he was a fan, and to whom he was often compared—than like Dickens, another city kid with his nose and ear to
1313-598: A specialized genre got its start in the " penny dreadfuls " and later the " dime novels ". Published in June 1860, Malaeska; the Indian Wife of the White Hunter is considered the first dime novel. These cheaply made books were hugely successful and capitalized on the many stories that were being told about the mountain men , outlaws , settlers, and lawmen who were taming the western frontier. Many of these novels were fictionalized stories based on actual people, such as Billy
1414-477: A third-person narrative technique that gives the illusion of immediate access to a character's thoughts, "is unsurpassed in our time, and among the surest of all time, even if we include Jane Austen , Gustave Flaubert , and Hemingway in the mix." Leonard often cited Hemingway as his most important influence, but also criticized his lack of humor. Still, it was Leonard's affection for Hemingway, and for George V. Higgins , that led him to will his personal papers to
1515-654: A total metropolitan population of just over 4.7 million. The average high temperature in July, 106 °F (41 °C), is one of the highest of any metropolitan area in the United States, offset by an average January high temperature of 67 °F (19 °C), the basis of its winter appeal. Tucson , with a metro population of just over one million, is the state's second-largest city. Located in Pima County , approximately 110 miles (180 km) southeast of Phoenix, it
1616-449: A trilogy of Western novels: The Englishman's Boy , The Last Crossing , and A Good Man . Other more recent Western authors include Ivan Doig and William Kittredge . The genre has seen the rumblings of a revival, and 2008 saw the publication of an all-Western short story magazine Great Western Fiction which was published by Dry River Publishing in Colorado . Nevertheless, the magazine
1717-795: Is considered as relatively vulnerable to climate change, which can make six of Arizona`s 15 counties uninhabitable for humans by the years 2040-2060. This was the cautionary warning made by a December 2020 study released by ProPublica and Rhodium Group. Phoenix , in Maricopa County , is Arizona's capital and largest city. Other prominent cities in the Phoenix metro area include Mesa (Arizona's third largest city), Chandler (Arizona's fourth largest city), Glendale , Peoria , Buckeye , Sun City , Sun City West , Fountain Hills , Surprise , Gilbert , El Mirage , Avondale , Tempe , Tolleson and Scottsdale , with
1818-486: Is home to a diverse population. About one-quarter of the state is made up of Indian reservations that serve as the home of 27 federally recognized Native American tribes , including the Navajo Nation , the largest in the state and the country, with more than 300,000 citizens. Since the 1980s, the proportion of Hispanics has grown significantly owing to migration from Mexico and Central America. A substantial portion of
1919-599: Is in Arizona. The Mogollon Rim ( / ˌmoʊ gəˈyoʊn / ), a 1,998-foot (609 m) escarpment , cuts across the state's central section and marks the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. In 2002, this was an area of the Rodeo–Chediski Fire , the worst fire in state history until 2011. Located in northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a colorful, deep, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Colorado River . The canyon
2020-606: Is less well known for its pine-covered north-central portion of the high country of the Colorado Plateau (see Arizona Mountains forests ). Like other states of the Southwest United States, Arizona is marked by high mountains, the Colorado plateau, and mesas. Despite the state's aridity, 27% of Arizona is forest, a percentage comparable to modern-day Romania or Greece. The world's largest stand of ponderosa pine trees
2121-431: Is not entirely accurate. It's true that his novels (more than forty of them, with another left unfinished at his death) enjoyed the company of criminals and of those who tried to stop them in their tracks. This was seldom hard, since, as Leonard delighted in showing us, crime—more than anything, even politics—allows men of all ages to disport themselves across the full range of human ineptitude. Boy, do they screw up. Leonard
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#17328527805482222-641: Is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and is largely contained in the Grand Canyon National Park – one of the first national parks in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of designating the Grand Canyon area as a National Park, often visiting to hunt mountain lion and enjoy the scenery. The canyon was created by the Colorado River cutting
2323-453: Is one of the most famous and estimated Western-comics in Europe. The popular Western comic strip Red Ryder was syndicated in hundreds of American newspapers from 1938 to 1964. In the 1970s, the work of Louis L'Amour began to catch hold of most western readers and he has dominated the western reader lists ever since. George G. Gilman also maintained a cult following for several years in
