South Carolina Books

I once had the pleasure of sharing a flight with the author Jack Bass. The man is a walking encyclopedia of anecdotes of South Carolina history and political lore and he was quite entertaining. Reading his take on Thurmond, who he knew well, is similar to an actual conversation with Bass. Put it to you this way, reading this book is like listening to some old-timers reminisce around the cracker barrel in front of the general store. Not a scholarly work,but an enjoyable one. BTW, I wish he would have gone into detail about Thurmond''s meeting with Coretta Scott King. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to hear what the former supreme segregationist had to say to the widow of Dr. King.

In Ol' Strom, Bass and Thompson tell the whole story of Senator J. Strom Thurmond's remarkable march across 20th century politics. But they don't do anything else. While it is interesting just to read about a politician so long-lasting that he ran for president in 1948 and still holds office today, the book does not attempt to delve into the meaning of Thurmond's extraordinary tenure. Thurmond's political career is a mirror of the evolution of the South from Dixiecrat to Republican, from racist to mainstream conservative. The authors opted not to tell this story, however, and stubbornly insisted on offering just a journalistic account of Thurmond's life.

Strom Thurmond is widely viewed as a simple racist with just one cause- to fight against civil rights. However, OL STROM helps to explain that while Strom was historically on the wrong side during the civil rights battles, he was and still is a man of character and integrity.

Like him or not,OL STROM makes a strong case to support Strom as "the century's most enduring American political figure". Strom Thurmond was on the cutting edge of the white souths move from the Democratic party to the Republican party with his 1948 presidental bid. He still holds the filibuster record and well being in the Senate for longer than any one in history.

Unlike some of of the hardcore racists, Strom reached out to African-Americans in his later years. At the same time, Strom never "admitted" his earlier positions on civil rights were wrong. Strom still clung to his "States Rights" view which seem to open the only hole in his intergrity. Only Strom knows what's in his heart.

OL STROM also gets into more details, regarding his personal affairs, such as his biracial daughter, that others bio have glossed over.

Strom is not so much "a" southern politian, as he IS the south!

Insightful, provacative...You may not like Strom, but this book
will make you view him in a different light. This book doesn't take sides. It does give you a view of someone many have thought of as a not very bright, but who has outlived or outsmarted most of his critics. A very good view of politics in South Carolina. Mr. Thurmond won my grudging respect in this book by taking care of his constituents...without regards to race or religion. Well documented facts by the writers!

Myself and other progressive young southerners who were previously appalled by his well-known Segregationist tactics could not have even imagined Strom Thurmond himself fathering an interracial child, only to gleefully keep his family and other in racial subordination supposedly for their and/or country's own good.

Sure, I was previously aware of slave-owner-slave stories which basically told the same tale in eighteenth century language, but I did not believe somebody intentionally kept their family in segregation today. There has been much discussion about conscience, character, and morals within the public sector and what quantities of these ingredients are required of 'good' public servants versus those that simply keep getting re-elected for tradition sakes---but Thurmond's life (long overdue for an examination) lacks all three components.

After former South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond's death, a woman Essie Mae Washington came forward with revelation that she was Thurmond's half-daughter. Her mother was a teenage African American worker in the Thurmond home, and he was a wealthy young adult whose activities were apparently concealed for fear of dominant society retaliation. If word of Thurmond's 'extracurricular' activities had leaked out while he was living, (especially in the segregation era) it would have been the end of his political career.

I don't doubt that the incident (and others) in question happened, or Strom's legendary libido (ironically while courting voters from 'family values' crowd who made a national crisis out of President William Jefferson Clinton's consensual affair with a twenty something adult woman). Apparently because Ol'Strom forces himself on women far less powerful than himself, this is not only appropriate conduct but an expected public service perk that he was not in a hury to give up. Throughout his 'distinguished' life, Thurmond regarded women as objects for his convenience and entertainment, unable to consider us full and three-dimensional people.

