One of our foremost storytellers of the American West, the prolific and versatile Louis L’Amour (1908-1988) has thrilled generations of readers with his chronicles of the adventures of the settlers of the American frontier, many of which have become movies. The self-educated writer was born in Jamestown, North Dakota. In 1984 President Ronald Reagan awarded L’Amour the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1972 he was awarded an Honorary PhD by Jamestown College.