James S. Olson

James S. Olson is a historian, academic, and two-time Pulitzer Prize–nominated author. He has written more than 40 books on US and world history.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and holds both master’s and PhD degrees from The State University of New York at Stony Brook. He joined the faculty of Sam Houston State University in 1972 and was appointed Distinguished Professor of History in 1994. He was appointed a Texas State University System Regents Professor in 2007.[1] He was named a Piper Professor (2006) as well as the Carnegie Foundation Texas Professor of the Year (2005). He was awarded the SHSU Excellence in Teaching Award (1977), the SHSU Excellence in Research Award (1988), and the SHSU Excellence in Service (2005). He was the first professor ever to receive all three awards.

He wrote Pulitzer Prize–nominated Bathsheba’s Breast: Women, Cancer, and History, while suffering a malignant growth (Epithelioid Sarcoma), which resulted in the amputation of his left hand. The book won the 2002 History of Science Category Award from the Association of American Publishers and was recognized by the Los Angeles Times as one of the best nonfiction books in America in 2002.

He later also had cancer in his forehead and brain.[2]

Olson co-wrote a number of books with Randy Roberts, including John Wayne American (which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in biography in 1995); Where the Domino Fell: America and Vietnam 1945–2010; A Line in the Sand: The Alamo in Blood and Memory; and My Lai: A Brief History with Documents.

In 2002, the auditorium of Sam Houston State University's newest classroom and office building was named the Dr. James S. Olson Auditorium in honor of the distinguished professor of history and chair of that department.

In 2008, Olson was honored by BYU with its Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

Olson was born on July 15, 1946, in Downey, California. He and his wife, Judith, are the parents of four children. He served as SHSU faculty sponsor of the Latter-day Saints Student Association for 33 years, and taught 66 uncompensated courses in the Institute of Religion. He also led the organization effort to build the Institute of Religion.