I am not shocked by the lurid details contained within this volume, but I sincerely hope conservatives and/or Republicans understand what allegations are in here before continuing to pretend only one political party houses ravenous libidos. Letting neither his switch to the Republican party or increasing age stop him, Strom remained the consummate womanizer, quickly falling out of step with an era that (at least in public relations) saw the importance of treating women as professional equals.

Thurmond's death was one of the 2003 newstories, but it is ultimately telling of his supreme inhumanity that none of the Sunday talk shows devoted significant time to memorializing his influence on the nation. Good riddance!!

I did a search on Kindle for novels by Sara Donati and found this jewel. Thesupporting cast of characters wereas interesting for me as was the story of dodge and Julia. If you enjoy reading novels that give you a wonderful slice of life in the South then you dont want to miss this one. It is a keeper.

Good read with lots of quirky characters. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a bit more to the plot.....

Lippi is an excellent writer and this book shows it. It reads very well and the story is great.

This book was boring and predictable - Julia is said to be "secretive and mysterious", someone tells the new man in town, "Don't set your sights on our Julia, she's shut up tight as a Chinese puzzle box" - I think she fell into bed with the new tenant within 48 hours of meeting him, knowing nothing about him, that's "shut up tight"? - maybe you have to be from the south to appreciate women so removed from real life that they spend all day and night in pajamas. I'm sorry I spent the money on this.

When Julia Darrow is widowed and left emotionally inconsolable, she moves to a small town in South Carolina where she opens a business which specialises in fine linens and nightwear. To boost her business, she employs locals who are expert needlewomen and dresses them in beautifully tailored pajamas as they are their primary source of income. Lambert Square is the centre of town life and between the other shop owners, there is a feeling of great camaraderie towards Julia and her adopted dogs, social rejects whom she trains and passes on to new owners. When former army brat, John Dodge takes over a shop which restores and sells antique fountain pens, an immediate sexual attraction is obvious between them but it takes the rest of the book to sort out all of their other problems. It's a good read with interesting and quirky characters who really engage the reader's attention.

Dana Witkoski
University 101
October 6, 2008

Mark Powell's Prodigals details the charismatic story of Ernest Cobb and the surrounding circumstances that create his identity. Set in the mid nineteen-forties, Prodigals begins with Ernest, scared and alone, fleeing his past life with no general plan for the future. Throughout his escape, Ernest acquaints himself with a new group of men who have also avoided responsibility in their lives. Upon his arrival to North Carolina, Ernest begins his new life-though the optimism often associated with regeneration is noticeably absent. Ernest works as a dishwasher, finds adequate shelter, and manages a relationship with his new girlfriend. After aforementioned relationship ends, Ernest makes new ones, meeting June Bug and Jimmy Morgan. The serendipitous union of the three grants the opportunity for bittersweet tragedy, when they discover and injured child. Ernest Cobb, June Bug , and Jimmy Morgan represent a rhetorical triangle within a realistic situation. The three men share secrets that shed light on one of the story's most prominent themes: nobody is truly alone in his or her loneliness.Holistically, Prodigals is not an uplifting story, but Powell's excellent use of dialogue, mood, and tone engage the reader. I recommend Prodigals to anyone in search of a fast-and albeit easy-read that remains equally thought-provoking as it is endearing.

Prodigals, by Mark Powell, is a captivating journey of a man discovering himself within the world around him. Although somewhat dark, it very much characterizes the intricacies of relationships between all people. The story, set in the mid-1900s, begins with a young man named Earnest who is afraid. He is alone and scared of what he had left behind, but also with no plan for the future. He finds himself with a group of men who live a very stark life as well. His time with these outsiders, though, plays a role in the development of Earnest personally. Continuing on his journey, he lands in North Carolina where he meets others with similar lonely stories like his own. His relationship with these people brings him to the ironic realization that he is not alone in his loneliness. The whole tale creates a sense of solitude. Again the book is very dark but a good read. Powell writes in different form, with very quick dialogue and fast paced scenes. If you are looking for a quick read, choose Prodigals. It's thought provoking and most definitely entertaining. I complement Powell on his ability exposing the honest account of the development of a man.

