South Carolina Books

I was somewhat disappointed that there was not a more extensive use of primary source materials. This is an easy book to read and understand.

Laurel Horton is an independent folklorist and textile scholar who examines the family quilting traditions of six generations in Mary Black's Family Quilts: Memory And Meaning In Everyday Life. Sixteen quilts here tell the story of the family, a South Carolina legend - and reveals the trunks full of quilts Black left to her descendants. Don't expect a quilter's handbook here: this is local history at its best.

As I am currently studying Historic Preservation, I appreciate what it takes to do research. This book is well-researched, and interesting, to boot.

This is landmark book, one that has the potential to broaden and, at the same time, focus the study of American quilts. It adds substantially to current knowledge of quilt history, particularly in the under-documented inland South. It also models an analytical approach, what one cultural historian calls "cultural behavior," that expands the study of material history to reveal the complex meanings inherent in artifacts.

It is not a "picture book," although it is richly and thoughtfully illustrated. Over 100 sharp images, 32 of them in well-rendered color, depict the quilts and complement the text.

Nor is it a conventional "quilt book," focusing only on quilt documentation.

It transcends categories and is at once an analysis of sixteen quilts made and preserved by one family over six generations, a superb local history, and a study of a family whose values helped shape a community.

But its focus is the sixteen family quilts preserved by Mary Black and donated to a South Carolina museum. In seeking to discover their meanings as textiles and as personal and cultural documents, the author creates a world both immediate and immensely interesting.

This is highly readable book. After the first chapter, in which she identifies and illustrates the analytical procedure she used to study the Black family's quilts, Horton avoids the jargon of scholarship and critical theory. This choice and her crisp prose style are seductive: her book reads more like a story of discover than a scholarly analysis. The truth is, it is both.

The epigram, from James Deetz' "In Small Things Forgotten," suggests the writer's mission and method. Deetz writes, "In the seemingly little and insignificant things that accumulate to create a lifetime, the essence of our existence is captured. We must remember these bits and pieces, and we must use them in new and imaginative ways so that a different appreciation for what life is today, and was in the past, can be achieved."

In Laurel Horton's experienced hands, this approach yields bounty. Horton is uniquely equipped for her task. She has studied the same terrain for 25 years. She knows it from personal experience, from her study of the Scots-Irish who formed its backbone, from her study of the quilts of America and the British Isles. Her understanding of the deeply narrative South Carolina upland culture attunes her to stories and signs that point beyond the concrete object and reveal meaning. In fact, the metaphor running throughout this book is that of the scholar as one who "listens" to the voices in the material remains she studies.

Yet it would be mistaken to conclude Horton regards the scholar only as a medium through which the quilts speak. She knows the textiles exist with a series of contexts that can help free their voices and permit the listener to construct valid meaning.

In a culture where women left relatively few documents, however, the quilts remain the writer's primary sources. Horton says she began her research "with a close examination of the quilts themselves, attempting to set aside what I thought I already knew and trying to be receptive to what they could tell me....I have attempted to attend to the quilts and to `listen' to their stories objectively, without rushing to supply answers to my emerging questions."

The result is a fresh and exceptionally well-articulated understanding of a coherent group of quilts. In her effort to identify their meanings, the author opens a world to the reader and in the end, the quilts also become memorable objects in the reader's experience.

Mary Black's Family Quilts is valuable both to the cultural and political historian. It is important to anyone studying the lives of women in America. Certainly it will become part of any complete bibliography of the history and culture of the American South. It is being read in student coffee houses in Spartanburg and readers interested primarily in local or state history have created long waiting lists for it in Carolina public libraries. In short, it is a book for many readers.

One of its more obvious audiences is that of quilt historians, for whom it provides a model and for whom it is also cautionary. Quilts from the inland South have been subject to many unfounded generalizations. A student of textiles and quiltmaking who is keenly attuned to the differences in the cultures and quilts of adjacent counties in Pennsylvania, for instance, often sees the quilts made south of the Mason-Dixon line as a unit.