2424-531: The Arizona Legislature enacted the Stupid Motorist Law . It is rare for tornadoes or hurricanes to occur in Arizona. Arizona's northern third is a plateau at significantly higher altitudes than the lower desert, and has an appreciably cooler climate, with cold winters and mild summers, though the climate remains semiarid to arid. Extremely low temperatures are not unknown; cold air systems from
2525-551: The Colorado Plateau ; mountain ranges (such as the San Francisco Mountains ); as well as large, deep canyons , with much more moderate summer temperatures and significant winter snowfalls. There are ski resorts in the areas of Flagstaff , Sunrise , and Tucson . In addition to the internationally known Grand Canyon National Park , which is one of the world's seven natural wonders , there are several national forests , national parks , and national monuments . Arizona
2626-508: The FX television series Justified and Justified: City Primeval . Among other honors, he won the 2009 Pen Lifetime Award and the 2012 Medal For Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Anthony Lane of The New Yorker wrote that Leonard was hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land. High praise, but not quite high enough, and some way off the mark. He was one of the best writers, and he happened to write about crime. Even that
2727-533: The Four Corners states. Arizona is the sixth largest state by area , ranked after New Mexico and before Nevada . Of the state's 113,998 square miles (295,000 km ), approximately 15% is privately owned. The remaining area is public forest and parkland, state trust land and Native American reservations. There are 24 National Park Service maintained sites in Arizona, including the three national parks of Grand Canyon National Park , Saguaro National Park , and
2828-454: The Kingdom of Spain and its Spanish Empire in 1821, what is now Arizona became part of its Territory of Nueva California , ("New California"), also known as Alta California ("Upper California"). Descendants of ethnic Spanish and mestizo settlers from the colonial years still lived in the area at the time of the arrival of later European-American migrants from the United States. During
2929-547: The Mexican–American War (1847–1848), the U.S. Army occupied the national capital of Mexico City and pursued its claim to much of northern Mexico, including what later became Arizona Territory in 1863 and later the State of Arizona in 1912. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) specified that, in addition to language and cultural rights of the existing inhabitants of former Mexican citizens being considered as inviolable,
3030-479: The Mexican–American War , Mexico ceded much of this territory to the United States in 1848, where the area became part of the territory of New Mexico . The southernmost portion of the state was acquired in 1853 through the Gadsden Purchase . Southern Arizona is known for its desert climate, with very hot summers and mild winters. Northern Arizona features forests of pine, Douglas fir , and spruce trees;
3131-512: The O'odham name alĭ ṣonak , meaning ' small spring ' . Initially this term was applied by Spanish colonists only to an area near the silver mining camp of Planchas de Plata, Sonora . To the European settlers, the O'odham pronunciation sounded like Arissona . The area is still known as alĭ ṣonak in the O'odham language. Another possible origin is the Basque phrase haritz ona '
Elmore Leonard - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-473: The Petrified Forest National Park . Arizona is well known for its desert Basin and Range region in the state's southern portions, which is rich in a landscape of xerophyte plants such as the cactus . This region's topography was shaped by prehistoric volcanism , followed by the cooling-off and related subsidence . Its climate has exceptionally hot summers and mild winters. The state
3333-597: The Phoenix Valley (or "Valley of the Sun"), Tempe , Prescott , and other areas. The Mormons settled what became northern Arizona and northern New Mexico. At the time these areas were in a part of the former New Mexico Territory . During the nineteenth century, a series of gold and silver rushes occurred in the territory, the best known being the 1870s stampede to the silver bonanzas of Tombstone, Arizona , in southeast Arizona, also known for its legendary outlaws and lawmen. By
3434-544: The South Pacific , where he earned the nickname "Dutch", after Tigers pitcher Dutch Leonard . Enrolling at the University of Detroit in 1946, he pursued writing more seriously, entering short stories in contests and submitting then to magazines for publication. He graduated in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in English and philosophy. A year before he graduated, he got a job as a copy writer with Campbell-Ewald Advertising Agency,
