"Most of my inspiration, if that's the word, came from books themselves"

In this quote, author Shelby Foote is assessing the source of his inspiration as an author. He describes that most of his motivation, or what he thinks about to be inspiration, comes straight from books. Foote is basically stating that his own writing is greatly influenced by the works of other authors. This could mean that he draws motivation from the composing style, styles, or characters of other books. Foote's usage of the expression "if that's the word" recommends that he may not necessarily view this influence as conventional inspiration, however rather as a more direct and tangible source. In general, this quote highlights the significance of literature and the impact it can have on an author's own work.