South Carolina Books

Morale plays a huge roll in how well a soldier fights. "Battle Exhortation: The Rhetoric of Combat Leadership" is a look at the encouragement battle leaders so often offer to their men. With a glance at its long history of orators rallying their troops, it also looks forward about how today's leaders are honoring tradition while giving their men the inspiration they need to be the best fighters they can. "Battle Exhortation" is a scholarly look at how one's mind set and the mind set of his allies can mean the difference between life and death in the field of battle.

The Beacons of South Carolina presents the true stories of twelve of South Carolina's historic light houses. Black- and-white photography on almost every page illustrates these brief yet fascinating overviews of the construction and operation of each tower. Carefully researched with a bibliography, a list of sources including an impressive collection of websites, and an index, The Beacons of South Carolina is a relaxing and enjoyable treasury for especially for lighthouse lovers.

I'm not blessed like the few who are natives of Beaufort, or lived there for most of their lives, but Helsley's book sure helps one appreciate why native Beaufortonians would have a certain pride about their county and town.

I've been to Beaufort (and plan to go back many times) and it is a silent oasis in the Low Country. Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets on the East Coast. The little town has a charm all its own. What a wonderful place.

I read Helsley's book mainly for the history up to 1899. I was not disappointed. There are a lot of details that have whetted my appetite to keep digging.

I appreciate the quality of paper the book is printed on. The only real criticism I have is that the book could use some maps. Besides that, sit back and enjoy the wonderful stories going back to the 16th century and have fun looking through some very rare and interesting photographs liberally sprinkled throughout the text.

For some decent maps the reader will have to pick up a copy of Beaufort, South Carolina: Pages from the Past (American Chronicles).

I am a Beaufortonian now living in Texas. It's hard to go beyond the words of Larry Roland in the forward but this book is a must read for those of us who remain under the spell of Beaufort's charm, mystery, and history. Mrs. Helsley's attention to detail is most remarkable making this book a classic addition to both the growing scholarly and popular literature. Especially noteworthy is the manner in which she weaves the role of religion and the evolution of churches into her manuscript. Major kudos for a job well done and what will surely become THE definitive history of Beaufort.

This book comprises 132 columns that Elizabeth Lawrence wrote for the Charlotte Observer from 1957 to 1971. They were selected by garden lecturer and writer Ann L. Armstrong and Lindie Wilson, who owns Lawrence's former home in Charlotte, North Carolina. A good cross-section was chosen from over 700 columns that Lawrence wrote during her tenure at the Observer. Chapters include "Seasonal Flowers," "Bulbs, Corms & Tubers," "Trees & Shrubs," "Vegetables and Herbs, Climbers & Creepers," "Gardeners & Gardens," "Gods, Legends & Rituals," and "Bits & Pieces." Each piece runs about 2 pages and includes a wealth of horticultural information as well as vivid descriptions and observations that Lawrence was known for. Ten black & white photos of Lawrence and her garden are included. The amazing thing about these pieces are that they are as relevant today as they were over forty years ago when they were written.

Best Companions is a 532 page compendium of letters between Eliza Middleton Fisher and her mother, Mary Hering Middleton. The letters bridge Charleston, Philadelphia to Newport, through the years 1839-1846. This seven-year conversation, encompassed in some 375 letters, connect the cultural and social life of the North and the South even as other forces conspired to tear America part from within. Enhanced with an Epilogue, extentensive bibliography, and comprehensive index, Best Companions is intimately showcases the joys, sorrows, frustrations, and widespread opinions of a close mother and daughter. Best Companions is not to be missed!

This is a great book for hiking with your dog on trails in the western and eastern parts of North Carolina. This book is a part of a series by Mountaineer books and gives great details about elevation, water, trail difficulty, etc. I would recommend this book to anyone who walks their dog on trials and and in the outdoors. Plus all dogs love the trails anyway. Great pictures of dogs on the trails too!