3535-628: The Territory of New Mexico from 1850 until the southern part of that region seceded from the Union to form the Territory of Arizona . This newly established territory was formally organized by the federal government of the Confederate States on Saturday, January 18, 1862, when President Jefferson Davis approved and signed An Act to Organize the Territory of Arizona , marking the first official use of
3636-910: The U. S. Marshals Carl Webster and Raylan Givens . At the time of his death his novels had sold tens of millions of copies. Among film adaptations of his work are Jackie Brown , (1997), based on Rum Punch and described as an "homage to the author's trademark rhythm and pace"; Get Shorty (1995); Out of Sight (1998) and the TV series Justified (2010—2015) and Justified: City Primeval (2023—). Nearly thirty movies were made from Leonard's novels, but for some critics his special style worked best in print. He married Beverly Clare Cline in 1949, and they had five children together—two daughters and three sons—before divorcing in 1977. His second marriage in 1979, to Joan Leanne Lancaster (aka Joan Shepard), ended with her death in 1993. Later that same year, he married Christine Kent and they divorced in 2012. Leonard spent
3737-506: The United States , sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado , New Mexico , and Utah . Its other neighboring states are Nevada to the northwest and California to the west. It also shares an international border with the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest. It is the 6th-largest and the 14th-most-populous of
3838-602: The University of South Carolina , where many of Hemingway's and Higgins' papers are archived. Leonard's papers reside at the university's Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections . John Steinbeck was another influence. Leonard in turn had a very strong influence on a generation of crime writers that followed him, among them George Pelecanos , Michael Connelly , Dennis Lehane , and Laura Lippman . Anthony Lane praised Leonard's ear for dialogue, comparing him to Dickens and Evelyn Waugh : "Leonard can make do with
3939-411: The "Best Western Writer of All Time". Early in the 1970s Indiana novelist Marilyn Durham wrote two popular Western novels, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing and Dutch Uncle . Western readership as a whole began to drop off in the mid- to late 1970s. A partial exception was an innovation, the so-called "adult western". As Robert J. Randisi puts it, "it's a western novel with sex in it. That's right,
4040-697: The 1920s, Western fiction greatly benefited (as did the author Max Brand , who excelled at the western short story). Pulp magazines that specialised in Westerns include Cowboy Stories , Ranch Romances , Star Western , West , and Western Story Magazine . The simultaneous popularity of Western movies in the 1920s also helped the genre. In the 1940s several seminal Westerns were published, including The Ox-Bow Incident (1940) by Walter van Tilburg Clark , The Big Sky (1947) and The Way West (1949) by A.B. Guthrie Jr. , and Shane (1949) by Jack Schaefer . Many other Western authors gained readership in
4141-514: The 1950s, such as Ray Hogan, Louis L'Amour , and Luke Short . The genre peaked around the early 1960s, largely due to the tremendous number of Westerns on television . The burnout of the American public on television Westerns in the late 1960s seemed to have an effect on the literature as well, and interest in Western literature began to wane. In 1968 Charles Portis published True Grit , which became
Elmore Leonard - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-411: The 1970s ( Fifty-Two Pickup , Swag , Unknown Man No. 89 , The Switch ); Four Novels of the 1980s ( City Primeval , LaBrava , Glitz , Freaky Deaky ) and Four Later Novels ( Get Shorty , Rum Punch , Out of Sight , Tishomingo Blues and the short story "Karen Makes Out".) Leonard also contributed one chapter (the twelfth of thirteen) to the 1996 Miami Herald parody serial novel Naked Came
4343-460: The 1970s and 1980s. Larry McMurtry 's and Cormac McCarthy 's works remain notable. Specifically, McMurtry's Lonesome Dove and McCarthy's Blood Meridian (both published in 1985) are recognized as major masterpieces both within and beyond the genre. Elmer Kelton , mostly noted for his novels The Good Old Boys and The Time it Never Rained , was voted by the Western Writers of America as
4444-519: The 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix , which is the most populous state capital in the United States. Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, achieving statehood on February 14, 1912. Historically part of the territory of Alta California and Nuevo México in New Spain , it became part of independent Mexico in 1821. After being defeated in
4545-591: The Elmore Leonard oeuvre, notably Frank Muller (11 audiobooks), Grover Gardner aka Alexander Adams (7), George Guidall (5), Mark Hammer (5), and Joe Mantegna (5). Other notable Leonard narrators include Liev Schreiber , Neil Patrick Harris , Tom Wopat , Arliss Howard , Joe Morton , Taye Diggs , Brian Dennehy , Bruce Boxleitner , Tom Skerritt , Robert Forster , Dylan Baker , Paul Rudd , Keith Carradine , Ed Asner , and Henry Rollins . Twenty-six of Leonard's novels and short stories have been adapted for
