Foote Books

After reading this book, I regretted (and still regret) that I never had the pleasure of meeting Walker Percy myself. I knew all along that he turned from medicine to writing, and one of the awards he received was the Doctor of Humane Letters from Tulane University in 1977. I have read LANCELOT. And the book mentions several persons he came to know whom I vividly recall, such as Dr. V. Malcolm Byrnes (incorrectly spelled Burns in the book), who was one of the best teachers I ever had, and who opened up several avenues which I heretofore had not even known about. But there were also Dr. Charles W. Hill and Dr. Curtis Thomsen, both of whom were scientists at the Delta Primate Center in Covington, and they also knew Walker Percy. (I am mentioning the Primate Center because my late father, Dr. Helmut Hofer, was on the faculty there.) A lady with whom I attended church in Covington also knew him. And another association I had, and still have, that could have given me the opportunity to meet him was/is the Maple Street Book Shop in New Orleans, LA, whose owner, Rhoda Faust, was yet another one of his friends. Through all these associations, I knew that Walker Percy was not only a great scholar and writer but also an outstanding citizen.

Walker Percy best described by his brothers Phin and Roy, and Shelby Foote. In Walker's books there appears to be no influence by Shelby, and in Shelby's books there is not a hint of Walker, but these friends from childhood were always a part of each other's life. The person who knew Walker Percy the least appears to be the ex-priest, James Boulware and sadly, the person who knew him best, his wife Bunt, is not heard from. A marvelous little book...will make you want to read all of Walker Percy's books!

Nicely packaged little treat for Walker Percy junkies, it can also serve as a fine introduction to the man. Harwell gives us an intelligent and well researched, but utterly unpretentious and accessible, set of interviews with some of Percy's closest associates. The reader is given insights from brothers of Percy, his priest, Shelby Foote, his teachers, housekeeper, New Orleans bookstore owner Rhoda Faust, and, most interesting of all if illusive, Rev. Will Campbell.

The picture that emerges is beautiful and complex. Percy is the committed Catholic convert, yet forever questioning. He is warm and social, yet private. Civil RIghts activist, but Vietnam War supporter to the end.

Takes its place alongside Ralph Wood as my favorite work on Percy.

I've recently used this Casebook for an article I'm writing about Foote. I found it to be very helpful and filled with solid criticism. I wish, however, that there was more discussion of Foote as a "Southern" writer, which I believe he is. Perhaps one of the Foote scholars will examine that aspect of Foote's work in a future study. Overall, though, the Casebook is an important contribution to Foote studies and American theatre studies.

"Horton Foote: A Casebook" is a superb scholarly study of one of America's most important playwrights. The essays by Gerald C. Wood are insightful and on the mark. The essay by Susan Underwood is also excellent. This is a must-have book for any person/library interested in a great American artist.

From a personal experience of coming into close contact with a large ship while sailing in Galway Bay, first time author Tom Foote has created a fast-paced tale of arms-running intrigue, involving the IRA and Middle Eastern arms dealers, which holds the attention from start to finish. In "Undertow", the encounter with a large vessel in the bay which rams the yacht piloted by Jim Prendergast, killing his wife and daughter in the process, marks the beginning of a saga which leads from the border counties of Ireland to Malta and beyond, with much of the action also centring in Galway. The many strands of the plot draw in the British Ambassador to Ireland, MI6, northern members of the IRA, Middle Eastern arms suppliers and the evil Foster, whose shadowy figure is present from beginning to end.. While being a devotee of neither thriller nor sailing-based stories, I found "Undertow" to be a compelling narrative which does not blind with too much nautical detail. The action moves along smoothly and interest is maintained, though one needs a fairly strong stomach for some of the more violent passages.

Undertow will quickly draw you in with a cast of interesting characters, wonderfully vivid exotic locations, and a fast-paced yet thought-provoking plot.

The book is set in Ireland and around the Med (with a number of other locations thrown in) and follows a yachtsman who finds himself drawn into a terrorist plot.

As a sailor myself, I have cruised to a number of the ports Tom describes in the book (and actually met Tom at one of them!?!) and find his descriptions to be accurate and vivid portrayals of the locations. The author lives on a boat, travelling to these places himself and sees them as a mariner does - not a tourist. You could not hope for a more realistic description of the exotic ports in Ireland and the Mediterranean as well as life at sea on ships and yachts.

