Southampton - Through what Faulkner once called the "means of childhood's simple inevitable listening," Horton Foote stored away stories that would one day make their way into his plays. What sets his stories apart are not the details themselves, but the compassion for human frailty and the struggle for dignity in the face of adversity and failure that run through them.

Applause Theatre and Cinema Books with Hal Leonard are pleased to announce the release of In "Horton Foote: America's Storyteller," the first comprehensive biography of this remarkable writer - a playwright whose skill in capturing the soul of the nation stands uncontested - author Wilborn Hampton introduces the untold story of Foote's life to the countless Americans who admire his work. From the film adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird" to his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "The Young Man from Atlanta," Foote's writing always reflected what he regarded as truth, even when fame and money tried to tempt him to compromise his talents, and even when no one listened. Today, he is recognized by playwrights and screenwriters as America's storyteller.

Hampton (New York City) is a theatre critic for the New York Times. Over the past 20 years, he has reviewed more than 500 stage productions. A former foreign correspondent, he has published several award-winning young adult nonfiction books and biographies.