Fourth of July Bundle

Now until the end of July, the South Dakota Historical Society Press will be featuring two of their exciting American tales that highlight the depth and pride of South Dakota throughout America’s 250 years.

In Glorious Fourth of July and Other Stories from the Plains , Mary Gibson Sprague recounts tales from her mother’s childhood and pairs them with unique “memory paintings.” Childlike wonder, enthusiasm, and the life of Catherine Rademacher Gibson come alive as Sprague explores the tales of early South Dakotan migratory families creating the American Dream.

In the press’s first graphic novel, the life and legend of Captain Joe Foss are expertly retold in Hector Curriel’s Joe Foss, Fighter Pilot: American Ace . From his early fascination with flight and Charles Lindbergh to his daredevil efforts in Guadalcanal, Foss’s heroism consumes the pages as he takes on the title of America’s Number One Ace. Curriel draws readers into this American hero’s triumphs and trials, leaving them with a feeling of South Dakota pride and a glimpse into one of America’s hardest battles over the last 250 years.

Hector Curriel is an illustrator, watercolor artist, and cartoonist. Born in Lima, Peru, he now lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Mary Gibson Sprague (b. 1934) was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts. She graduated from Queen Anne High School in Seattle and received two fine arts degrees from Stanford University in California. Mary is the mother of Michael Vern, Robert Wendell, Peter Hans, and Nell Jean. She currently lives in Saint Louis, Missouri, where she retired after teaching drawing and art history for thirty years at Meramec Community College. A second generation working-artist, Mary’s artwork can be found online at marysprague.com.