Prodigals is a book that captivates your attention from page one. The author Mark Powell writes in a way that you feel as if you are one of the characters in the novel. Although it may be hard to relate to Ernest Cobb and his disheartening situation at the beginning, Powell writes in such a manner where you can really sympathize with Earnest. In my opinion this book is a must read, When I first read a summary of what the novel was about, I have to admit I was not looking forward to reading it. It sounded very bleak and dreary, and it was very different from the books that I typically read, Yet, I can say now for a fact that I am very glad I read this book. It allowed my mind to explore a different culture that is way out of my realm of thinking. This book gave me a whole new outlook on life and made me more appreciative of my life situation. I am thankful for the friends and family that I have. I also now realize that most of my worries in life do not even come close to the problems and hardships that Ernest as well as other characters in the book had to endure. Another reason, although it may seem silly that I enjoyed this book is because the author went to the University of South Carolina, Go Gamecocks! Overall I would recommend this book to anybody who is looking to read something out of the ordinary. This book is not happy and uplifting, but it will make you think.

I was fortunate enough to have Mark Powell as a English teacher in college. I deliberately never missed a class - his teaching methods are as captivating as his writing methods. It was difficult to put 'Prodigals' down. Each chapter left me anxious to read the next. In college, he always told me that my descriptive essays were good, but I know now that they were no comparison to his. His use of description really makes you feel as though you are right there in the moment, experiencing everything the character is. And being from Georgia, I also appreciate his description of the beauty of the south. If you can appreciate novels with southern dialect and intriguing mystery, you'll love this plot. Thank you, Mr. Powell, for a beautiful story!

I just finished this novel this week, and I find its message still haunting to me -- but wonderfully so. Powell's language is beautiful, and his sense of place is strong and clear. After reading the novel, I was forced to give more thought to the meaning of the word "prodigal" and to the meaning of this book and my life. Although the novel is set in the aftermath of World War II, this book is extremely relevant to our modern lives.

In a confluence of events that is hardly short of providential, not one, two unpublished slave narratives fell into David Blight's hands. The narratives, kept lovingly for over a century by the families of former slaves Wallace Turnage and John Washington, chronicle the early lives and desperate circumstances that propelled these two oppressed human beings onto the historical stage. Wallace and Turnage, while sharing the common bondage of slavery, led very different lives. Washington had relatively easier life and shorter route to freedom. Turnage's life was shot through with physical assaults, peril and cinematic close calls. Both men wrote with an urgency that revealed their thirst for freedom and deep desire to preserve their tales for their posterity.

The first half of the book allows David Blight to provide the historical and cultural contexts that his two protagonists could only guess at. Ensnared in the day-to-day turmoil of slavery and survival, they could only guess at the political and military forces that were moving them toward eventual liberation. Blight muses too on the oft-asked question of who freed the slaves - Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation or the salves themselves. his complex and nuanced answer is seconded by the experiences captured by Washington and Turnage. The book's second half contains the unedited narratives, told in soaring but often rough prose, by the men themselves.

"A Slave No More" is gripping, significantly because it is true. The poetry of freedom sings from its pages, crafted by the literary hands of men who were not expected to learn the alphabet, much less to pen epic odes to the liberation of the human body and spirit. Wonderful and worthwhile.