4646-555: The Kid , Buffalo Bill , Wyatt Earp (who was still alive at the time), Wild Bill Hickok , and Jesse James . By 1900, the new medium of pulp magazines helped to relate these adventures to easterners. Meanwhile, non-American authors, like the German Karl May , picked up the genre, went to full novel length, and made it hugely popular and successful in continental Europe from about 1880 on, though they were generally dismissed as trivial by
4747-502: The Manatee ( ISBN 0-449-00124-5 ). Nearly all of Leonard's novels have been performed as audiobooks. A number of them (including The Big Bounce , Be Cool and The Tonto Woman ) have been recorded more than once resulting in over 60 English-language audiobook versions of his novels. Many of the earlier recordings were abridgements, the last of which was Pagan Babies (2000) read by Steve Buscemi . Certain narrators have dominated
4848-706: The Pacific Ocean during the winter and a monsoon in the summer. The monsoon season occurs toward the end of summer. In July or August, the dewpoint rises dramatically for a brief period. During this time, the air contains large amounts of water vapor . Dewpoints as high as 81 °F (27 °C) have been recorded during the Phoenix monsoon season. This hot moisture brings lightning , thunderstorms , wind, and torrential, if usually brief, downpours. These downpours often cause flash floods , which can turn deadly. In an attempt to deter drivers from crossing flooding streams,
4949-486: The Phoenix metropolitan area. Situated in pine tree forests at an elevation of about 5,500 feet (1,700 m), Prescott enjoys a much cooler climate than Phoenix, with average summer highs around 88 °F (31 °C) and winter temperatures averaging 50 °F (10 °C). Yuma is the center of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Arizona. Located in Yuma County , it is near the borders of California and Mexico. It
5050-550: The Spanish term Árida Zona ' Arid Zone ' is considered a case of folk etymology . For thousands of years before the modern era, Arizona was home to many ancient Native American civilizations. Hohokam , Mogollon , and Ancestral Puebloan cultures were among those that flourished throughout the state. Many of their pueblos, cliffside dwellings, rock paintings and other prehistoric treasures have survived and attract thousands of tourists each year. In 1539, Marcos de Niza ,
5151-600: The chance to take part in the flavor and activities of the "Old West". Several upscale hotels and resorts opened during this period, some of which are still top tourist draws. They include the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in central Phoenix (opened 1929) and the Wigwam Resort on the west side of the Phoenix area (opened 1936). Arizona was the site of German prisoner of war camps during World War II and Japanese American internment camps . Because of wartime fears of
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#17328527805485252-536: The city in the Tucson Mountains , is the site of the world's largest collection of Saguaro cacti. The Prescott metropolitan area includes the cities of Prescott, Cottonwood , Camp Verde and many other towns in the 8,123 square miles (21,000 km ) of Yavapai County area. With 212,635 residents, this cluster of towns is the state's third largest metropolitan area. The city of Prescott (population 41,528) lies approximately 100 miles (160 km) northwest of
5353-512: The company of Raymond Chandler , Dashiell Hammett and John D. MacDonald . Leonard believed that his books during the 1980s were becoming funnier and that he was developing a style that was more free and easy. His own favorites were Freaky Deaky (1988), about ex- hippie criminals and the Dixie Mafia story Tishomingo Blues (2002). Some of Leonard's characters appear in several novels, including mobster Chili Palmer, bank robber Jack Foley and
5454-415: The cowboy has sex with women. A new idea? Probably not, but heretofore this had not been seen in western novels (certainly not by Max Brand, Zane Grey, Owen Wister or Louis L'Amour). What these books actually showed was that men and women really did have sex in the old west. (Back when I started the series a rigidly traditional western writer of my acquaintance insisted to me that "women did not have orgasms in
5555-458: The early 1960s, largely due to the popularity of televised Westerns such as Bonanza . Readership began to drop off in the mid- to late 1970s and reached a new low in the 2000s. Most bookstores, outside a few west American states, only carry a small number of Western fiction books. The predecessor of the Western in American literature emerged early with tales of the frontier . The most famous of
