GATLINBURG, TENN. — Smokies Life is thrilled to announce that its 2024 publication, “George Masa: A Life Reimagined,” was recently recognized with two regional awards: the 2024 North Caroliniana Society Book Award and a 2025 Award of Excellence from the East Tennessee Historical Society. Both organizations praised the book for its contributions to cultural and historical interpretation in their respective states.
Coauthored by Cornell University librarian Janet McCue and documentary filmmaker Paul Bonesteel, “George Masa: A Life Reimagined” is the first comprehensively researched biography of the visionary Japanese photographer whose dedication to art and conservation helped spur the national park movement in the Great Smoky Mountains, as well as the creation of the Appalachian Trail. The book also explores the many trials Masa endured — scrutiny in 1918 from the agency now known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, harassment from the Ku Klux Klan in 1921, and the collapse of the economy, his business and his health in the early 1930s — while still choosing to devote himself to the conservation of the Southern Appalachians.
“‘George Masa: A Life Reimagined’ is a study in biographical excellence,” said historian and Smokies scholar William A. “Bill” Hart Jr. “Authors Janet McCue and Paul Bonesteel have painstakingly researched George Masa’s life and revealed his challenges and triumphs, highlighting his reputation as an artistic and gifted photographer, a founder of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and a contributor to the completion of the Appalachian Trail in the Southern Mountains. Their intimate and compelling biography allows us to fully appreciate this complex man and his legacy of lasting accomplishments.”
Each year since 2003, the North Caroliniana Society has recognized one book “that captures the essence of North Carolina by contributing powerfully to an understanding of the state.” Nominees — and ultimately award recipients — are chosen by a committee that privately surveys all books published during the year, then selects the volume it believes “makes a positive contribution and appears to have the best chance of standing the test of time as a classic volume of North Caroliniana.” Representatives from the North Caroliniana Society described Masa’s life story as the “unanimous choice” for the award’s 22nd year, noting that it is the first biography to receive this recognition in many years.
Across state lines, the East Tennessee Historical Society honored Masa’s biography with a 2025 Project Excellence Award through its Awards of Excellence program, established in 1982 to annually recognize individuals and organizations for significant contributions to the preservation, promotion and interpretation of the region’s history. Eligible projects include exhibits, lectures, conferences, publications, print and broadcast media, teaching and lifetime achievement. Recipients, including the authors of “A Life Reimagined,” were honored at a May 31 awards ceremony at the Museum of East Tennessee History in Knoxville.
“With precision and sensitivity, the authors portray Masa not only as an artist and environmental advocate but as a man constantly redefining himself,” the East Tennessee Historical Society wrote in its award program. “Through their collaboration, McCue and Bonesteel produced a compelling and deeply human portrait that expands our understanding of Appalachian history and the individuals who helped shape it. Their work ensures that Masa's story is told with a more complete clarity and in the context of his life and remarkable contributions.”
“George Masa: A Life Reimagined” is available in print and e-book format. The 6-by-9-inch paperback, which includes a 32-page color photo insert, is available for $28.95 in the park’s visitor center bookstores; the book and e-book are both available at SmokiesLife.org/George-Masa-A-Life-Reimagined.
Smokies Life is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the scientific, historical and interpretive activities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services to park visitors. Smokies Life depends on the generous support of its members to fulfill its mission, preserving the Smokies for generations to come. Proceeds from members’ dues and retail stores also support dozens of seasonal rangers and interns who protect and interpret the 800 miles of trails, 100 historic structures and 21,000 documented species of life preserved in the park. For more information about Smokies Life and to join, visit SmokiesLife.org.