Recently two new important African-American slave narratives have come to light, published here along with scholarly commentary for the first time. They are considered significant by historians because they support a theory that slaves played a role in bringing about their own freedom. Traditionally slavery is thought to have ended with Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation - Lincoln freed the slaves, we are taught in school. However, is it possible that the slaves themselves played a role in their own freedom, that their own actions, conscious or not, helped bring about Emancipation? This is what today many historians contend, and these two narratives support that view. "For most slaves", Blight says, "freedom did not come on a particular day; it evolved by process." It was the process of waves of slaves escaping into Union lines as the war moved south, often forming shanty towns of "contrabands" (as the Union called escaped slaves, they were initially classified by the north as property). Eventually something had to be done about the"contraband" and Lincoln signed some limited laws that gave them freedom, which eventually morphed into the Emancipation Proclamation. But it was the slaves desire for freedom, willing to risk life by escaping, that forced the issue of Emancipation. Further, many of these freed slaves then took up arms and joined the Union army. It is estimated over 700,000 of the nearly 4 million slaves found freedom through this "process", the remaining 3.3 million achieving freedom with the 13th Amendment.

Whatever the historical debates, these narratives are interesting and even thrilling. Although not as well written as Frederick Douglass, in many ways the adventures of these young men are more real and tangible - as private documents they were not written to be published, not filtered through an editor. They were meant for friends and family and thus have a rough, raw real edge to them.

David Blight has done a great service to historians and the public by both publishing the original sources and summarizing and expanding on them. Each of the two narratives has a corresponding chapter that re-creates the narrative in more detail and clarity for the modern reader. In addition there are two chapters that examine what happened to the men after the war including some fascinating pictures. No two slave narratives are alike and these will surely not disappoint as important historical case examples and thrilling stories. America has two new unsung heroes representative of 100s of thousands who sought and found their own freedom.

This book makes the Civil War period and slavery come alive, partly through the real voices of 2 emancipated slaves, and partly through the consumate writing skill of the author. The level is just right: carefully documented sources (endnotes) that authenticate the story, plus a wonderfully accessible writing style that is clear, never boring, and quietly compassionate. This is an engaging book I recommend even to those having only a casual interest in history.

Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs are among a handful of former slaves in the Old South who wrote famous narratives of their lives in slavery and their ultimate escape to freedom. It is a rare and important event to find additional first-person narratives that document the efforts of slaves to become free. The noted historian David Blight had the good fortune to become aware of two such narratives which had previously been held close by the families of their authors. Blight has published these accounts in his recent book "A Slave no More" (2007), together with background information on the manuscripts, a discussion of the lives of the authors following their escapes from slavery, and a brief history of Emancipation during and following the Civil War.

The attraction of this book lies more in the narratives than in Blight's commentary. The narratives were composed by John Washington (1838 -- 1918) and Wallace Turnage (1846-1916). Washington and Turnage both discuss their lives in slavery and the factors impelling them to make their escape. The narratives do not extend to the subsequent lives of the narrators in freedom. The narratives are written in a non-literary style which nevertheless have great power from their very simplicity. Neither man was writing for the public. Their accounts of slavery offer the opportunity to get to know two people who did not make it into the history books but whose storyies have much to teach.

The narrative of John Washington, which he titled "Memorys of the Past" is the more literary of the two. Washington vowed to escape from slavery when his mother was sold away when he was a child. Washington spent most of his early life as an urban slave in Virginia working as a house servant,in a tobacco factory, and in an inn, among other places. With the advance of the Union army through Fredericksburg in 1862, Washington saw his opportunity to cross the river to the Union lines. He became an aide to several Union officers and ultimately established himself with his wife, who had been born free, in Washington D.C. Washington's narrative has some excellent portrayals of the movements of the soldiers on both sides and of his experiences with the Union army.