Studies like Horton's show the danger of such generalization. They remind us of the variety present even in a generally coherent community. The Spartanburg, South Carolina area and the members of the Snoddy and Black families are not offered as microcosms or even representatives of larger groups. Mary Black's Family Quilts focuses on the particular-quilts made by the women in one family in one place and time. Considering the general lack of scholarly attention so far accorded the quilts of the Deep South and the southern hinterlands, one hopes Horton's work generates the discovery and equally thoughtful study of other groups of quilts in the region.

"Mary Black's Family Quilts" reminds us of the tremendous importance of the concrete detail in the study and communication of meanings in history, the sound or fragrance or scrap of fabric from which explodes a world of meaning. It also reminds us this detail is part of a larger whole. Both in its method and subject, it breaks new ground and will, one hopes, encourage other books that do the same.

For anyone interested in the study of American quilts, women's history, or in the culture and history of the American South, this book is a must-read.

I love every one of Kathryn Wall's books and can't wait until she writes the next one. I just returned from Hilton Head Island while vacationing, and every summer I wonder what it would be like to leave my home state of WV and stay on the island like she has. I dream of retiring from teaching and looking at the ocean, but don't know if I could convince my husband! This book brings Bay Tanner closer to a marriage commitment than ever before, and reveals more about her close family friends than any of her other books so far....I feel like she's a member of my own family I know so much about her! I couldn't put the book down, and I love how Kathryn draws her readers into Bay Tanner's life. Thank you, Ms. Wall, for another make-believe trip to Hilton Head Island when I am stuck here in the rainy mountains of West Virginia! Pam Piziak

This was another wonderful Bay Tanner mystery. The only down side is it was over all too soon because I cannot put one of her stories down until the end. Already wishing for the next in the series. Thanks Kathryn R. Wall !!

Although the mystery at the center of The Mercy Oak involves the possible murder of a young Hispanic girl, what ultimately makes the novel such a satisfying read is the masterful way the author connects that story to the mysteries of the human heart.

In Kathryn Wall's most recent novel in the BayTanner Mystery series, Bay, (a.k.a. Lydia Simpson), a private investigator at Simpson & Tanner, Inquiry Agents, on the Island of Hilton Head, South Carolina, takes on a potential case of murder. Bay is haunted by the ghosts of her past--she has lost her mother, Emmaline, her husband Rob (murdered three years before The Mercy Oak begins), and her former partner, Ben Wyler. But Bay is slowly building a new relationship with her brother-in-law, Red Tanner, the sergeant at the Beaufort County Sheriff's office. Red's commitment to law enforcement is often at odds with Bay's work. The friction between them heats up when Bay agrees to take on a new investigation.

The plot of The Mercy Oak involves two crimes. Less than two weeks before Christmas, a young girl is killed in a hit-and-run accident. Initially believed to be Serena Montalvo, her death is at first ruled accidental, but when Bobby Santiago, the son of Bay's Guatemalan housekeeper Delores, calls to ask Bay for help, she soon learns that the dead girl is actually Serena's sister, Theresa.

At the same time, a series of bank robberies have distracted the police from pursuing an investigation into Theresa's death. When Bobby and his mother Delores disappear, the investigation takes on a more personal aspect. Bay learns that Theresa's death may be connected to a local campaign to support the rights of illegal immigrants, and the FBI is involved. Threatening phone calls, vandalism, and the involvement of a family friend in the hold-ups, all lead Bay to believe the two crimes are related and that she is the common thread.

The Mercy Oak is a fast-paced, romantic mystery, recommended reading for a day lounging on the beach, or a crisp autumn evening nestled by the fire.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique background story for this mystery.

On Sunday Island, South Carolina Bobby Santiago calls his mother Dolores' employer Simpson & Tanner Inquiry Agent Bay Tanner asking for her help. He fears the Hispanic Jane Doe reported as dead in the Sunday Island Packet is his girlfriend, Serena Montalvo, who he believes was murdered.

