An interview with Shelby Foote (Repost)

The American Enterprise ^

[Valin]

The movie Gods and Generals, features prominently in the March 2003 issue of TAE now on newsstands. Despite mixed reviews, the movie promises to enliven debate over the Civil War. In our January/February 2001 issue, TAE interviewed eminent Civil War historian Shelby Foote. Our conversation with him follows:

Take a spirited ramble with America’s most literary historian as he discusses racism, Civil War battles, Lincoln, computers, the Confederate flag, novel writing, television, rednecks, the Klan, big government, and Yellow-dog Democrats.

Shelby Foote

Shelby Foote, a native of Greenville, Mississippi, was the author of five much-admired novels when his career took one of the richest detours in literary history: He spent 20 years writing a three-volume history of the Civil War that many regard as one of the great achievements in modern letters. More than a dozen years after the last volume was published, Foote became certifiably famous when his Delta drawl and handsome presence dominated Ken Burns’ PBS series, “The Civil War.” Foote, now 83, remains a Mississippi original: Images of Marcel Proust and bluesman Robert Johnson adorn his study, where he still writes with a pen dipped in ink. Associate editor Bill Kauffman interviewed Foote at his home in Memphis.

[Valin]

flag

[TruthNtegrity]

bookmarking for a later read.

[Sparta]

I've not the opportunity to read Foote's books, but everyone I know who has read them has enjoyed them. Having said that, I completly despise this man's politics and I can't forgive him for working with Ken Burns and the gubmint, PC version of the Civil War for PBS.

[Valin]

Up a little late there aren't we. :-)
And yes his "Civil War a naritive" is just wonderful 4 stars.
I thought Ken Burns Civil War was really good. IMO it introduced a whole new generation to this subject. TV at it's best.

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[Arkinsaw]

Fascinating read.

[The Iguana]

Fascinating tidbits:

TAE: Were you at all sympathetic to the states’ rights arguments that these guys were making?

FOOTE: I’m sympathetic to the states’ rights people only in a pragmatic way. To have the same speed limit in Vermont that you have in New Mexico is ridiculous.

I’m a yellow-dog Democrat, a true believer in everything that the Democratic Party stands for. I still admire Franklin Roosevelt tremendously for saving us from fascism or communism. I’m inclined to think the government can solve all problems; I have found out that that’s a long way from true. The central government does a very bad job if you turn education over to them: You wind up either with a bunch of academics who think they have the answer to everything or politicians who will do things for political reasons, and it’s a bad scene.

I have found out over the last 50 years that the government can create as many problems as it solves, but I’m still a good, solid Democrat. One thing I admire about the Republicans greatly is their intense concern for the individual as opposed to the state. They’re always out to protect the individual.

When television first came on in the early ’50s during the Eisenhower campaign, I said, “Now we can now look the creature in the face while he’s lying to us, and we’re going to be able to tell.” And I was wrong as I could be. The man is packaged on television for you to look at, and you can be fooled very badly. The result is, in an election, I no longer vote for the man, I vote the party.

[tubebender]

I was taken by the way Foote placed himself behind the eyes of the soldier in Burns film, almost like he was there at the time. I didn't know he is still alive.

[Valin]

I do think that time and chages in our culture have a lot to do with it. At one time racism was tolerated much more than it is today.

OTOH
Proclamation of Amnesty and Pardon Granted to
All Persons of European Descent

Whereas, Europeans kept my forebears in bondage some three centuries toiling without pay,

Whereas, Europeans ignored the human rights pledges of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution,

Whereas, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments meant little more than empty words,

Therefore, Americans of European ancestry are guilty of great crimes against my ancestors and their progeny.

But, in the recognition Europeans themselves have been victims of various and sundry human rights violations to wit: the Norman Conquest, the Irish Potato Famine, Decline of the Hapsburg Dynasty, Napoleonic and Czarist adventurism, and gratuitous insults and speculations about the intelligence of Europeans of Polish descent,

I, Walter E. Williams, do declare full and general amnesty and pardon to all persons of European ancestry, for both their own grievances, and those of their forebears, against my people.

Therefore, from this day forward Americans of European ancestry can stand straight and proud knowing they are without guilt and thus obliged not to act like damn fools in their relationships with Americans of African ancestry.


Walter E. Williams, Gracious and Generous Grantor

[Ross Tylor]

I am a Canadian and therefore wish that Shelby Foote had been a Canadian so I could brag about him. What a brilliant man! He should have been President!
I’ll always admire his strength of Character! Having been a strong and proud Southerner he constantly sought to understand the Civil War and fortunately for us he was inflexible and not apologetic about being a Southerner.
He taught, somewhat magically the reality of war as well as any of the great generals that experienced it could have shared that with us, were they here to do that.
As you can see from his answer here, the man had a strong individualistic character which did not change an ounce even with his enormous popularity.
The name Shelby Foote, as much as Robert E. Lee will stay with me as a definition to what that very fascinating yet educational struggle was all about. 260,000 men did not die in vain!

Again, like your Tiger Woods, I wish he had been Canadian. Be proud!

Ross Tylor up in Canada

[Ross Tylor]

I am a Canadian and therefore wish that Shelby Foote had been a Canadian so I could brag about him. What a brilliant man! He should have been President!
I’ll always admire his strength of Character! Having been a strong and proud Southerner he constantly sought to understand the Civil War and fortunately for us he was inflexible and not apologetic about being a Southerner.
He taught, somewhat magically the reality of war as well as any of the great generals that experienced it could have shared that with us, were they here to do that.
As you can see from his answer here, the man had a strong individualistic character which did not change an ounce even with his enormous popularity.
The name Shelby Foote, as much as Robert E. Lee will stay with me as a definition to what that very fascinating yet educational struggle was all about. 260,000 men did not die in vain!

Again, like your Tiger Woods, I wish he had been Canadian. Be proud!

Ross Tylor up in Canada