He was nominated seven times for the Pulitzer Prize in literature. He was the author of 40 books, more than 150 articles, essays, and short stories, as well as screenplays for several movies. His works have been translated into 13 foreign languages.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he attended the University of Dayton and Ohio State University.
He wrote the stories that became the Ohio outdoor dramas "Blue Jacket" and "Tecumseh!".