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This Charleston native was raised by his strong but loving grandmother. His Presbyterian faith and time at Hampden-Sydney College shaped much of his writing.
Hoffman served as a medic in World War II, which inspired his first novel, The Trumpet Unblown (1955). He wrote other books about war and its effects, like Days in the Yellow Leaf and Yancey’s War. Many of his stories explore faith, struggle, and finding peace.
His passions for nature, horses, hunting, and the sea also showed up in his writing. His short story collections—Virginia Reels, By Land By Sea, Follow Me Home, and Doors—earned him the O. Henry Award. His later novels included Tidewater Blood (which won the Dashiell Hammett Prize), Blood and Guile, Wild Thorn, and Lies.