Turnage's account is untitled and substantially less polished that Washington's. Turnage spent most of his time in slavery in the deep south near Pickensville, Alabama. He was a field hand and subjected to more cruelty and violence than was Washington. His account is replete with descriptions of whippings given to himself and, especially, to women. Witnessing and receiving these whippings made Turnage determined to escape. Turnage made at least four unsuccessful attempts at escape before he succeeded, after each of which he was punished with increasing severity. In the first several attempts, Turnage went west to try to reach the Union lines in Corinth, Mississippi. He nearly succeeded but was returned to his master on each occasion. Turnage finally succeeded in a daring attempt to reach Mobile Bay, the site of a great Union naval victory. Turnage had to cross snake-infested swamps and achieved freedom only when Union soldiers rescued him from the sinking makeshift boat in which he had been riding to freedom. Turnage offers a graphic, gritty account of his escape and of the harshness of slavery in the deep south. Importantly, Turnage does not show bitterness towards his oppressors. He writes at the outset of his narrative: "I do not mean to speak disparagingly of those who sold me, nor of those who bought me. Though I seen a hard time, it had an attendency to make a man out of me." (Blight, page 213)

In his introductory material, Blight retells and expands upon the narratives of Washington and Turnage. Through laborious historical research, Blight also describes the lives of the two men and their families after their escape. Washington spent most of his life as a painter in Washington D.C. and was active in the church and the developing African-American community. His five children went on to careers, with his youngest son enjoying success as a science teacher and athletic coach. Turnage had a much more difficult time of it living in the overcrowded, disease-infested sections of New York City and witnessing the deaths of his mother, wife, and several children. One of his daughters was able to "pass" for white, and she was the source for recovering her father's manuscript.

Blight also offers an interesting discussion of the Emancipation Proclamation which focuses on the immediate reaction to it in African American communities in both North and South. I found Blight's discussion somewhat broader and more polemical than it needed to be to elucidate the narratives of Washington and Turnage. But most of his discussion makes for interesting reading.

Washington and Turnage wrote inspiring narratives of their journey from slavery to freedom. Blight has done a service in making these narratives available to the public. This book will be of interest to readers concerned with American slavery, the Civil War, and African American history. Readers unfamiliar with other slave narratives may wish to explore Frederick Douglass's autobiographies and the volume titled "Slave Narratives," both of which are available from the Library of America.

Robin Friedman

The book provides an in depth look at the lives of two black men who were determined to escape slavery. The book also reveals the hopelessness experienced by slaves in their daily lives. It also exposed the cruelty of slave owners, who were considered in all other respects to be genteel and upstanding citizens in their community.

I really enjoyed this book. The author described every moment in her life with such detail, it felt as if I were there with her. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants inspiration.

This book desperately wanted to be "Having Our Say" by the Delaney Sisters. Perhaps, if it had an editor, it would have been. As it stands, it provides a historical perspective of African American Deaf culture, but its text does not flow very smoothly.

I really loved this book.I couldn't put it down.She made a lot ofdeaf friends at the school.She also made some blind friends.I laughed and cryed with her.You should get this book.

I could not put this book down! A well written and extremely discriptive story! I felt every emotion!

that I found this ... well ... boring? I suppose, on the one hand, I should be glad that Ms. Wright had a relatively uneventful and happy life, despite growing up both black and disabled in the mid-20th century rural south; but, frankly, happy and uneventful lives don't make for very interesting reading.

A great book, we have used the book to plan our trip, from the UK to Asheville, we are now looking forward to the trip, and experiencing sights and tastes of north carolina,

Not having been to North Carolina previously, we are heavilly dependant on research material, of which this book is great.

Another review will be made after testing the book out, but if Asheville is as good as the book, then we should have no worries.

Pantas' guide book offers a wide range of topics to suit every interest: outdoor/indoor team sports, camping, antiquing, historic walks and driving tours, kid activities, drama, music, food, lodging....the list goes on. The guide tackles Asheville & Hendersonville - the largest WNC cities - and also includes the major surronding attractions like the Great Smokies National Park, Cherokee, Maggie Valley, etc.

The accompanying drawings, made by Pantas, in pen and ink are exquisite and make this tome as much an art book as an information source.

Whenever available, Pantas includes websites and/or email addresses to suit virtual trip planners such as myself. These resources even make it an excellent tool for the local that wants to find out more about what's just down the road in their own WNC communities.