Undertow is a great read for anyone interested in adventure and the sea - I hope he will write more for us!

This text will freak you out at first if you have never done proofs, or linear algebra at a rigorous level. My professor said that linear algebra and mathematical maturity are definitively things to possess before attempting to deal with this text, and not having those two things was a disadvantage.

However, if you're on your own (as I have been in my study of math), I can recommend some great preparatory books.

I am working on some analysis and algebra and the following have helped me:

Modern Algebra and Trigonometry - Moore (may be out of print - great book though)

Elementary Real and Complex Analysis - Shilov (calculus, basic measure)

Linear Algebra - Shilov

those three texts should get you to a point of mathematical independence where you may conquer dummit.

This book is the best to understand hard concepts of abstract algebra. The exposition is excellent and it is easy to find anything you need.

Dummit and Foote contains just about everything an undergraduate ought to know about abstract algebra. In addition, it is written in a more user-friendly, down-to-earth fashion than, say, Lang's Algebra is.

The pro's have been discussed in other reviews and include: clear development of group, ring, and field theory; tons of exercises at the end of every chapter; numerous examples scattered around the text; sylow theorems (for group theory, imo, it's important, and not every algebra book does sylow stuff!); great introduction to exact sequences (useful if the reader is going into algebraic topology anytime soon. ugh!); galois theory is pretty clearly laid out; and, the third section of the book has some neat topics the reader can check out (which are, I think, commutative algebra, homological algebra, and representation theory introductions, as well as a small section on category theory at the very end).

The con's of D+F are the price (it's very expensive!), the binding (it's horrible!), and some of the sections are much harder than others and D+F doesn't do as well a job at explaining them as in many of the other sections (the tensors section sticks out in my head, and they wait something like 100 pages to explain "tricks" for figuring out the structure of finite groups after explaining some of the sylow stuff (eg., they wait to tell the reader about how to "pin small groups against one-another" and to make use of the sylow n! trick). Also, D+F introduce modules before vector spaces which I have mixed feelings about --- as a student who's already taken an algebra class, I love the "flow" of the lessons; as a student who remembers what it was like to try to imagine what modules "looked like", it makes me cringe to think that they didn't introduce vector spaces first.

Overall, wonderful book. One of my favorites of all time. DEFINITELY have it, and if you study from it, you may feel more comfortable supplimenting it with Herstein's Algebra, Artin's Algebra (which are just as hard) or Fraleigh's Abstract Algebra, Gallian's Abstract Algebra, or Rotman's Abstract Algebra (which are much, much easier).

Compare this book to certain other ones (like Lang's Algebra, Hungerford's Algebra, etc.) and you'll agree, this one is way better. Most other books are too terse to study from, especially if you're studying on you own. But this one seems to cover the material pretty well, without falling into that trap.

D+F tries to straddle the line between being a book for advanced undergraduates and a book for graduate students and does a decent job. It is fairly readable, with many excellent exercises and lots of examples. The book also covers all the material in the standard graduate algebra sequence. The section on group theory is particularly good.

I think the biggest problem with D+F is that it is bland. The exposition isn't a joy to read and full of motivation like that of Halmos, Stillwell, or Eisenbud and it isn't full of deep insights like that of MacLane, Lang, or Artin. In addition Category Theory is pushed off to an appendix at the end of the book rather than integrated through the text. Finally the book is expensive and the binding is terrible.

If you want to learn algebra I would recommend purchasing some of these cheaper more focused texts since almost everything in D+F is treated better elsewhere:

Basic Algebra - Mac Lane + Birkhoff - Algebra 3rd Edition
Galois Theory: Stillwell - Elements of Algebra, Artin - Galois Theory
Commutative Algebra: Eisenbud - Commutative Algebra With a View Towards Algebraic Geometry
Homological Algebra: Weibel - An Introduction to Homological Algebra

If on the other hand you are already fairly comfortable with algebra and are looking for a one volume reference I would just buy Lang. It is less than half the price, more advanced, and has more material.

Much of what these authors identify as "Presbyterian" would not be recognizable to any of the earlier generations who owned that label. A low view of Biblical authority, a loose cafeteria view of confessions, a man-centered theology -- that used to be called "Unitarian" not Presbyterian!