5656-602: The early 19th-century frontier novels were James Fenimore Cooper 's five novels comprising the Leatherstocking Tales . Cooper's novels were largely set in what was at the time the American frontier : the Appalachian Mountains and areas west of there. As did his novel The Prairie (1824), most later westerns would typically take place west of the Mississippi River . The notable writer Washington Irving
5757-461: The founding members were mostly western fiction writers, the organization began getting a number of other members from other backgrounds such as historians, regional history buffs, and writers from other genres. Western Fictioneers, founded in 2010, is a professional writers' group that encourages and promotes the traditional Westerns. It is the only professional writers' organization composed entirely of authors who have written Western fiction. Fans of
5858-472: The genre may join as patron members. The Western Fictioneers' annual Peacemakers competition awards prizes in many categories of Western writing. Arizona Arizona ( / ˌ ær ɪ ˈ z oʊ n ə / ARR -iz- OH -nə ; Navajo : Hoozdo Hahoodzo [hoː˥z̥to˩ ha˩hoː˩tso˩] ; O'odham : Alĭ ṣonak [ˈaɭi̥ ˈʂɔnak] ) is a state in the Southwestern region of
5959-404: The good oak ' , as there were numerous Basque sheepherders in the area. A native-born Mexican of Basque ancestry established the ranchería ( small rural settlement ) of Arizona between 1734 and 1736 in the current Mexican state of Sonora . It became notable after a significant discovery of silver there around 1737. The misconception that the state's name purportedly originated from
6060-454: The ground... One proof of literary genius, we might say, is a democratic generosity toward your mother tongue—the conviction that every part or particle of speech, be it e'er so humble, can be put to fruitful use... He is gone now, but he left us a fine consolation: if you've never read him, or if you'd never heard of him until yesterday, or if you merely need a fitting way to mourn, pick up 52 Pick-Up, LaBrava, Swag, or Glitz, and tune into
6161-569: The interest of speeding the story along. In his essay "Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing" he said: "My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it." He also said: "I try to leave out the parts that readers tend to skip." Leonard has been called "the Dickens of Detroit" because of his intimate portraits of people from that city, though he said, "If I lived in Buffalo , I'd write about Buffalo." His favorite epithet
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#17328527805486262-463: The last engagement in the American Indian Wars , which lasted from 1775 to 1918. U.S. soldiers stationed on the border confronted Yaqui Indians who were using Arizona as a base to raid the nearby Mexican settlements, as part of their wars against Mexico. Arizona became a U.S. state on February 14, 1912, coinciding with Valentine's Day . Arizona was the 48th state admitted to the U.S. and
6363-591: The last of the contiguous states to be admitted. Cotton farming and copper mining, two of Arizona's most important statewide industries, suffered heavily during the Great Depression . But during the 1920s and even the 1930s, tourism began to develop as the important Arizonan industry it is today. Dude ranches, such as the K L Bar and Remuda in Wickenburg, along with the Flying V and Tanque Verde in Tucson, gave tourists
6464-623: The last years of his life with his family in Oakland County, Michigan . He suffered a stroke on July 29, 2013. Initial reports stated that he was recovering, but on August 20, 2013, Leonard died at his home in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills of stroke complications. He was 87 years old. One of Leonard's grandchildren is Alex Leonard, the drummer in the Detroit band Protomartyr . Commended by critics for his gritty realism and strong dialogue , Leonard sometimes took liberties with grammar in
6565-401: The late 1880s, copper production eclipsed the precious metals with the rise of copper camps like Bisbee, Arizona , and Jerome, Arizona . The boom and bust economy of mining also left hundreds of ghost towns across the territory, but copper mining continued to prosper with the territory producing more copper than any other state by 1907, which earned Arizona the nickname "the Copper State" at
6666-418: The level of the surrounding plain. The crater itself is nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide and 570 feet (170 m) deep. Arizona is one of two U.S. states, along with Hawaii, that does not observe Daylight Saving Time , though the large Navajo Nation in the state's northeastern region does. Due to its large area and variations in elevation, the state has a wide variety of localized climate conditions. In
6767-487: The literary critics of the day. One of the most famous pulp works of the era was Johnston McCulley 's first Zorro novel, The Curse of Capistrano (1919). Popularity grew with the publication of Owen Wister 's novel The Virginian (1902) and especially Zane Grey 's Riders of the Purple Sage (1912). The first Hopalong Cassidy stories by Clarence Mulford appeared in 1904, both as dime novels and in pulp magazines . When pulp magazines exploded in popularity in
