A fiction and non-fiction writer, Shelby Foote was born in Greenville, MS, in1916, where he spent most of his early and adult life . He attended North Carolina University from 1935-1937, before he was drafted into the Army. 

Foote's first novel, Tournament, was published in 1949, followed by three others works- Follow Me Down in 1950, Love in a Dry Season in 1951, and Shiloh in 1952. Foote was best known for the historical narrative, Civil War.   Shelby Foote has gained literary accolades, and to this day, he continues to be a sought-after speaker all around the country.