More or less a waste.

Great book! I recently switched from Methodist to Presbyterian through re-affirmation. All through my childhood I recall attending a Presbyterian church even though I was Methodist (go figure)... Anyway, there were a lot of questions I had over the years and searched for answers about being a Presbyterian. THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT!!! It explains everything in great detail and gives scenarios that everyone can relate to. The only slight negative thing I can see in the book is the authors writing style. Perhaps it's me, I don't know... but some of the paragraphs are worded in a way that they run on. You have to re-read a sentence or two again to get what the author is saying.

Someone really needs to write a book for Reformed Christians that guides them through the landscape of American Christianity. Sadly this book does not accomplish that task. It raises questions, and answers them with a tepid Christology and a watered-down Bible.

American Christianity is an eclectic mix. We worship the Creator from the Declaration of Independence who gives inalienable rights. We practice the piety of WWJD bracelets echoing the liberal Christianity of Charles Sheldon. We embrace the Jesus of Mel Gibson's "Passion" drawn from pre-Vatican II Roman Catholicism. We accept the dispensationalism of the "Left Behind" books. We follow the moral teachings of Veggie Tales and the psychobabble of Norman Vincent Peale and James Dobson. Our politics draws from both Martin Luther King Jr. and Pat Robertson. The forty days of Lent have been replaced by the forty days of Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life." Finally, set the whole thing to a soundtrack of bubble gum praise choruses and Fanny Crosby hymns. Presbyterians wonder if this theological pop culture is all there is. Many wonder who they are and what makes them distinctive.

As Presbyterians we draw upon the historical ecumenical consensus of the faith found in the Scriptures and outlined in texts such as the Nicene Creed. Instead of engaging the culture of the Bible Belt with this consensus, the authors of this book
propose an alternative. They make a distinction between the Jesus of history and the Jesus of faith. Doesn't Jesus proclaim that he is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)? The authors attribute it to the anti-Semitism of the early church (pg 72). Then they reinterpret the meaning of the verse. Wherever one finds the way, the truth, and the life, they seem to argue, one finds Jesus (pg 73).

I agree with the authors that the Bible needs to be interpreted. Moreover, I agree that there are some lousy interpretations out there. However, the authors do not engage those who interpret the Bible differently. Rather they merely rail against those who interpret the Bible literally. The authors engage in rhetoric that they themselves find offensive among "neo-evangelicals." For example, they make an argument in favor of "Biblical universalism." They then ask the question, "What then do we make of biblical references to the `fires of hell'?" The response: "We've already noted that literal interpretations of many scriptures are problematic" (pg 39). There is no discussion of the argument on its merits. Rather, those who take the Scriptures seriously concerning hell just don't know how to read the Bible. To make matters worse, the authors then imply that those who accept the traditional notion of hell probably just want to populate it with people they don't like (pg 39).

As a Presbyterian pastor in the Bible Belt, I am constantly encouraging my congregants to move beyond a cultural Christianity to embrace the faith for themselves. Essentially, this book is a hindrance to my efforts. The book is a wasted opportunity.

I must read too much W.E.B.Griffin, because like him I feel the best measure of another person's intelligence is the degree to which he agrees with you. That being said, I find the authors of Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt very intelligent beings indeed. My wife and I recently Joined a Presbyterian church after visiting several times and feeling very at-home. We both come from other Protestant denominations and I for one wanted to know more about the beliefs of the Presbyterian flavor. This book both validated our personal beliefs and our decision to join this denomination. As a life-long Christian and scientist I have spent nearly sixty years being either appalled or downright angry that most Christian denominations expect me to check my God-given intellect at the door of the church, while at the same time dealing with scientists who consider religion irrational for a person seeking logical scientific answers to life's mysteries. As a scientist I very much believe that nothing speaks to the existence of God more than the elegance and orderliness of nature along with the fact that science does not and cannot explain everything. But I cannot and will not surrender to ignorance and outright stupidity for the comfort of Bible-thumping Neanderthals who don't understand the larger words in the texts they have memorized. It seems to me to be in God's nature to be inclusive all the while it is in man's nature to be exclusive. This book reinforces my belief that we are where we are because that's where God wants us to be at that moment, and He speaks to us all (and not just to the self-appointed elect) if we just will listen. "He leadeth me, oh blessed thought...".

