{{short description|American author (born 1945)}} thumb|right '''Cathy Colligan Luchetti''' (born June 1945) is an American author whose photographic history books chronicle the American frontier through the stories of pioneer men, women, evangelists, as well as through themes of courtship, love, marriage, cooking, and children. The books are among the first to examine history through the voices of unsung overland travelers as well as through first person accounts by minorities. She is a winner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award for Literary Excellence, the James Beard Award for Best Writing on American Food History, runner-up for the Willa Literary Award for Non-Fiction, winner of Gourmand World Cookbook Award, Perigueux, France, 1998,<ref>Actual awards (Pacific Northwest Booksellers, American Food History, Willa, and Gourmand World Cookbook) are in possession of author and have been photographed and indexed to file at http://brianrwright.com/Luchetti_Sources.pdf pages 1-4, respectively</ref><ref>1998. Perigueux. The event takes place for the first time in parallel with the Perigueux Salon International du Livre Gourmand. It is presided by Alain Ducasse... {{cite web |url=http://www.cookbookfair.com/index.php/gourmand-awards/winners/gourmand-awards-2012-winners/book/3?page=2 |title=History |accessdate=2013-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405112257/http://www.cookbookfair.com/index.php/gourmand-awards/winners/gourmand-awards-2012-winners/book/3?page=2 |archivedate=2013-04-05 }}</ref> and the ''Los Angeles Times'' Best Books of 2001 designation.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-02-bk-10500-story.html ''Los Angeles Times Best'' Books of 2001]</ref> Luchetti's books generally have Western themes but she also writes about cooking, human affairs, and animals.
== Early life == Luchetti (Colligan) grew up in Midland, Texas, the older of two children. Her father was an oil exploration geologist in the boom years of the Texas Permian Basin, and her mother taught math. After moving to Utah the family took frequent wilderness trips, which is where she became interested in discovering and telling more of the immense story of the American West. She graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English in 1975.<ref>continuum.utah.edu/spring03/tty.htm | Plehal was a midshipman in the NROTC program at the U and was ... Cathy Colligan Luchetti BA'75, author and historian, recently participated in First Lady ...</ref> Ms Luchetti’s Old West ancestry is a factor in her lifelong interest in American frontier life. A great-great grandfather Frederick Waymire<ref>[http://brianrwright.com/Luchetti_Sources.pdf pages 5 thru 7 Actual documentation in possession of author and items have been scanned and indexed]</ref> was an American farmer and politician who served in the Oregon Territorial Legislature and was a member of the Oregon Constitutional Convention, 1857.<ref>Bancroft, Hubert Howe; Frances Auretta Fuller Barrett Victor (1888) ''History of Oregon; 1848–1888'' The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft.</ref> Waymire represented the farming contingent at the convention and was characterized as a “sort of Far West David Crockett.”<ref>Gaston, Joseph (1912) ''The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912'' S.J.Clarke Publishing Co.pp.433–434</ref> Her maternal great-great-great grandfather, Henry Walker Crabb, was the second vintner in California's Napa Valley, a gold-seeker who came to California in the 1850s and who in 1874 founded the ToKalon vineyard—located between Yountville and St. Helena. Crabb had brought cuttings of “noble varietals” from France<ref>Siler, Julia Flynn (2007) ''The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty''. Gotham Books, p. 62</ref> including Black Burgundy, similar to the Refosco of northern Italy.
== Travel and adventure sources == After college she served two years in the Peace Corps in Colombia, SA,<ref>[http://www.peacecorpswriters.org/pages/depts/resources/country.html Returned Peace Corps Volunteer writers who have had books published listed by their countries and years of service. ... Cathy Colligan Luchetti 68–70]</ref> working with a cooperative of weavers in Usiacuri, Atlantico. An interest in mountain trekking led to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, to Uhuru Peak (5895 m.), and Pokalde Peak, Nepal, (5807 m.) as well as trekking Peru's Inca Trail to Macchu Piccu, the Cordillera Blanca, and the remote Huayhuash Circuit. She also trekked the Annapurna Circuit, as well as the Cho La Pass and Gokyo Ri Pass in Nepal. In Peru’s Amazon she collected frogs with Bora Indians, guide Richard Aukoo Fowler, and jungle traveler Steven 'Bo' Keeley.<ref>[http://brianrwright.com/Luchetti_Sources.pdf page 9] Actual documentation in possession of author and has been scanned and indexed</ref> She belongs to a desert hiking group, the Desert Survivors,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.desert-survivors.org/books/desert_books_102009.html |title=Top Picks: Desert Survivor Board ..... Luchetti. Cathy Men of the West Depicts the frontier lives of cowboys, outlaws, settlers, mountain men, as well as Asian ... |access-date=2013-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214014/http://www.desert-survivors.org/books/desert_books_102009.html |archive-date=2013-10-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and has hiked extensively in Utah’s Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, as well as California's Death Valley and Mojave preserves. She has also climbed Mount Whitney and Mount Shasta in California.