6868-518: The lower elevations the climate is primarily desert, with mild winters and extremely hot summers. Typically, from late fall to early spring, the weather is mild, averaging a minimum of 60 °F (16 °C). November through February are the coldest months, with temperatures typically ranging from 40 to 75 °F (4 to 24 °C), with occasional frosts. About midway through February, the temperatures start to rise, with warm days, and cool, breezy nights. The summer months of June through September bring
6969-452: The most successful work of the era. Western novels, films and pulps gave birth to Western comics , which were very popular, particularly from the late 1940s until c. 1967 , when the comics began to turn to reprints. This can particularly be seen at Marvel Comics , where Westerns began c. 1948 and thrived until 1967, when one of their flagship titles, Kid Colt Outlaw (1949–1979), ceased to have new stories and entered
7070-405: The most well-preserved meteorite impact sites in the world. Created around 50,000 years ago, the Barringer Meteorite Crater (better known simply as " Meteor Crater ") is a gigantic hole in the middle of the high plains of the Colorado Plateau, about 25 miles (40 km) west of Winslow . A rim of smashed and jumbled boulders, some of them the size of small houses, rises 150 feet (46 m) above
7171-441: The name "Territory of Arizona". The Southern territory supplied the Confederate government with men, horses, and equipment. Formed in 1862, Arizona scout companies served with the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War . Arizona has the westernmost military engagement on record during the Civil War with the Battle of Picacho Pass (1862). The Federal government declared a new U.S. Arizona Territory, consisting of
7272-573: The needs of senior citizens and attracted many retirees who wanted to escape the harsh winters of the Midwest and the Northeast . Sun City , established by developer Del Webb and opened in 1960, was one of the first such communities. Green Valley , south of Tucson, was another such community, designed as a retirement subdivision for Arizona's teachers. Many senior citizens from across the United States and Canada come to Arizona each winter and stay only during
7373-442: The northern states and Canada occasionally push into the state, bringing temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) to the state's northern parts. Indicative of the variation in climate, Arizona is the state which has both the metropolitan area with the most days over 100 °F (38 °C) ( Phoenix ), and the metropolitan area in the lower 48 states with the most days with a low temperature below freezing ( Flagstaff ). Arizona
7474-430: The old west.")." Readership of western fiction reached a new low in the first decade of the twenty-first century, and most bookstores, outside a few western states, only carry a small number of Western fiction books. Nevertheless, several Western fiction series are published monthly, such as The Trailsman , Slocum , Longarm and The Gunsmith ; these are all "adult westerns". Canadian author Guy Vanderhaeghe wrote
7575-542: The population are followers of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Arizona's population and economy have grown dramatically since the 1950s because of inward migration, and the state is now a major hub of the Sun Belt . Cities such as Phoenix and Tucson have developed large, sprawling suburban areas. Many large companies, such as PetSmart and Circle K , have headquarters in
7676-496: The primarily dry climate, large diurnal temperature variations occur in less-developed areas of the desert above 2,500 ft (760 m). The swings can be as large as 83 °F (46 °C) in the summer months. In the state's urban centers, the effects of local warming result in much higher measured night-time lows than in the recent past. Arizona has an average annual rainfall of 12.7 in (323 mm), which comes during two rainy seasons, with cold fronts coming from
7777-553: The reprint phase. Other notable long-running Marvel Western comics included Rawhide Kid (1955–1957, 1960–1979) Two-Gun Kid (1948–1962), and Marvel Wild Western (1948–1957). DC Comics published the long-running series All-Star Western (1951–1961) and Western Comics (1948–1961), and Charlton Comics published Billy the Kid (1957–1983) and Cheyenne Kid (1957–1973). Magazine Enterprises ' Straight Arrow ran from 1950 to 1956, and Prize Comics ' Prize Comics Western ran from 1948 to 1956. Fawcett Comics published
7878-471: The right to adapt Leonard's novel Forty Lashes Less One (1972). Western fiction Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Well-known writers of Western fiction include Zane Grey from the early 20th century and Louis L'Amour from the mid-20th century. The genre peaked around
7979-449: The screen (19 as motion pictures and another seven as television programs). Numerous Leonard novels and short stories have been adapted as films including Get Shorty (1990 novel, 1995 film), Out of Sight (1996 novel, 1998 film) and Rum Punch (1992 novel, 1997 film Jackie Brown ). The novel 52 Pickup was first adapted very loosely into the 1984 film The Ambassador (1984), starring Robert Mitchum and, two years later, under