This is a delightful little volume that will remind many of us why we belong to the Presbyterian Church. It has always been more 'comfortable' to belong to a more militaristic style of church, where, regardless of what is stated, the members are expected to fall in line with church doctrine. I believe this freedom, this lack of forcing, has cost the Presbyterian Church many members--those who migrate to fundamentalist churches. The question, then, is whether this has necessarily been a bad thing. Like other reviewers, I particularly liked the chapter on 'whether one is saved' or not.

I believe in the basic inerrancy of the original autographs of the Bible, and certainly believe that a number of modern translations are distorting the word. A parallel Bible will illustrate it. Again, as a Presbyterian, I believe each individual should decide. This book perhaps strays somewhat on the 'liberal' side of that debate for me.

Don't dismiss it out of hand, however. There is valuable information here, regardless of what the Minister reviewer states. Again, our freedom to differ is what does make us special!

Tolstoy's ability to capture the humanity of his characters is displayed in this collection of novellas as it is in all of his work. Tolstoy's characters practically are human, tortured with guilt and doubt, selfish, full alternatively of naïve delight and jaded disgust, aspiring to be something more. This feeling of reality is prominent in three of the novellas: Family Happiness, The Cossacks, and Hadji Murat. The Kreutzer Sonata, on the other hand, is full of Tolstoy's religious convictions and is basically a warning against the dangers of carnal love, even between a man and his wife. I have always loved Tolstoy's novels, and it is always a little jarring for me to run into the deep Christianity that characterizes some of his work. Although I am not a Christian myself, I can appreciate that Tolstoy's religious feeling is very pure and very biblically based, a completely different being from the ritual based displays of the church. This set of novellas is interesting then, it that it shows that Tolstoy was just as complicated and contradictory as his characters so often are.

Tolstoy in lecture mode gives a cynical account of courting, romantic love, and a recognizably painful depiction of jealousy. While it may lack the sweep of his major works, there is still much to be mulled in this short work.

The title story, " The Kreutzer Sonata" is Tolstoy at his preaching, hypocritical, immoral worst. By the time he writes this the great works so filled with love of life are behind him. Here his tirade against sexuality seems a set- speech and not a part of the story of a living character. As for the blanket condemnation of sexuality this is Tolstory narrowly condemning his own monstrous appetites in this area.
All in all nothing in these four works is really reminiscent of the Tolstoy who has such a feeling for his characters and their experience.
Another ironic side of this is that Tolstoy did not at all follow his own prescription to Puritanism and even in advanced old age was reportedly bothering his wife, among others, in order to supply his own needs.
The story is an illustration of how even the greatest creators are not uniformly so, and often have mixed among the gold works of tremendous mediocrity.

The reviews of the "other stories" indicate that different editions contain different stories besides "The Kreutzer Sonata." I refer to the Oxford World Classics version. It begins with "Family Happiness," which I found rather long-winded in its depiction of a rather naive young woman's realization of the enduring love of child and husband will supplant her earlier infatuation with her husband as a lover. "The Kreutzer Sonata" follows logically, and the afterword included here must be read too, for it shows Tolstoy attempting to convolutedly explain why couples should refrain from copulating and even procreating. His link to Jesus's teaching to support his view shows both Tolstoy's ingenuity and his fringe thinking, to say the least. Still, he makes a spirited argument that shows his Christian anarchism which so enflamed his later writing and thinking.

With "The Cossacks" we find a romanticized depiction of a love triangle of sorts between a Russian officer, a local girl, and her village suitor. It too takes too long to develop, but it has its moments, best seen when Tolstoy looks up from his characters and shows us the culture of the frontier in the Caucasus mountains fought over still today. This leads to the somewhat more rugged and lively last novella, "Hajid Murad," in which the titular Chechen chieftain must decide between saving his son who has been taken hostage and rebelling against the Russians who have compromised his tribal rebellion. It lags, but it does manage to give snide glimpses of the cruelty of Nicholas' regimen and the 1851-2 state of a situation that 150 years later still has not found the Russians victorious over these peoples.