Serena has been a vocal advocate of the rights of illegals; Bobby thinks the Coyotes who transport them to the States for exorbitant fees and blackmails them afterward, killed her. However, instead the victim is Serena's sixteen years old sister, Theresa. Bobby and Serena vanish while his parents out of fear for their other two offspring as well themselves remain mute on what they know. When Dolores vanishes, Bay drops everything to find her housekeeper even as FBI Special Agent Harry Reynolds warns Bay to stay out of his inquiries into some bank robberies he is investigating and Homeland Security agents threaten to lock her up under the Patriot Act if she does not back off. Obstinate as ever; Bay digs deeper as she distrusts the Feds to protect the Santiago's, Montalvo's, or any illegals.

This is a fabulous Bay Tanner mystery that showcases the other side of the illegal immigration issue from the perspective of those entering the country illegally. Ironically, the recent clamor led by Congressman Tancredo to kick people out has abetted the Coyote crowd, who has found a lucrative second economic source. The story line is fast-paced as Bay gets involved in a case in which everyone tells her to stay out or else. Kathryn R. Wall is at her best with this exciting thought provoking thriller focusing on the consequences of who keeps winning the illegal immigration debate.

Harriet Klausner

I was looking for a book that covered motorcycle rides in No Ga and this is a great book for the Southern Applachians.

Great book, well written, easy to read, good humor.
Smart layout enables you to xerox the two facing pages to have a complete map and guide for each ride.
The reference section at the end of the book gives you phone number and other info for hotels, restaurants, dealerships, chamber of commerce, etc.; very convenient.

Highly recommended.

I first read about this book in an article in the Atlanta Journal/Constitution and had to buy a copy. It was a little hard to find. After reading and taking in many of the adventures listed in the book by Hawk Hagebak, I must say that it is the most insightful and intelligent Motorcycle Guidebook I've ever read. The author uses his experience as a former motorcycle cop to give practical (and humorous!) advice for everything between avoiding a ticket to handling a breakdown. He's really funny! The book is broken into 20+ chapters, each chapter is a ride. The rides include restaurant recommmendations, road descriptions, a map and often some interesting information about the area. My favorite quote from the book is on page 9 where the author is telling the reader how to embellish a "road lie". "I was riding Mile High and the abominable snowman came out of one of the scenic overlooks and chased me all the way into Robbinsville!" The author continues, "Lesson learned? Other than the obvious hazard of a slick road, there's an abominable snowman to contend with, and who wants that?" Another funny quote is in Ridge and Valley Chapter. That ride cuts through a town named, "Sublinga". The author pokes fun at the name by saying, "No, not the medical word- Doctor, my Sublinga is swollen!" The maps are great and they're next to written directions to the right of the maps. I found the rides easy to find and easy to follow. He even includes the mileage from point to point (you can reset your odometer at the start of the ride to keep up with the map mileage). If you are new to the area or have been living in the region for several years (myself for 7 years). I thought I knew all the mountain roads, I do know a lot of them, but not with the detail provided in the book. Very handy, if only the area for the book were larger..... Maybe he will put out another motorcycle guide book? A great buy, even if you are not a biker like me. Just stick your head out the window to act like you're on a bike.... Enjoy...I sure did.

This is a great book for planning trips on a motorcycle or a car. The descriptions are detailed and there are bonuses listing restaurants and gas stations. The author goes into a lot of detail about each route. My only complaint is the book is a little thin for $15.00. There is a second book for the rest of North Carolina. It would have been better to combine the two books for $20 - $25. Don't let this comment keep you from getting the books though. The author does a great job.

Weaving the history of the Black Mtns with the author's personal diary made this book exceptional. I particularly enjoyed the theory on how mountain balds were formed and how native americans survived and made most of the land. I recommend this book to anyone who hikes or camps and appreciates the mountains.

What an excellent book! Timothy Silver has given us a two fold view of Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains of North Carolina. A combination of the natural history of the area, and man's exploration/exploitation of these lofty peaks. I think what I enjoyed most about the book, were the short "interludes" where the writer inserts his many experiences of car camping, hiking/backpacking, trout fishing, or just marveling at nature while sitting at some well known spot, or some "hidey-hole" known only to people who frequent the area. These personal thoughts heightened my reading pleasure, because like the writer, I have spent a great deal of time in the Blacks and know of what he speaks.

The battle between the Mountain's namesake, the Rev. Elisha Mitchell and his former student, future Confederate general Thomas Clingman about who measured the mountain first, is fleshed out completely, and is probably the definitive account of this famous row.

