South Carolina Books

Barefoot's book contains valuable and interesting tidbits of many important events and battles that took place in South Carolina. Since the state supposedly experienced more Revolutionary battles than any other state, it is fitting that such a book was published.

I really enjoyed Barefoot's descriptions of the many battles and skirmishes fought in the state and he does a good job of giving the reader clear directions on how to reach the sites. Whether you want to visit the major battles such as: Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Ninety-Six or visit the homes of patriots, Barefoot's book contains easy-to-follow directions and interesting anecdotes of the event or place.

Since I live in Charlotte NC and am close to many of the sites, the book has several times served as a valuable guide for Revolutionary War tours.

Highly recommended!

This book inspired me to plan a series of long weekend trips to the lower NC coast, and revisit some of the places I vacationed at as a child/teenager. There are many historic and curious areas and sites pointed out in every chapter, places that we drove by years ago, but never really took notice of. For instance, a civil war ship wrecked close to the beach and now located under a fishing pier is only one of the many curousities Barefoot discusses. I was also inspired to visit places I had never been, such as the town of Southport, at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, and Bald Head Island, just a 20 minute ferry ride away. The descriptions of even the smallest details given by Barefoot lured me to find these wonderful places.I can now appreciate the lower NC coast both from the historical perspective, and from the aspect of its unspoiled, natural beauty.

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Trails of the Triangle: Over 400 Trails in the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill Area is an excellent guide to trails within a 50-mile radius of the Triangle area in North Carolina. Written by veteran hiker Allen de Hart, Trails of the Triangle includes trails meant especially for equestrians, in-line skaters, cyclists, and the physically impaired, as well as many other gorgeously beautiful or serenely remote hiking spots. Black-and-white maps and photographs, as well as practical evaluations of the difficulties and unique features of each trail enhance this excellent guide for anyone interested in experiencing the natural wonder of the Triangle area.

Allen de Hart's The Trails of Virginia:Hiking the Old Dominionis a classic and exhaustive study of places to hike throughout a statethat is known for its beauty and history but less acknowledged for its vast array of outdoor recreational opportunities. The author doesn't just cover his personal favorites or the 50 best walks, but every trail in the state. He's included information on distance, history, scenic features, degree of difficulty, and directions - every piece of information the hiker will need. I've used this book countless times in not only planning a hike, but also in the process of researching and writing my own outdoor guides. No matter where you plan to hike or what your level of fitness is, a well-worn copy of the Trails of Virginia should sit on your bookshelf as it does on mine.

Now in an completely updated and significantly expanded third edition, "Travel North Carolina: Going Native in the Old North State" is a comprehensive guide written by Carolyn Sakowski, Sunny Smith Nelson, Anne Holcomb Waters, Angela Harwood, John Tarleton, and Sue Clark, a team of longtime residents of the Tar Heel State. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this compendium with sections organized by geography, listing seasonal events, places to eat, historical sites, museums and science centers, inns and bed-and-breakfasts, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for business and pleasure travelers alike, "Travel North Carolina" is an essential planning guide to get the most out of a trip to this diverse and fascinating state from an afternoon's outing, to a weekend getaway, to an extended vacation.

Very rich in detail and description - the Carolinas are vibrantly alive in this impressive travelogue. I highly recommend it.

This is a small book about the author's visits to several war sites throughout the country. He writes as an authority on the CW but also as a common history loving travelor who gets an extra feel for history by actually visiting the sites. His description of the battle of Shiloh on what is described today as golf course cared for lawn along with a haunting synopsis of the battle which includes the brutally high number of casualties gives the reader a true feeling of what its like to visit this virtual shrine of the western theater. In addition, to some of the seriousness of the book the author injects humor at sites that are historical but much smaller in scale and regretfully less preserved. My favorite description is of the battle of Roanoke Island in N.C. just west of Nags Head. An excellent description of how General Wise's confederate forces were not only no match for the Burnside led amphibious attack but that the Confederates fortified the fort on the wrong end of the Island. The forts were on the north end while the south was the vulnerable end that was attacked. Thomas notes with some whimsy that the key portion of the land battle is left to your imagination as a the remains of the small earth work is only partially there but the road is flanked by swamp essentially preserving the site. The forts on the north end are now under water. Its a site worth a visit but amusing because so little remains of the battle. Its the type of book best appreciated by those that like to visit historical sites and have the ability to appreciate the lay of the land with attempts to ignore gas stations that are now on battlefield ground. Thomas is a nice contrast to the former expert on the Little Big Horn Graham who in spite of his excellent data collection never visited the site even when he actually had a chance. A great book to relax to for those that love wandering the fields.

I purchased this book to help me get started identifying trees on my own property, and it has been a great help. Everything in this small book is concise, clear, and easy to understand. Pictures are great and the information is thorough but not overwhelming. If you're looking for a starter book on identifying trees in the Carolinas, you'll appreciate having this book in your library.

For backpackers wanting to do tough trails with 12-18 mile days. Clear information, excellent photos, nice little maps too.

This is so much better than your typical Falcoln 3 mile loop hike book with scattered, inaccurate information. I used this book for the Art Loeb Trail and it was extremely helpful. I hope to do more of the trips in the book too.

Triumph of Goodwill is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the pivotal 1960 gubernatorial race in North Carolina and the ramifications of that election throughout the South and the rest of the nation. Told in great detail, here is the story of how racial moderate Terry Sanford won the Democratic nomination for governor against a patron of segregation Beverly Lake. The book also details Sanford's controversial decision to become the first Southern politician to endores John Kennedy for the presidency, a decison that was filled with potential peril for Sanford, but one that paid off handsomely for the eventual governor of North Carolina. Mixed into this work are behind the scenes stories of the 1960 campaign in North Carolina that give the reader a peek into how elections used to be conducted and also the beginnings of how they have become to be run in our present day. TV played a large part in the national election in 1960, but television also played an important role in the North Carolina governor's race that year, including what is thought to be the first-time live television broadcast of a candidate's political rallys. Triumph of Good Will is an excellent work, highly readable and highly recommended!