The Ballad of Tom Dula: The Documented Story Behind the Murder of Laura Foster and the Trials and Execution of Tom Dula
John Foster West is the Emeritus Professor of English at Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. He was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where the Tom Dula legend took place. West graduated from University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill. He taught at Elon and Old Dominion Colleges before joining Appalachian State University. He was the founder of Creating Writing Program at Applachian State University.