8080-676: The several armies fighting in Mexico. Only two significant engagements took place on U.S. soil between U.S. and Mexican forces: Pancho Villa 's 1916 Columbus Raid in New Mexico and the Battle of Ambos Nogales in 1918 in Arizona. After Mexican federal troops fired on U.S. soldiers, the American garrison launched an assault into Nogales, Mexico . The Mexicans eventually surrendered after both sides sustained heavy casualties. A few months earlier, just west of Nogales, an Indian War battle had occurred, considered
8181-540: The slightly altered 52 Pick-Up title starring Roy Scheider . Leonard has also written several screenplays based on his novels, plus original screenplays such as Joe Kidd (1972). The film Hombre (1967), starring Paul Newman, was an adaptation of Leonard's 1961 eponymous novel . His short story " Three-Ten to Yuma " (March 1953) and novels The Big Bounce (1969) and 52 Pickup (1974) have each been filmed twice. Other novels filmed include: Quentin Tarantino has optioned
8282-413: The state, and Arizona is home to major universities, including the University of Arizona , Arizona State University , and Northern Arizona University . The state is known for a history of conservative politicians such as Barry Goldwater and John McCain , though it has become a swing state in recent years. The state's name appears to originate from an earlier Spanish name, Arizonac , derived from
8383-504: The state. After Maricopa County did not allow them to register to vote, in 1948 veteran Frank Harrison and Harry Austin, of the Mojave-Apache Tribe at Fort McDowell Indian Reservation , brought a legal suit, Harrison and Austin v. Laveen , to challenge this exclusion. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in their favor. Arizona's population grew tremendously with residential and business development after World War II, aided by
8484-516: The state. In 2004, voters passed Proposition 200 , requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. The Supreme Court of the United States struck this restriction down in 2013. In 2010, Arizona enacted SB 1070 which required all immigrants to carry immigration papers at all times, but the Supreme Court also invalidated parts of this law in Arizona v. United States in 2012. On January 8, 2011,
8585-537: The sum of $ 15 million in compensation (equivalent to $ 528,230,769.23 in 2023) be paid to the Republic of Mexico. In 1853, the U.S. acquired the land south below the Gila River from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase along the southern border area as encompassing the best future southern route for a transcontinental railway. What is now the state of Arizona was administered by the United States government as part of
8686-452: The territory gained and lost political influence with the growth and development of the territory. Although names including "Gadsonia", "Pimeria", "Montezuma" and "Arizuma" had been considered for the territory, when 16th President Abraham Lincoln signed the final bill, it read "Arizona", and that name was adopted. ( Montezuma was not derived from the Aztec emperor, but was the sacred name of
8787-578: The time of statehood. During the first years of statehood the industry experienced growing pains and labor disputes with the Bisbee Deportation of 1917 the result of a copper miners' strike. During the Mexican Revolution from 1910 to 1920, several battles were fought in the Mexican towns just across the border from Arizona settlements. Throughout the revolution, many Arizonans enlisted in one of
8888-493: The voices of America—calling loud and clear, and largely ungrammatical, from Atlantic City, Miami, Hollywood, and his home turf of Detroit. Elmore Leonard got them right, and did them proud. As Clement would say, he was a author." Leonard has been anthologized by the Library of America in four volumes: Westerns ( Last Stand at Saber River , Hombre , Valdez is Coming , Forty Lashes Less One and eight short stories); Four Novels of
8989-711: The war by the Maytag family (of major home appliance fame). It was developed as the site of the Phoenix Zoo . A Japanese-American internment camp was on Mount Lemmon , just outside the state's southeastern city of Tucson. Another POW camp was near the Gila River in eastern Yuma County . Arizona was also home to the Phoenix Indian School , one of several federal Indian boarding schools designed to assimilate Native American children into mainstream European-American culture. Children were often enrolled in these schools against
9090-473: The western half of earlier New Mexico Territory, in Washington, D.C. , on February 24, 1863. These new boundaries would later form the basis of the state. The first territorial capital, Prescott, was founded in 1864 following a gold rush to central Arizona. The capital was later moved to Tucson, back to Prescott, and then to its final location in Phoenix in a series of controversial moves as different regions of
