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Shelby Foote

Shelby Foote Quotes

Historian

Shelby Foote was an American historian and author, renowned for his works on the American Civil War. Born on November 17, 1916, and passing away on June 27, 2005, Foote's writing style was marked by its vivid storytelling and rich historical detail, earning him high regard among scholars and the general public alike.

Famous Shelby Foote Quotes

“As a Southerner I would have to say that one of the main importances of the War is that Southerners have a sense of defeat which none of the rest of the country has.”

War Country History Importance Defeat American Civil War Southerner

Author:Shelby Foote

“Before the war it was always the United States *are*, after the war it was the United States is... it made us an is.”

Made War States United History United States Civil War American Civil War

Author:Shelby Foote

“The Civil War defined us as what we are and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things... It was the crossroads of our being, and it was a hell of a crossroads.”

War Hell Defined Civil War Bad Things Good And Bad Crossroads

Book:The Beleaguered City: The Vicksburg Campaign, December 1862-July 1863

Source: The Beleaguered City: The Vicksburg Campaign, December 1862-July 1863

“Grant was something rare in that or any war. He could learn from experience.”

War Grants Learning Experience

Author:Shelby Foote

“People want to know why the South is so interested in the Civil War. I had maybe, it's a rough guess, about fifty fistfights in my life. Out of those fifty fistfights, the ones that I had the most vivid memory of were the ones I lost. I think that's one reason why the South remembers the war more than the North does.”

People Thinking Knows Want Doe War Reason Remember Fighting Winning Lost Interest Memories Loss History South Reason Why Civil War Fifty Rough Fists Vivid Vivid Memories

Author:Shelby Foote

“A rich man's war and a poor man's fight.”

Men War Fighting Poor Rich Rich Man Poor Man

Book:The Civil War, a Narrative: Fredericksburg to Meridian

Source: The Civil War, a Narrative: Fredericksburg to Meridian

“And I'm a slow writer: five, six hundred words is a good day. That's the reason it took me 20 years to write those million and a half words of the Civil War.”

Writing Years War Reason Half Millions Five Six Hundred Civil War Good Day

Author:Shelby Foote

About the Author

Born: November 17, 1916
Died: June 27, 2005
Known for: Historian
Quotes: 59

Related Topics

American Civil War Civil War Thinking War Writing Ifs Shiloh Battle Of Shiloh Civil War Western Theater Want Book History People Years Civil War Eastern Theater Firsts Five Men Way Abraham Lincoln

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

ShilohRelated source material

The Civil War, Vol. 1: Fort Sumter to PerryvilleRelated source material

The Civil War, Vol. 2: Fredericksburg to MeridianRelated source material

Conversations with Shelby FooteRelated source material

Follow Me DownRelated source material

Follow Me Down: A NovelRelated source material

Jordan CountyRelated source material

Jordan County: A Landscape in NarrativeRelated source material

The Beleaguered City: The Vicksburg Campaign, December 1862-July 1863Related source material

The Civil War, Vol. 3: Red River to AppomattoxRelated source material

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