All in all, lots of philosophizing, even more turgid dialogues with rather pampered Russian officers and their ladies, and a heap of sentimentality that goes with the territory of most 19th-century fiction. The updated Maude translation used here in the last three stories still feels musty and stuffy to me, but perhaps this is to convey the feel of a slightly antiquated level of discourse to our ears.

I think that the reviews here are a little bit off and essentially betray themselves by insulting the writer, and without reason praising his earlier works as a means of battering this later one. first of all, nobody who wants to simply spew out his own life and endoctrinate his readers puts his own views into the mouth of a character who is carefully portrayed as out of his mind. calling Tolstoy Pozdnischef would be like calling the Underground man or prince Mishkin Dostoevsky...similarities, yes just like there are always similarities between a great idea and a stupid one [or put it the other way around]. True, the kreutzer sonata is very autobiographical, but not in a self serving way, and the killer is not tolstoy. The story does not argue for abstinence necessarily either and there is a very high regard for ideal marraige... only tolstoy has to show what he thinks that is by counter example. the kreutzer '' resembles in no way the sort of fundamentailist, "we know you are going to hell and there is no arguing with us", techniques we hear about in the news which other reviewers have it sounding like [why can reviewers do this so easily today concerning late Tolstoy?..because it is easy to bash anykind of sexual morality today unless it happens to be the morality of not getting physically, and hence physically demonstrably, sick]. tolstoy shows [rather than sheethes in political language]the flaws of an institution [marraige]which, as current debates and troubles with marraige show, are very on spot or at least of major interest; if he is wrong in the story the kreutzer sonata, then it should be clear to readers from a quick look at current marraige and life in practice [ i don't know anybody who seriously thinks marraige in general is in a good state right now]. at best the story is not just an unmasking of rhetorical figures, but a careful psychological portrait of decline into mental instability, much easier to follow than say Raskolnikov's. if tolstoy eventually did adopt extremist views, at least in the story here he shows you the problem; that's all he can do--and you don't have to draw the same conclusions that tolstoy may have drawn to appreciate his depiction of something...which he also happens to tell with great passion and drama, and with considerable insight into the working of art, including his own work. just for the heck of it i'll add that i don't share tolstoy's late life philosophy but admire any day a writer who could take a very great piece of music like the kreutzer sonata and translate it's unique intensity into a perhaps equally great novella.

I know that Tolstoy was a genius and a talented author. However, this story seemed quite bland to me and I found that it never really "grabbed" me in a way that could be comparable to "War and Peace".

This is a good three story collection with an introduction by Paul Foote.

Tolstoy is recognized as one of the leading writer of novels, and he was a leading Russian writer of the 19th century. He wrote three monumental works including War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and the novella The Death of Ivan Ilych." Two were written by Tolstoy at his peak around 1865 to 1980, and Ilych was written in 1886 before Tolstoy started to lose his interest in fiction.

This is a collection of three stories that were all written at the end of Tolstoy's career, all written after 1890 when he was making the transition to non-fiction polemics. Only one of the three stories was published during Tolstoy's lifetime and that was Master and Man.

The first story in the book is Father Sergius, and it was written between 1890 and 1898. It is brilliant and ambitious. It is a story about a priest who dedicates his life to religion and purity. He lives in isolation and commits his life to God, and the story is about his search for truth. Unfortunately, he is still attracted to women, and that attraction or sexual passion frightens him and the story describes how he deals with that struggle to overcome his moral shortcomings or temptations. This was a favorite story of Tolstoy.

The second story, Master and Man, is simply superb. It is about two men on a trip by a horse drawn sleigh through the winter snows near a small village. They get caught in a blizzard while on a simple business trip. It was published in 1895, and is among the finest short stories ever written. It contains many signature elements of Tolstoy's writings including detailed descriptions of the Russian characters in a rural setting: "man, society, and nature" as described by Foote.

The last is Hadji Murat, written between 1896 to 1904. It follows earlier books on the southern wars including The Raid (1835), Wood-Felling (1855), and The Cossacks (1863). It is based on real events and lacks a strong central protagonist, and that is the weakness of the story. I was not excited by this novel and prefer Tolstoy's The Cossacks which covers a similar subject matter - that is set in southern Russia - but which has strong characters with strong human emotions.