The only failing of the book is that it doesn't cover surronding areas of Asheville/Hendersonville very well in the accommodations and dining sections. The counties in which these cities are situated have many fine accomodations and restaurants all within a short drive of their county seats (15 miles or less). He should also consider including restaurants and accomodations near the outlying attractions so that people taking a day trip to one of the places he suggests that is not so close to Asheville will know where to eat or where to stay if they're too tired to drive back the same day.

One other small thing is Otherwise, the book is beyond reproach.

Pantas lists activities, events, galleries, antique shops, kid stuff, historic info, architectural tour info, and so much more....There is something for everyone in this tome. And, though it focuses on Asheville and Hendersonville, this book touches on the major attractions in surrounding areas as well--perfect for day trips or even longer side excursions.

My only complaint is that, if readers do choose to tour outside the book's focus, they'll have to look elsewhere for dining and lodging options as this text only includes that information in for Asheville and Hendersonville.

My wife and I had bought several books about Western North Carolina before we found Mr. Pantas'. After spending the last week reading over the information inside the book, all I can say is that we did ourselves a dis-service in purchasing all of the other books. I have never seen a more comphehensive and detailed outline, before this book, about a place I was scheduled to visit and potentially relocate too. The "pictures" are great and I hope to see more of his works of art while in Western North Carolina. The Ultimate Guide is a an extraordinarily valuable research tool.

Much too much information to be really useful, because most of it is pretty superficial. How can it be otherwise, when the author has crammed every possible thing he can think of into a book that can't accommodate so much information? The book is also poorly organized/structured, and with such a large amount of material, good organization is critical. The multitude of cross-references is extremely annoying -- the reader shouldn't have to keep flipping around the book to find information on one subject. The author's drawings are very nice, but on the whole the book looks like it was not professionally produced (just looking at the cover gives me a headache.) If you want a book on Asheville, you're much better off with something less comprehensive that has more depth. (E.g., a lengthy list of attractions or restaurants or other things that provides little or no description doesn't do me any good . . . ) Try "The Underground Asheville Guide" as an alternative -- it's a little too cute, but ultimately more helpful . . .

I bought this book for a graduate class I was taking and while it was a little dry at times it still contained a wealth of information on the Appalachian region and their struggles and hardships. It gives you a good perspective into the lives of a people who are normally looked down upon for being viewed as little more than "backwoods hillbillies" and lets you see these truly remarkable people for the hard workers and cultured beings that they are.

An expansive work that contains many insightful views into one of the most studied, but misunderstood American regions. While the book is titled "A history", it is as much a history of "how" Appalachia is studied as it is a straight history of the area.

The author's central theory is that Appalachia was, and is, an internal colony of the United States, with its natural resources of coal and timber shipped out, and almost all finished goods shipped in. Few of the factories and industry that use Appalachia's coal and timber are within its borders. As a result its economic system closely resembles a colony, with northern interests reaping the benefits of Appalachia's riches.

The author claims that Appalachia's identity was largely constructed by outsiders who wanted to either exploit or save its people. While the book is extensively researched, most of the analysis and history are the author's thoughts or those of other academics. The voice of the Appalachian people is strangely absent. In addition, the history of the area post-1970 is pretty thin and is more about the people who study Appalachia, than the regions itself. The 1980s-present is barely covered at all.

Be aware, the author has little good to say about private corporations, free markets, or the wealthy. The U.S. Government, the TVA, and the Park Service are also painted in a poor light. Everything that is wrong with Appalachia appears to be somebody else's fault. Once I realized his views, I was able to dive into the books theories and constructs, which were well worth the effort.

Despite a few quirks, I learned much about a region of America that I realized I knew little about, and what I knew was wrong and invented by outsiders. The author's love for the region is evident.