9191-619: The widespread use of air conditioning , which made the intensely hot summers more comfortable. According to the Arizona Blue Book (published by the Arizona Secretary of State 's office each year), the state population in 1910 was 294,353. By 1970, it was 1,752,122. The percentage growth each decade averaged about 20% in the earlier decades, and about 60% each decade thereafter. In the 1960s, retirement communities were developed. These age-restricted subdivisions catered exclusively to
9292-515: The winter months; they are referred to as snowbirds . In March 2000, Arizona was the site of the first legally binding election ever held over the internet to nominate a candidate for public office. In the 2000 Arizona Democratic Primary, under worldwide attention, Al Gore defeated Bill Bradley . Voter turnout in this state primary increased more than 500% over the 1996 primary. In the 21st century, Arizona has frequently garnered national attention for its efforts to quell illegal immigration into
9393-483: The wishes of their parents and families. Attempts to suppress native identities included forcing the children to cut their hair, to take and use English names, to speak only English, and to practice Christianity rather than their native religions. Numerous Native Americans from Arizona fought for the United States during World War II. Their experiences resulted in a rising activism in the postwar years to achieve better treatment and civil rights after their return to
9494-478: Was adapted as 3:10 to Yuma , which was remade in 2007 . Rum Punch was adapted as the Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Brown (1997). Steven Soderbergh adapted Out of Sight in 1998 into a film of the same name . Get Shorty was adapted into an eponymous film in 1995, and in 2017 it was adapted into a television series of the same name . His writings were also the basis for The Tall T , as well as
9595-574: Was born in New Orleans , Louisiana , the son of Flora Amelia (née Rive) and Elmore John Leonard. Because his father worked as a site locator for General Motors , the family moved frequently for several years. In 1934, the family settled in Detroit . In the 1930s, there were two news items that would influence many of Leonard's works. From 1931, until they were killed in May 1934, gangsters Bonnie and Clyde were on
9696-580: Was given to him by Britain's New Musical Express : "the poet laureate of wild assholes with revolvers". His ear for dialogue has been praised by writers such as Saul Bellow and Martin Amis . "Your prose makes Raymond Chandler look clumsy," Amis told Leonard at a Writers Guild event in Beverly Hills in 1998. Stephen King called Leonard "the great American writer." According to Charles Rzepka of Boston University , Leonard's mastery of free indirect discourse ,
9797-464: Was incorporated in 1877, making it the oldest incorporated city in Arizona. It is home to the University of Arizona . Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, Sahuarita south of the city, and South Tucson in an enclave south of downtown. It has an average July temperature of 100 °F (38 °C) and winter temperatures averaging 65 °F (18 °C). Saguaro National Park , just west of
9898-583: Was inspired by Cooper and wrote tales of the American frontier beginning with A Tour on the Prairies which related his recent travels on the frontier. In 1834, he was approached by fur magnate John Jacob Astor , who convinced him to write a history of his fur trading colony in Astoria, Oregon . Irving made quick work of Astor's project, shipping the fawning biographical account Astoria in February 1836. The Western as
9999-437: Was published by Gold Medal Books . Leonard differed from well-known names writing in this genre—he was less interested in melodrama than in his characters and in realistic dialogue. He wrote the screenplay for, and the novelization of, Mr. Majestyk (both 1974); Anthony Lane called the latter "the best novel ever written about a melon grower." The stories were often located in Detroit but he also liked to use South Florida as
10100-525: Was short-lived and folded after only two issues. One of the most successful Western novels in recent times was The Sisters Brothers (2011) by Patrick deWitt . Western authors are represented by the Western Writers of America , who present the annual Spur Awards and Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement. The organization was founded in 1953 to promote the literature of the American West. While
10201-582: Was the next European in the region. A member of the Society of Jesus (" Jesuits "), he led the development of a chain of missions in the region. He converted many of the Indians to Christianity in the Pimería Alta (now southern Arizona and northern Sonora ) in the 1690s and early 18th century. Spain founded presidios ("fortified towns") at Tubac in 1752 and Tucson in 1775. When Mexico achieved its independence from
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