The end chapters deal with mankind's interventions on the mountain, and the consequences of these acts. This is followed up with concise information about the acid rain/woolly adelgid issues affecting the Fir and Red Spruce trees on the mountain tops, along with some discussion about the growth cycles about the above mentioned trees, which in my opinion, clears up some of the misinformation out there. For years, the problem was blamed on woolly adelgids, then on acid rain. I personally feel like these two scourges work together hand in hand to decimate the once proud Fraser Firs.

This is truly a groundbreaking book. I'd like to see more works that follow this vein. Nicely illustrated.

Timothy Silver has given us an excellent history of Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains.
The work is titled as an environmental history, and it is supported by a wealth of factual information, but the whole presentation is a wonderful flowing story of these peaks in western North Carolina, and their history as they were shaped by nature and by man.
Of special interest is the account of the feud between Elisha Mitchell and Thomas Clingman. The story encompasses misunderstandings, fragile egos, and desperate politics. When Mitchell fell to his death in 1857, the public mind established Mitchell as a hero and martyr who died to establish these peaks as the state's best known landmark. His body was later moved to the higest peak, which is forever known as Mount Mitchell.
We are also able to see the history of man's interaction with nature. In the case of the Blacks, it is often with tragic results, and even when the intentions are good, the outcome is often marginal.
Dr. Silver leaves us with a compelling book that provides much information and asks many questions that we should consider not only for this mountain range, but for our environment as well.
I highly recommend this book. The author has done us a great favor.

What a terrific book Timothy Silver has crafted! Anyone interested in mountains, hiking, fishing, environmental issues, natural history, or the local history of North Carolina's mountains will enjoy this wonderful account. Professor Silver, a historian in western North Carolina, has written a book in which Mount Mitchell stars at the center of his narrative--and both general readers and professional historians can find meaning and pleasure in his tale.

Like many environmental historians, Silver sees in the reciprocal interaction between nature and culture a larger story of a region. And he brings us this compelling story from a variety of intriguing angles. He offers his own assessments, ones generated on his extensive hiking and fishing trips in the Black Mountains of western North Carolina. He provides insight into the steamy 19th century historical controversy between rivals each seeking to determine which was the highest peak in the region--and to see who could do it first and most authoritatively. (And as a New Englander, I found the tale inviting even if our White Mountains fall short in elevation to North Carolina's peaks!) Professor Silver also examines logging practices and regional boosterism, the antecedent of eco-tourism.

The book has something that will be compelling for a wide audience of readers interested in the natural world and local history--and the style is accessible and enjoyable. Whether you've hiked a lot, love North Carolina, want to investigate stormy political and personal feuds, or wish to know more about regional environmental history, "Mount Mitchell" is a fine read. I commend it to you!

My brother Steven loves to hunt and fish, so every year for his birthday I send him a book. Steven's review: "This is one of the best books I have ever read ..."

Southerns do have a lovely way of using language. Maybe there is a drop more compassion in the cool creek waters.

Good friends gave me this book when I graduated high school more years ago than I like to realize. I have read, re-read, and re-re-read it, and given a copy to my grandson in hopes of instilling in him some of my love of the outdoors.

The first time I read this book, and most of the subsequent times as well, I laughed until tears rolled down my face. Babcock eloquently paints word pictures of hunting and fishing experiences in the deep South of the early 20th century.

The reader will notice a much higher quality of writing than is commonly found in outdoor magazines today. Today, few college professors admit to such politically incorrect pastimes as hunting and fishing. The modern reader does need to remember the time frame in which these stories take place. Babcock was a product of his environment, and while he speaks fondly of Uncle Sessions and others eligible for membership in the NAACP, he doesn't use the politically correct terminology of today.

I have cherished and retold -- with attribution -- several stories contained in this book, and just remembering them can take 10 points off my blood pressure.

If you like to hunt and fish, or like someone who does, this book is an excellent choice.