== Public appearances == Luchetti’s gave two lectures at the National Archives about Home on the Range<ref>''Home on the Range: A Culinary History of the American West'' http://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-13624186/home-range-culinary-history-american-west {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215529/http://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-13624186/home-range-culinary-history-american-west |date=2013-10-04 }}. Apr 12, 1993 – Tuesday: Lecture by Cathy Luchetti, author of "Home on the Range: A Culinary History of the American West," at National Archives.</ref> and ''I Do!''<ref>Ms. Luchetti spoke about her new book: I Do: Courtship, Love and Marriage on the American Frontier. Love on the U.S. Frontier, C-SPAN Video Library 17. [http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/74544-1]</ref> as well as the Library of Congress’ “Books and Beyond” inaugural lecture.<ref>Jul 16, 1996 – Cathy Luchetti To Discuss "Women of the West" – Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/today/pr/1996/96-104.html</ref> She has lectured on C-SPAN<ref>Ms. Luchetti describes the experiences of the children including their home lives, daily ... A digital archive of… http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/167566-1</ref><ref>[http://www.c-spanvideo.org/cathyluchetti Book Discussion on ''Children of the West: Family Life on the Frontier''. C-SPAN. 167566-1 Public Affairs Event, 2001-11-17]</ref><ref>[http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/WestFaC-SPAN 2 ... West: Family Life on the Frontier Cathy Luchetti. Ms.Luchetti talks about pioneer life as recounted in her book… C-SPAN Weekly Best Seller Lists]</ref> and was selected as one of San Francisco’s Library Laureates of 2005. She was invited to Laura Bush's White House Symposium on Women of the West in the Salute to American Authors Series<ref>[https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/firstlady/initiatives/womenofthewest.html Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney and others laugh with Melissa Gilbert, right, child- ... in the White House Salute to America's Authors series, the Women of the West ...] White House Symposium on Women of the American West</ref> and was honoree at the Sacramento Book Collectors’ Club Anniversary event.<ref>Actual documentation in possession of author and item has been scanned and indexed to file at http://brianrwright.com/Luchetti_Sources.pdf page 8</ref> After a talk in Denver's Tattered Cover Bookstore,<ref>Rodney D. Bagley BS'60 PhD'64 has been inducted into the National ... Cathy Colligan Luchetti BA'75, author and historian, recently participated in First Lady ... Through the Years - Continuum – University of Utah. {{cite web |url=http://continuum.utah.edu/spring03/tty.htm |title=Through the Years - Continuum Magazine - Spring 2003 - University of Utah |accessdate=2013-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214038/http://continuum.utah.edu/spring03/tty.htm |archivedate=2013-10-04 }}</ref> a representative from the National Storytelling Network invited her to be a keynote speaker at its 2002 conference in Denver. She also spoke at “Shooting the West VIII”, sponsored by Humboldt County, NV.