It took me a while to read this book:

a. because I found what he was writing about so interesting that I kept going back to the footnotes to see where his information came from, and

b. because so much of what he writes about I know to be true from my own experience, my own reading or from the experiences of friends and family.

It just rings true to me.

I don't know if every person who grows up in Appalachia thinks about what it means to be Appalachian, but as soon as he or she leaves the mountains (in my case I only had to go to college in Lexington, VA), it's going to mean something to everybody else. Particularly if that person is from West Virginia, where just saying what state you're from betrays your hillbilly status.

I spent the first 20 years of my life being ashamed of being from West Virginia and trying to leave it. I spent the next 20 years not only making peace with it, but coming to love it.

Througout Williams' history, he questions the notion of Appalachian "otherness," and the reader may think him agnostic on the subject, or perhaps a holder of the belief that its otherness never existed. But by the end of the book, it appears he fears for its survival as an "other" -- surely a view we share.

My fascination with Appalachia's terrain and people has been growing for years, but I was finally prompted to read this book at a music festival in the western mountains of Virginia. When I asked a local woman to show me how to do a kind of clog-dancing common in the region, she answered (very sweetly) "I'm not sure I could teach it to you -- it's a mountain thing."

This book might be the best single way to explore the historical depths of what that "mountain thing" is. It takes us from the original Cherokee (and other) residents and their sorrowful history; through the first settlement by Europeans; through the very complicated Civil War period; through the pillage of the region by coal companies. logging companies and others; and into our own time, with Appalachia imagined on one extreme as America's Third World, and on the other as a folk paradise of folk-music, woodcraft and quilt-making.

The sections on the Civil War era were especially enlightening for me. I grew up thinking of central Appalachia as just another part of The South, hence rebel territory. More recently, I was taught that Appalachia was an island of Unionism, or at least neutrality, in the midst of the Confederacy. The reality is much more complicated and sadder. Williams carefully reveals the many warring sentiments that made mountain life a true 'civil war', with neighbors fighting neighbors, towns preyed on in alternation by Confederate and Federal troops, bands of free-lance marauders, and guerilla armies of every variety. More than one young mountain man was drafted into both the Confederate and Union armies in succession. A gruesome story, one that makes the violence of 'Cold Mountain' seem almost tame.

I close with a small complaint: this book could use more, and better, MAPS. John Alexander Williams very nicely explains how the region's layout has affected its entire history -- but to follow what he was saying I found myself running to the atlas many times. Several good, detailed, relief maps would have made a big difference.

This book is a must for anyone tracing their forebears or just wanting to understand the unique cultures of this area. I am most pleased with this book.

The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest by C. Franklin Goldsmith, III, Shannon E. G. Hamrick, and H. James Hamrick, Jr. is only slightly above average as far as trail related hiking books go. I do appreciate how the book is organized, especially at the end of the book when the hikes are organized as Loop Trails, Hikes for Children and the Elderly (easy), Half-Day (or less) Hikes, Full Day Hikes, and Trails Accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. This feature is, in my opinion the single most helpful element of this book. I do appreciate the GPS coordinates when they're provided.

What this book is lacking are good maps. The maps provided are small, and if you need reading glasses may cause you problems. As another reviewer pointed out, finding the exact location of some of the hikes may be problematic if you're unfamiliar with the area. The authors do provide the USGS map quadrant name, but it would take much to provide decent maps in the book. I'd be willing to pay a premium to get a package.

Despite these negatives, I still have found The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest to be above average.

This is an execellent book that provides helpful descriptions of each trail and how to find them. Especially helpful that it uses USGS maps instead of printing their own. I highly recommend this book.

Cutting a long, diagonal swath through the mountains of western North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest offers some of the finest mountain hiking in the eastern United States. Covering the entire national forest, this guide will help you find a great trail to hike regardless of what your definition of great is.