A must for every gentleman bird hunter, fisherman, or dog owner/. Dr/. Babcock tells of his pursuit of Bob White, fishing for breem, and his fascination with as well as tribulations over bird dogs/. Humor permeates stories about the perfect quail gun, ownership of the near-perfect hunting dog, the secret weapon of breem fishing-- the catawba worm and the virtues of the old cross rail fences/

Havilah Babcock loved bird hunting in the south.

35 of his stories are a treasure of tales by a man who is genuine in his approach to hunting and fishing.

No matter how many times I reread his stories, he makes me feel I am there in the field beside him.

Nathalie Dupree's Shrimp & Grits Cookbook presents a dish born in South Carolina and elevated to new heights. Authors Nathalie Dupree and Marion Sullivan reviewed the most famous and the most cherished recipes for shrimp and grits to cull out the best for a cookbook which even covers what kind of pan to use. Another plus: recipes come from top lowcountry chefs, are paired with color photos, and include plenty of variety, from Goat Cheese, Basil and Shrimp Timbales to Shrimp and Grits with Country Ham and Red-Eye Gravy and Quick Tomato-Bacon Shrimp and Grits.

There seem to be three basic reactions to grits; in the Southern U.S. it's "Yum, grits!" In the rest of the U.S., "Yuk, grits!" From outside the U.S. ask, "What the heck are grits?"

As a Yankee, I had to read up to learn that grits are white corn kernels with the hull and germ removed by treatment with lye, cooked into a thick porridge. Polenta is similar and may be substituted, but you'll lose the characteristic hominy flavor.

Grits date to the earliest days. In 1607, settlers at Jamestown were met by the local Indians with a slumgullion of boiled ground white corn that they called "rockahomine." The first English appearance of the word (always in the plural) appeared in 1725: "The bigger kind of Oat-Meal, which is call'd Greets, or Corn Oat-Meal."

Dupree has done a brilliant job of celebrating and describing one of the best variations of grits which evolved in South Carolina's Low Country - the coastal strip around Charleston. The delicious shrimp that abounded in the region's coastal waters enhanced the nutritious but bland grits. Shrimp and grits became wakeup grub, or "breakfast shrimp."

Dupree's history of the dish, and her recipes are excellent, the photographs and printing are clear, and the binding is excellent. A perfect introduction to grits and shrimp, and if you want to skip the grits, the book has great value for shrimp lovers.

I've included a recipe for shrimp and grits by my friend Robin Garr, the editor of the Wine Lovers Page. The dish has migrated to Louisville Kentucky, 700 miles from the nearest salt water, where a number of restaurants offer excellent variations. Robin's recipe matches the best recipes that Dupree has to offer.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Another fabulous cookbook by my favorite southern cooking author. I've already tried a recipe and it was a huge hit with my family. PS -- They don't particulary like grits.

This is a terrific guide to real southern good food, centering around grits and, of course, shrimp. The truth is that grits are very closely related to polenta, and they can be great. This book is a terrific guide to good grits & good shrimp as they are eaten in the South. I am a California inhabitent myself, but this food is good. The receipes also are not too complicated and good for family or guests.

This is my favorite of Naomi Nye's books. She has such a gift for describing human experiences and some of her stories make me cry and laugh at the same time.

Her essays read like poetry. This book is wonderful

Naomi Shihab Nye is a bridge-builder. She reaches out to those of other cultures, and always expresses understanding of those sometimes forgotten in our society. A good book for all ages!

Possibly the best book in this genre. Nye's essays are thought provoking because they could happen in any of our lives. If you are going to be stranded on an island, take this book with you.

Patrick O'Kelley seems to have covered every Revolutionary War Battle and Skirmish during 1771-1779 for N.C & S.C. in this book. He has done the same for 1780, 1781 & 1782 in his other books. These are a must have for the Revolutionary War enthusiast or researcher.

While the title might sound like a late night movie, it is a statement from the famous Quaker General, Nathaniel Green, describing the fighting in the Southern Campaign. This is not a book that you take home for a good read, but a well-documented reference you keep as a handy tool. If you had ancestors that participated in the battles in Georgia or South Carolina you will find this a useful book. The author has started with the Battle of Alamance, North Carolina, that actually preceded the Revolutionary War in 1771 and ends with the failed attempt by the Patriots and French to retake Savannah, GA, in 1779. Considered the first volume of three Mr. O'Kelley plans to write, every skirmish, sea battle and engagement that is known is included with an order of battle format. This book lists the units that participated, key leaders, casualties and overview of the engagements. This is an excellent tool for compatriots who are doing history programs for local schools.