Also, his most important fiction started in the 1860s with the release of The Cossacks in 1863. That story contains emotional elements and descriptions similar to what we read in Anna Karenina." by contrast, Hadji Murat was one of his last fictional works; and, Tolstoy expressed mixed feelings about the novel and its merits. It does rise to the same level as work from his prime.

Overall, this a good buy with two superb stories and one good story. Some of the works are available individually on line free from Gutenberg.

I felt I had to respond to the above comment by saying that this is a masterfully written short story and a moving account of a Master who makes the ultimate sacrifice, whether knowing it or not, to his lowly, faithful servant. The story contrasts well the attitudes and lives of rich masters and their voluntary slaves.

For Tolstoi, this qualifies as an "O. Henry surprise-type ending" since you aren't expecting the wealthy merchant to sacrifice his own life for that of his lowly serf. This seems especially true since Tolstoi gives you several examples throughout the story of how the master undervalues his loyal servant.

For example, Tolstoi tells you that he is underpaid even for a serf. Also, his shrewd master always manages to manipulate and maneuver the servant into buying his goods from him, instead of from the store in the village, by making it look like he is doing him a favor in the process. This way he can overcharge for everything and thereby takes back what little money he is paying his servant anyway. The servant is well aware of this but is resigned to the situation.

Another interesting thing is how they get into a life-threatening situation in the first place. The workaholic merchant decides to press on at night in a severe blizzard, rather than remain safe in a farmhouse they have happened on in the snow, because he is impatient to get on to his next deal, and doesn't want to miss out on a possible opportunity.

I thought the time-obsessed businessman was primarily a late 20th century invention, but not so. The wealthy landowner and businessman regards even a few lost moments of time as unacceptable, and so they venture out into the fatal storm. They get lost in the driving and trackless snow on the way to the next town.

Tolstoi describes this poignantly. At several points, the master is certain they have come back to where they started and so are just going in circles, but the snow is coming down so hard that the horse carriage's tracks have already been covered up, and so he can't be sure. At that point he realizes the situation is hopeless.

Finally, the master parks the horse and carriage under a tree and they huddle together and try to survive until morning. But only the servant survives, his wealthy master in the end sacrificing his own life for that of his servant, by deciding to keep his servant warm instead of himself.

I, too, have to disagree with this 'english class' in their dull-assesment of this story. This must be a very young class of students who haven't experienced enough of human nature to fully appreciate and understand the complexity and beauty of the 2 characters in this wonderfully touching story. This is the first story that has ever made me weep openly while reading. The second, also by Tolstoy, was Strider: The Story of a Horse. If you liked Master and Man, you must find this one! That's why I'm here today; looking to replace my lost copy.

This is a play script - an actor's script - for the play version of this marvelous story by the playwright Horton Foote. It was originally written as a teleplay (a play for TV) in the 1950's. It was then turned into a stage play, then finally changed again into the screenplay and film. While this is a wonderful play, it's not my personal favorite. It is also not exactly the same as the screenplay for the film, so be prepared. That said, if you are a student of theatre, it has lovely scenes and monologues, and is still a great read and a beautiful story.

I loved "Trip to Bountiful" it was GREAT! it was soo emotional. When i saw the movie i cried soo much. it was soo sad. This is GREAT book and a great movie. i would recommened it to all you sentimental types.

Mrs. Carrie Watts' dream is to take a trip to Bountiful, where she was born and where life was happy for her, before death, before sickness and before Houston. In Houston she lives with her only child, Ludie, and his wife Jessie Mae, in a two room apartment.
Mrs. Watts is so intent on taking that trip to Bountiful that she has tried, though unsuccessfully, several times before to get there, and get away from her daughter-in-law and son, who want nothing more than her monthly government check and assured safety at home, respectively.
For anyone familiar with Horton Foote, the characters and time, the place and family circumstance are vintage. He writes about "little"/"regular"/"down home" people, that is, people whose lives and concerns are not worldly, nor philosophically or artistically shaped. Rather they operate day to day, intent on stability. Ludie has seen hard times, as has Mrs. Watts, while Jessie Mae is a demanding, unhappy woman, stuck with these two and not too thrilled about it.
But the need for a return home, for the peace afforded by safety and the dependability of pension checks is challenged by the risk of achieving a dream. That is, of realizing an inner truth, no matter the consistent odds.
What results is a fine lesson in the possibility of both safety and adventure, each enhancing the lives of the Watts family.

i've just ordered the book, but the movie is my absolute favorite of all time. Ms. Watts reminds me so much of my own grandmother, who died 13 years ago. Ms. Watts had so much to say, and share, and nobody was listening. The hymn at the end, "softly and tenderly", is my most favorite. and i can remember standing next to my grandma in church and singing that song, so many many times.
not just 5 stars, i give it 100 stars!!!! its one of the most beautiful stories you'll ever hear, or read. movie or book.

