Winston Groom served in the United States army for two years and rose to the rank of captain. The majority of Winston’s books are Historical Non-fiction. Winston Groom has written novels based on his duties in Vietnam. One of his famous books, Conversations with the Enemy was based on some of his own experiences. The novel was about an American Vietnam soldier who escaped from a Prisoner-of-war (POW) camp. The soldier takes a plane and flies back to the United States. The soldier was arrested fourteen years later for desertion. Like Conversations with the Enemy, many of Winston Groom’s fourteen novels are about the history of American wars. Winston Groom’s books are special to him and his readers in many ways, mainly because he was alive in the time period most of his novels took place; some are even based on his own experiences in life.
Winston Groom was born on March 23rd, 1944 in Washington, D.C. but he was raised in Mobile, Alabama (Encyclopedia). He attended UMS-Wright Preparatory School (Military School). Winston’s parents were expecting him to be a lawyer like his father, so he was sent to College for law. While at the University of Alabama studying law, he was offered a job as literary editor. He began editing literary magazines. He started to love writing. He wrote down what he thought about on paper and began to enjoy this activity. When he started to excel in writing he was inspired to go ahead and quit studying law to take his writing career further. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity(Encyclopedia). Winston graduated in 1965 (Winston Groom). Winston was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War soon after graduation. He had many near death experiences while serving from 1965-1967. While in the Army he rose as high as captain. About two years later he married his first wife, Ruth Noble. That relationship didn’t work out so well. They had enough of each other after five years. They were divorced in 1974 (Encyclopedia).
After Winston was out of the Army in 1967 he moved back to Washington D.C. to become a reporter for the Washington Star. He covered police and courtroom activities. Winston met author Willie Morris during his time as a reporter. Willie Morris and Winston became good friends. Winston told him about his college days and how he discovered he loved to write. Willie gave Winston some advice and encouraged him to continue with his writing career by going to New York.
Winston retired from the Washington Star in 1976 and moved to New York to follow his dream. He became a full-time author. He began writing his first book, Better Times Than These. It was about one of Winston Groom’s own experiences, focusing on the lives of United States soldiers who served in Vietnam. It was also based on events happening after the war in their lives. In 1978 Better Times Than These, Winston’s first book was published. He was now officially an author. Better Times Than These wasn’t a big hit. It never really got any attention. Winston’s second book, As Summers Die received much better recognition. His next book, Conversations with the Enemy which was published in 1982, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1983(Encyclopedia). Winston Groom moved back down south to Mobile, Alabama in 1985 and got to work on his best known novel, Forrest Gump. Winston Groom didn’t become a best-selling author until about eight years later when the novel was made into a film. After the film was made, 1.7 million copies of the novel were sold worldwide (Winston Groom Biography) . The novel Forrest Gump burst to the top of the New York Times best seller list. It stayed there for 21 weeks straight (Winston Groom). Winston Groom wrote fourteen novels and is still working on more pieces of literature. His published novels consist of:
Better Times Than These (1978)
As Summers Die (1980)
Conversations with the Enemy (1982)
Only (1984)
Forrest Gump (1986)
Gone the Sun (1988)
Gump and Co. (1995)
Shrouds of Glory: From Atlanta to Nashville: The Last Great Campaign of the Civil War (1995)
Such as Pretty, Pretty Girl (1998)
The Crimson Tide: An Illustrated History of Football at the University of Alabama (2002)
A Storm in Flanders: The Triumph and Tragedy on the Western Front (2002)
1942: The Year that Tried Men’s Souls (2004)
Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans (2006)
Vicksburg, 1863 (2009)
Kearny’s March: The Epic Creation of the American West, 1846-1847 (2011)
In 1988 when Winston’s novel, Gone the Sun was not only a finalist just like Conversations with the Enemy in the Pulitzer Prize but, Gone the Sun actually won the award! The story is about another Vietnam veteran who comes back to his home where he grew up in Alabama and takes over the newspaper. He also uncovers the town’s secrets. The novel consists of very favorable plot twist from what reviews of the novel say.
Willie Morris, an old buddy of Winston’s wrote an autobiographical book, My Dog Skip. The novel was being adapted into a film in 2000 and who other to appear in it than Winston Groom! He has also appeared on television networks such as: CNN, MSNBC, Fox news, The History Channel, CBS sports, ESPN Outdoors and more (Winston Groom). In 2009, Winston Groom was inducted into the Alabama Communications Hall of Fame (Winston Groom).