The book is written in a terse military style, which only adds to the book. It lists every land, naval, battle or skirmish. I could never make any sense of the fuss about the savage fighting in the Carolinas, until I read this book. I can hardly wait to see what happens to Lord Cornwallis's army when he invades the Carolinas in the following volumes. It is a gold mine of Militia unit information.
Dwayne

I bought this book since I was interested in the Revolutionary War in the South. I know of the War Between the States, but I wanted to know more about what came before. Not many books have much in them about the Southern campaign. They only mention Yorktown, or Cowpens. However this book contains everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, about the war in the South. It is not just North and South Carolina, but Georgia too. It is incredibly detailed and it seems that most of the sources are from primary account. This is a huge project that Patrick O'Kelley has tried to put on paper. There will be more volumes, and I can't wait until the next. The book is easy to read and explains what happened in a way that makes the story flow smoothly. I highly recommend it!

Did I say genius? I meant to say she's an artist with words. The photography in this lovely book is truly inspiring, but the writing is really the icing on the cake. (I guess that makes her a baker and a genius!)

Breathtaking, peaceful, extraordinary photography. Makes you feel like you are there. Mr Drapala captures the essence of the Outer Banks. Your experiences are captured through his lens. Heart felt work. Recommended for anyone who has, or wants to experience the ocean, the shoreline, the tranquility.

I live in Pennsylvania but spend one month of every summer in Hatteras, and this book brought me right back there! The photographs are amazing, particularly the full-page color pictures. The book is very well-researched--I didn't know any of the information about Blackbeard until I read the chapter on his exploits on Ocracoke. This book makes me want to go to the Outer Banks right now! I highly recommend it.

I go to the Outer Banks as often as possible, but never often enough. This book takes me there right from my living room. The photography as well as the information contained in the book is outstanding. I found it to be relaxing as well as educational. Because the book has something for everyone, I highly recommend it for all ages.

This is one of my all time favorites. Being raised on a cotton farm in Texas in the depression, I can relate to it entirely. It showed me the close relationship of all southern people and the common heritage even though our farms were a 1,000 miles apart. Many of Ben's relatives were just like mine. And cotton was King. It was the main topic of conversation all year.

An English professor I had in college once berated me at a poker game for recommending this book. He had never heard of it. I gave him a copy. I can only imagine the sardonic moment in which he finally picked it up. He loved it. The book was given to me by a Capitol Hill policeman from North Carolina. This is the sort of book that will help Yankee's (like me)to understand the Old South; a truly liberal and enlightened view. This is one of those books, whose author was struck down early in life, that makes you wonder what might have come from his pen had he lived. These are memoirs, memoirs of the old folks that made up the backbone of the South after the Civil War up to the Great Depression, real, living people whom, thorough these pages, become a delight to get acquainted with.

From a member of the next generation with recollections and experiences of a similar nature, I can assure you that this book gives a highly accurate account of what it was like growing up in the rural South. The next best book of this nature, and one similar to it is "Run With the Horsemen", by Ferol Sams. Although "Run With the Horsemen" is classed as a novel, it accurately portrays life in the rural South during the Great Depression. Please don't miss reading either of these great books concerning events that occured at a special time and in a very special place.

My first contact with "Red Hills and Cotton" was in 1973; I was 4 years old, and my mother had been given the book as a birthday present by my aunt. When I was old enough, I read the book for myself. Ben Robertson is buried in my hometown, and I recognized much of the geography of which he writes. I also recognize much of the human spirit about which he writes - the spirit of the Southern small farmer.

Although many of the circumstances of the South have changed since this writing (in the early 1940s), the nature of the people has not changed to a great extent. We may not work the fields each day, but our love of God, family, homeland, adventure, loyalty -- all these things remain close to our hearts and lives. Ben Robertson would still have reason to be proud. Would that he had lived longer and written more!