Tag Archives: The Civil War: A Narrative
Foote on Burnside
As Shelby Foote worked on his massive three-volume narrative of The Civil War, he kept his friend, novelist Walker Percy, in the loop on his progress. On January 31, 1955, Foote offered a little insight into the time he’d spent researching … Continue reading
Happy 100th Birthday, Shelby Foote
Shelby Foote would have been 100 years old today. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, on November 17, 1916, he died on June 28, 2005 at the age of 88 from a heart attack following a pulmonary embolism. Foote was best known … Continue reading
Shelby Foote as the Angel of Death
I’ve been doing some research lately on Shelby Foote and his work on The Civil War: A Narrative. In his correspondence with his friend and fellow writer Walker Percy, Foote provided ongoing updates about his progress on the work, which … Continue reading
Telling History vs. Making Art: The Civil War’s great storyteller
Part six in a series. No written work embodies the tension between art and history more fully than Shelby Foote’s mammoth three-volume The Civil War: A Narrative. Few people realize Foote was a novelist before he became the “warm and … Continue reading
Telling History vs. Making Art: “a tension between Art and Science”
Part one in a series As a battlefield guide at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park (FSNMP), I frequently speak with folks who’ve come to the battlefields because they’ve read The Killer Angels, which in turn inspired them to come … Continue reading
Thoughts on Shelby Foote’s “Narrative”
Shelby Foote’s The Civil War: A Narrative certainly stands as one of the most recognizable texts of the Civil War “canon” (if such a thing exists). The three volumes, when placed side by side, make an imposing and impressive sight. Whether … Continue reading