Winston Groom‘s involvement in many of the experiences he wrote about make them especially meaningful to him and his readers. Winston is able to connect with his readers because his thoughts and emotions are results of events that took place in his life. His works will be read and enjoyed for years to come.
Winston Groom was born on March 23rd, 1944 in Washington, D.C. but he was raised in Mobile, Alabama (Encyclopedia). He attended UMS-Wright Preparatory School (Military School). Winston’s parents were expecting him to be a lawyer like his father, so he was sent to College for law. While at the University of Alabama studying law, he was offered a job as literary editor. He began editing literary magazines. He started to love writing. He wrote down what he thought about on paper and began to enjoy this activity. When he started to excel in writing he was inspired to go ahead and quit studying law to take his writing career further. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity(Encyclopedia). Winston graduated in 1965 (Winston Groom). Winston was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War soon after graduation. He had many near death experiences while serving from 1965-1967. While in the Army he rose as high as captain. About two years later he married his first wife, Ruth Noble. That relationship didn’t work out so well. They had enough of each other after five years. They were divorced in 1974 (Encyclopedia).
After Winston was out of the Army in 1967 he moved back to Washington D.C. to become a reporter for the Washington Star. He covered police and courtroom activities. Winston met author Willie Morris during his time as a reporter. Willie Morris and Winston became good friends. Winston told him about his college days and how he discovered he loved to write. Willie gave Winston some advice and encouraged him to continue with his writing career by going to New York.
Winston retired from the Washington Star in 1976 and moved to New York to follow his dream. He became a full-time author. He began writing his first book, Better Times Than These. It was about one of Winston Groom’s own experiences, focusing on the lives of United States soldiers who served in Vietnam. It was also based on events happening after the war in their lives. In 1978 Better Times Than These, Winston’s first book was published. He was now officially an author. Better Times Than These wasn’t a big hit. It never really got any attention. Winston’s second book, As Summers Die received much better recognition. His next book, Conversations with the Enemy which was published in 1982, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1983(Encyclopedia). Winston Groom moved back down south to Mobile, Alabama in 1985 and got to work on his best known novel, Forrest Gump. Winston Groom didn’t become a best-selling author until about eight years later when the novel was made into a film. After the film was made, 1.7 million copies of the novel were sold worldwide (Winston Groom Biography) . The novel Forrest Gump burst to the top of the New York Times best seller list. It stayed there for 21 weeks straight (Winston Groom). Winston Groom wrote fourteen novels and is still working on more pieces of literature. His published novels consist of:
Better Times Than These (1978)
As Summers Die (1980)
Conversations with the Enemy (1982)
Only (1984)
Forrest Gump (1986)
Gone the Sun (1988)
Gump and Co. (1995)
Shrouds of Glory: From Atlanta to Nashville: The Last Great Campaign of the Civil War (1995)
Such as Pretty, Pretty Girl (1998)
The Crimson Tide: An Illustrated History of Football at the University of Alabama (2002)
A Storm in Flanders: The Triumph and Tragedy on the Western Front (2002)
1942: The Year that Tried Men’s Souls (2004)
Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans (2006)
Vicksburg, 1863 (2009)
Kearny’s March: The Epic Creation of the American West, 1846-1847 (2011)
In 1988 when Winston’s novel, Gone the Sun was not only a finalist just like Conversations with the Enemy in the Pulitzer Prize but, Gone the Sun actually won the award! The story is about another Vietnam veteran who comes back to his home where he grew up in Alabama and takes over the newspaper. He also uncovers the town’s secrets. The novel consists of very favorable plot twist from what reviews of the novel say.
Willie Morris, an old buddy of Winston’s wrote an autobiographical book, My Dog Skip. The novel was being adapted into a film in 2000 and who other to appear in it than Winston Groom! He has also appeared on television networks such as: CNN, MSNBC, Fox news, The History Channel, CBS sports, ESPN Outdoors and more (Winston Groom). In 2009, Winston Groom was inducted into the Alabama Communications Hall of Fame (Winston Groom).
Winston Groom‘s involvement in many of the experiences he wrote about make them especially meaningful to him and his readers. Winston is able to connect with his readers because his thoughts and emotions are results of events that took place in his life. His works will be read and enjoyed for years to come.