== Media consultant == Luchetti consulted and wrote for Hot on the Trail, a Wyler/Rimland production for Ted Turner narrated by Keith Carradine, broadcast nationally on TBS.<ref>[http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/WestFa Tattered Cover Bookstore Book Discussion on Children of the West: Family Life on the Frontier Cathy Luchetti Ms.Luchetti talks about pioneer life as recounted ...]</ref> She acted as a consultant and participating historian in Secrets of the Gold Rush, a la carte productions, PBS,<ref>Most widely held works by Wyler/Rymland Productions, Inc. [http://www.worldcat.org/identities/nc-wyler%20rymland%20productions%20inc Hot on the trail the search for sex, love and romance in the old west ( Visual ) 1 edition published in ... Wyler/Rymland Productions, Inc [WorldCat Identities] ].</ref> and was author and consultant on frontier marriage customs for The Love Chronicles, A&E Channel.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.alacartetv.com/html/about/productions.htm |title=A La Carte Television Productions By Broadcast Year ... Secrets of The Gold Rush (one-hour special, PBS) ... A La Carte Communications |access-date=2013-07-10 |archive-date=2013-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727191738/http://alacartetv.com/html/about/productions.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0876716/ With John Corbett, Cheryl Dent, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis. A look at the change in traditional arranged nuptials in and out of the United States. “Love Chronicles,” Arranged Marriages (TV episode 2000)] IMDb.</ref> The play, Most Blessed by the Motherlode Stage Company was adapted from I Do!<ref>[http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anth1604/video/Arranged_Marriages.html "An ancient tradition gets an American makeover in the A&E documentary Love Chronicles: Arranged Marriages. Host John Corbett takes the viewer behind ...] Cultural Anthropology -- University of Minnesota Duluth</ref><ref>Motherlode Stage Company of Penryn formed in 1994 to Tell the California Story through ... Pictured: Jenn Olivier in "Most Blessed," 2000. www.ercregistry.com</ref><ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2641254/otherworks The House of Yes/ American River Stage Most Blessed/ The Motherlode Stage Company A Christmas Carol/ Sacramento Theatre Company Theatre: Six women ... Christina Marie (II) - Other works] IMDb</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUAZile5ise9VwEETGcWaKpw Most Blessed 1. by GreeneDreams 26 views. Company: The Motherlode Stage Company of Loomis, California Playwright: Stuart Earle White Smith Director ...]</ref>
== Books == *''Women of the West'', Antelope Island Press 1982, Orion Books 1982, W.W. Norton 1992, 2004 (winner of the Pacific Northwest Bookseller’s Award for Literary Excellence)<ref>''Women of the West'', {{ISBN|978-0393321555}}</ref> *''Under God’s Spell: Frontier Evangelists'', Harcourt Brace 1989<ref>''Under God's Spell: Frontier Evangelists'', {{ISBN|978-0151927999}}</ref> *''Home on the Range: A Culinary History of the American West,'' Villard Books, 1993 (Winner of the James Beard Award for Best Writing on American Food)<ref>''Home on the Range: A Culinary History of the American West'', {{ISBN|978-0679744849}}</ref> *''Medicine Women: The Story of Early American Women Doctors'', Crown Publishers 1998 (runner up for the Willa Award for Non Fiction)<ref>''Medicine Women: The Story of Early American Women Doctors'', {{ISBN|978-0517598481}}</ref> *''I Do! Courtship Love and Marriage on the American Frontier'', Crown Publishers 1996<ref>''I Do! Courtship Love and Marriage on the American Frontier'', {{ISBN|978-0517884492}}</ref> *''Mama Says'', Inspiration Loyola Press 1999<ref>Mama Says, {{ISBN|978-0829413427}}</ref> *''Children of the West'', W.W. Norton 2001 (winner of the Los Angeles Times Best Books of 2001)<ref>''Children of the West'', {{ISBN|978-0393049138}}</ref> *''Men of the West,'' W.W. Norton 2004<ref>''Men of the West'', {{ISBN|978-0393328295}}</ref> *''The Hot Flash Cookbook'', Chronicle Books 1997, 2004 (Winner of the International Cookbook Award)<ref>''The Hot Flash Cookbook'', {{ISBN|978-0811840088}}</ref> *''Skidboot, the Smartest Dog in the World'', 2013, epub, Kindle<ref>''Skidboot, the Smartest Dog in the World'', {{ISBN|978-0989417709}}</ref> Sources of review for her books and other work include the ''Los Angeles Times'',<ref>''Los Angeles Times'' Book Review, Sunday Dec 2, 2001</ref> ''The Rocky Mountain News'',<ref>''Rocky Mountain News'', Sunday November 22, 2001</ref> the ''Oregon Statesman Journal'',<ref>''Statesman Journal'', Sunday June 6, 2004</ref> the ''New York Times'',<ref>''New York Times'' Book Review, February 20, 1994</ref> the ''Wild West'',<ref>''Wild West'', December 1993</ref> and the ''San Francisco Chronicle''.<ref>''San Francisco Chronicle'', Wednesday August 6, 1997</ref>
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130627100448/http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/2012/04/an-interview-with-author-cathy-luchetti-part-1/ An Interview With Author Cathy Luchetti: Part 1 | San Francisco Book Review, April 17, 2012] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090104024457/http://off-the-edge.net/phplist/lists/archive.php?x=311 Aug 17, 2006 – Fresh Air - NPR ... Diane Rehm Show - NPR. The Memory ... The Hot Flash Cookbook by Cathy Luchetti]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Luchetti, Cathy}} Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American women writers Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:Writers from Texas Category:Western (genre) writers Category:American women food writers Category:American cookbook writers Category:James Beard Foundation Award winners Category:21st-century American women