Clay Bonnyman Evans

Clay Bonnyman Evans is an author and freelance writer living on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and in Boulder, Colorado. He grew up in Boulder and worked as a cowboy around the West for many years before becoming a journalist. He was a staff writer for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register and a long-time columnist for the Daily Camera (Boulder), and covered such high-profile stories as the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. As a freelance journalist, he has published hundreds of articles in publications ranging from the Occidental to the Denver Post, New Mexico Magazine and Marathon & Beyond. Evans has been a frequent public speaker, emcee and sometime performer. Among his stage and film appearances are the stage musical, "Jesus Christ Superstar," and the cult documentary hit, "Grandpa’s In the Tough Shed." He is an avid outdoor enthusiast who has climbed all but one of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks and has thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail, among others. Evans is the author of six books, including memoirs of his AT and PCT hikes. His 2018 book, "Bones of My Grandfather," tells the dramatic story of his grandfather, Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., who was killed in the battle of Tarawa on Nov. 22, 1943 and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The book follows two tracks: Bonnyman's extraordinary pre-war life and heroism on the battlefield and the remarkable effort—of which the author was privileged to be a part—to recover his remains after they lay hidden for more than seventy years in the sand of a remote Pacific island. The book is the product of a six-year quest by the author—part "Unbroken," part "Flags of Our Fathers" and part "Indiana Jones," it is a heroic war story, a family saga, and a fascinating archaeological mystery. "War, reclamation, and what Tim O'Brien called 'the Lives of the Dead' are eternal literary themes for men. Clay Bonnyman Evans has honored that lineage with this masterful melding of military history and personal quest,” says Ron Powers, co-author of New York Times #1 bestsellers "Flags of Our Fathers" and "True Compass." Learn more about the author at www.claybonnymanevans.com.