North Carolina Books

The Portrait of America series is a wonderful introduction for pre-teens to the 50 states and to the places and events that shaped the history of the United States. This North Carolina installment is particularly good. The book is broken down into sections like History, Culture, Economy etc., and each section is thoughtfully written and edited. And this edition is loaded with several beautiful photographs. The Culture section is my personal favorite.

This book, as well as the entire Portrait of America series, will prove to be a valuable teaching tool to all primary school educators.

This is the best book I have ever read.

I have the 1964 edition of this cookbook, and have well nigh worn it out- when searching for faintly remembered dishes from my grandmother's table, or some obscure and ancient recipe to try, this is the first place I turn. Some recipes may be challenging for novice cooks, as several of the older ones are written in narrative form and assume basic knowledge. For experienced cooks who like to experiment, however, or those in search of a nostalgic and amusing read, this work is essential.

Any serious scholarship about the New Deal in North Carolina must begin (but certainly not end) with a reading of this wonderful little booklet. It is an illustrated 6 chapter booklet with 97 pages of text and a very good bibliography. The bibliography can point any one in the direction they want to travel in understanding the New Deal policies in the mid-south and elsewhere. The Chapters cover the New Deal's impact on North Carolina agriculture, business and politics. The writing is clear but entertaining and the work is not overly bogged down by figures and statistics, but at the same time is based on fact. Badger's conclusion is that FDR's policies were hindered by hesitancy of state leadership in carrying them out. I recommend this excellent book.

This is an exceptionally well written book on the various eras in the architectural development of what I consider to be the most architecturally diverse state in the union. I have lived in North Carolina all of my life and I have seen at least 3/4 of the structures mentioned in the book. Bishir does a great job of explaining the forces that lead to the development of these great monuments to society. The photography is quite good, but for some strange reason all of the color photos are in the back of the book out of the context of the writing. I don't like having to flip to the back to see a "pretty" picture (there are plenty less "pretty" B & W photos within the text). This is a huge book that you will have to have a custom bookshelf built for. If you wish to put it on your coffee table please reinforce it first. I've lost three tables due to is mass. All kidding aside, this is a definate must read.

I own a number of books described as "Collector's Guide"s and "Pottery Identification and Value Guide"s and most of them have a short history section and then some combination of catalog pages and photographs of examples, lines, and marks. Useful but limited.

However, this book contains evidence of substantial research into the history and aesthetics of various potteries and potters of North Carolina. He discusses various clay sources and, most important of all, offers numerous photographs of the bottoms of the illustrated pottery pieces. He also discusses the quite striking glazes used.

I was surprised to discover that certain unmarked pieces I had bought over the years in the Ohio Pottery area were in fact from North Carolina potteries.

Very recommended.

Edited just to add that Dr. James (his name is A. Everette James, Jr. not James A. Everette, Jr.) and his wife Dr. Nancy Farmer were awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the Governor of North Carolina for their service to the state.

This book is the best I have ever seen for showing the chronology of county boundary changes. The maps not only show the changing boundaries vs time, but show the location of the various cities, rivers, creeks, etc. A great book for genealogists with ancestors in North Carolina.

Don't look here for hotel or restaurant info. This is a beach book, so check in here by county to see the well-known beaches and those that will surprise you. The author selected Hammocks Beach State Park as the best of the lesser known beaches. He suggests the best beaches for first time visitors, the best for sports oriented vacations, and the best for visiting in the off-season.
The information is detailed, giving the things you need to know for your vacation. Want a boat ramp, or to see a lighthouse? This books tells you where to go. (The Associated Press reviewed this book favorably.)

I'm new to North Carolina and wanted help choosing and visiting the beaches. This book gives a lot of good information, especially about avoiding the crowds, getting around in traffic, and where to park. An essential guide to NC beaches.

The North Carolina Bed & Breakfast Cookbook is one of a series. This is one of the best series I've ever purchased. If you are a lover of Southern food & hospitality, this is a wonderful cookbook for you.