Heads Up-This is not a novel or book. It is a small paperback, stapled-together screen play edition. Print is very small and difficult to read. I do not recommend this edition, even though it is a wonderful story and movie.

No problems with the purchase. Got the correct book on time for a reasonable price.

It's too bad that Foote writes so well (even if he's a bit wordy at times) because that has ensured that these bad books have become one of the most important sources of popular opinion on the Civil War. All three volumes are filled with errors; not just interpretive but serious factual errors as well. Read McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom" instead. Even Bruce Catton's older stuff has stood the test of time better and, in my humble opinion, is far more eloquent

Shelby Foote takes the Civil War and dissects its every twist and turn in a writing style that feels as if your hearing news from the front in an ongoing war. That is a good thing since these three volumes are very hefty. This book is not for the mildly curious, you will get bored and overwhelmed by the dates, names and places. But to military history, history, or civil war buffs, it is as detailed and factual as you could want. This is truly a thesis of study on the war between the states.

The book handles personalities of both individuals and cultures and their effects on the war. The reading can be slow going at times as armies march toward each other and the order of battle becomes established with the commanders names and stations, but the battle details seem incredibly well researched and the accounts of individual soldiers/officers bring home the reality of this conflict.

This book is well worth the effort to read, it imparts a sense of what the United States has survived and clarifies many historical perceptions of the era and the people involved in this massive conflict. My only suggestion, keep a note pad at your elbow as you read this book, it is slow going and you'll need to take notes about commanders and places to keep it all straight in your head.

shelby foote has shown that he is the premier writer of this century..though his modesty wouldnt permit him saying that..i think he far surpasses all his mentors..percy,faulkner included!!!!

Well, Mr. Footes trip tyk has been applauded for many years and most of it is said. Being a non-american, I can only attest to the fact that Mr. Foote, in this, the final volume, stays clear of being a Civil War nerd, un-intelligable for non-americans. He as well, stays clear of being the sterile academic. His style is clear and displays a very good interest for the individuals. Great story telling without too much embellishing.

What he however does best, is to bring home the fact , that, of all conflicts, this was the true watershed of the U.S. The casualties were far higher than any other conflict , it was fought on native soil and the civilians were badly hit.

Forget the images of Bunker Hill, Iwo Jima or the landing in Normandie; the house of Mrs. Henry at first Bull Run is a better, and more personal, reminder of the price of war. And the effects are far more enduring than, let's say, Vietnam.

I'm emptying my bank account and then some, to buy this audiotape. Seek not the lower star reviewers opinions! This is well worth the $2,000 plus price tag. I will personally debate anyone who says otherwise, and I will dogdance the floor with him/her! The meliflous, Deputy Dog southern accent comes across on this tape much better and more crisply than other Shelby recordings! Don't even get me started there!
This is it, folks! Worth three grand, if you ask me! I hope you guys/gals don't beat me to second guessin' myself! That would not be good! I want some more reviews! I want some more definitive answers!

I'm questioning that "over 13" thing? Hmm. This is hard!

BEK

Once again Shelby Foote's well researched studies are further enhanced by his narration. His southern manner and style makes a good book to read, a great book to hear.

Foote's a fine writer, a wonderful and accessible historian -- but he's no performer and he does his work a great disservice by narrating it on this audio version. His slower than molasses, monotone reading makes for an incredibly frustrating listening experience. You want to scream at him to just get on with it. I ended up giving up on the whole thing after only the second tape. A shame. I enjoyed reading Foote's history on the Civil War several years ago and was looking forward to reliving the experience in tape form. I suggest you get this in book form.

Unforgettable! Superb. Shelby Foote's captivating tale and his sonorous voice have not been out of my mind, now 3 or 4 years after listening to it...absolutley worth the buying....I am shopping today for a friend!