Some of the finest, most authentic, and culinarily unique recipes to be found are in local and regional cookbook collections. Quail Ridge Press is famous within knowledgeable circles for their state-specific cookbook anthologies that select the very best of recipes from favorite cookbooks published within the geographical and culinary traditions of a particular state. Such is the case with Gwen McKee and Barbara Mosely's "Best Of The Best From South Carolina Cookbook" which showcases true dinner table treasures taken from a series of diverse cookbooks who hold one thing in common -- they were all published within the confines of South Carolina. From Beverages and Appetizers, to Pies and Other Desserts, the recipes range from Sweet Potato Muffins (Catering to Charleston); Street party Grape Salad (Cooking Carley Style); Broccoli Rice Casserole (A Taste Through Time); and Venison Meatballs (Family Treasures); to Crabmeat Stuffing (A Collection from Summerville Kitchens); Chicken Parmigiana (Go-o-od Goodies from Good Hope's Good Cooks); Red Velvet Cake (Bountiful Blessings); and Half-Way Cookies 9Gracious Goodness: Christmas in Charleston). One especially nice feature of "Best Of The Best From South Carolina Cookbook" is its 'Catalog of Contributing Cookbooks" which provides a succinct description and ordering information for those cookbook enthusiasts who would like to seek out what else is offered in addition to the selected or representative recipes from that particular source. There's even a one-page 'South Carolina Timeline' that presents chronological highlights of the state from 1521 to 2005. Dedicated cookbook collectors while want to visit the Quail Ridge Press website for their complete and extensive list of 'Best of the Best' state oriented cookbooks. Spiral bound so as to lay out flat upon a kitchen counter, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in the presentation of the individual recipes, "Best Of The Best From South Carolina Cookbook" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to any personal or community library cookbook collection!

I picked up this cookbook on a trip to Charleston, and I find myself using it over and over. The recipes are drawn from many different church, community and locally-published cookbooks throughout South Carolina. The result really gives one a flavor of the state. I have tried many recipes and haven't had any failures yet.

I loved the seafood when I was visiting the state, and the seafood recipes in this book are great. I especially like the crab stew and the Lowcountry Fettucine (fettucine with a variety of seafood mixed in).

The non-seafood recipes are also wonderful. Parmesan Picnic chicken travels well, just as the book promises, and the Stuffed Shells Florentine has become a favorite with almost everyone in my extended family. I also especially enjoyed the recipe for the authentic Lady Baltimore Cake - time-consuming but delicious.

As with the other books in this series that I have tried, I would recommend this one highly!

After two difficult years, private investigator Erik Whiteside finally succeeds in finding the bad boy brother Win Hammond of elderly Miss Addie. Not long afterward, Win returns to Hilton Head allegedly to see his sister. However, Erik's "partner" at Simpson and Tanner, Inquiry Agents Lydia "Bay" Tanner wonders what the odious Win really wants. She and her family, friends of Miss Addie, plan to insure her sibling does not rip her off as they expect him try.

At the same time that the prodigal brother returns home, Bay and Erik have two other clients. Karen Zwilling better known to her customers as Britt Swensen, an escort service employee, wants Bay to find a male rapist, and a Georgia socialite Star Kennedy wants her to locate her beloved Wade, who vanished without a trace. When a badly battered corpse is found on the beach, Bay ponders if one of her cases just has been solved, but which one. Not sure, she keeps digging until she finds herself being yanked by the wealthy and the poor of the underbellies of society.

The sixth Bay Tanner regional mystery is a terrific entry as three distinct cases keep the Inquiry Agent and her wannabe partner Erik hopping. The Savannah feel to the delightful story line augments the investigations that Bay and Erik conduct. Fans of Southern heated mysteries will want to read Kathryn R. Wall's latest Georgia peach escapades.

Harriet Klausner

This is a well-detailed study of Black people in South Carolina from their disfranchisment in 1895 to the Orangeburg Massacre of 1968. Much of it is a rather grim look of the society Blacks in SC faced and their difficulty in finding workable solutions to their problems until about 1944, when they fought to regain the right to vote. Newby makes good use of the sources that were available to him at the time, such as a scattering of Black newspapers, and from White newspapers such as the Columbia State and the Charleston News and Courier. From this we get a lot of insight into events forgotten to history such as the Lake City and Phoenix massacres and the "indignation meetings" that Sc Blacks held to protest their plight. Today, Black repositories such as the Avery Center in Charleston and other collections such as the Caroliniana Library of Columbia have better collections of primary sources for current scholars of this subject, but Newby's book is a good start.