This guide describes 112 national forest trails ranging from a flat, easy 0.5 mile loop to a rugged 12-mile hike one-way through Linville Gorge. The guide is organized around the major hiking areas in the national forest including Black Balsam Knob, Max Patch, Mt. Mitchell, Davidson River Valley, Linville Gorge, and Avery Creek. Each area features an excellent, detailed map copied from a USGS Topo map, driving directions (including landmarks) to the trailheads, and a detailed description of the trail. Additionally, the authors of this guide give GPS coordinates to designate trailheads, major intersections, and points of interest. With the increased popularity and availability of GPS navigation systems on the trail, the GPS coordinates add a nice touch that most guides still do not offer. This feature places this guide on the cutting edge of all hiking guides.

Perhaps the strongest point of this guide is its versatility. In addition to the GPS feature mentioned above, this guide describes both individual trails and possible routes for loop hikes. These day loop hikes are given in addition to descriptions of the longer backpack trails in the forest, namely the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the Art Loeb Trail. Hikes located near the Blue Ridge Parkway are listed separately along with a list of hikes suitable for children and a list of easier trails suitable for the elderly. All of these features and the pocket-small size of the book add up to a guide that can be used by everyone no matter what kind of hike you desire in the Pisgah National Forest.

In summary, I have a bookshelf full of hiking guides, and this guide is perhaps the best guide I have ever encountered. If you are planning a hiking trip to western North Carolina, this is the guide you want in your pocket or in your backpack.

I think that the other reviews on this book are a little over inflated. Pros on this guide: good trail descriptions and the GPS coordinates are a definite plus (although not all the hikes in book include GPS coordinates).
Cons: 1)- Numbering the hikes and giving them a quality rating would be nice (1 to 5 stars). 2)- Putting a key map with their hike number at the front of the book would greatly speed up the process of figuring out where the trails are. I am not from NC and it took me quite a bit of time to figure out where on my trails illustrated map the hikes in this book were located.

The national forest's trails and wonders are revealed by authors who've hiked the trails most of their lives. 100 of the most scenic, strenuous hikes are described in a guide which requires strong walking skills and access to North Carolina wilderness region.

I was looking forward to reading this. My mother was recently diagnosed with with Alzheimer's and I was looking for information on how other families coped with deciding to move someone with dementia who may or may not be willing to move. This book really deals with the move once the decision was made. It does not address the nitty gritty process of coming to the conclusion that the mother would be better off in a home dedicated to dementia patients. The decisions are agonizing and that point seems to be glossed over a bit with a couple of pages on guilt and sort of summed up with "it just doesn't work for our world and our lives." I do not fault the writer's decision by any stretch of the imagination. Caring for an Alzheimer's patient at home would tax even the strongest of souls. I don't know if I am equipped to handle it. But I really would have liked a more day-to-day chronicle of what went into the process of deciding on an assisted living community rather than taking her into one of their homes. It is very touching in parts but it was not the book I thought it was going to be.

I read about this little book in Kathleen Parker's column and ordered it. I am 78 years old and thought maybe I should see what this was all about. I loved it and it brought back many memories in regards to my own Mother.I to have many things I have saved and some time I think I should get rid of some of it but these are the precious memories that children remember when they look through this things when a parent dies. I am going to give this little book to my daughter to read. This was a remarkable family and the way they took care of their mother at the end was so sweet and tender and I kept thinking what remarkable children this Mother & Father have raised. I am sure they were so proud. I read this book in one evening with a few tears here and there. Memories are something we all wish would last forever but as you get older sometime they fad and we need little reminders. Just fill your life with love and that can never be taken away even if your memory fads.

Sally Hughes Smith's first-person narrative walks us along a path of joy, loss, love, and acceptance. "The Circle" is a soul-searching blend of romantisim and pragmatism in which she shares with us the compassionate plan of action that she and her family implemented to cope with what is becoming a crisis for more and more families. As a practicing psychotherapist I have recommended her book to many of my collegues working with families who have loved ones diagnosed with Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. This book is destined to become a useful tool for most, if not all of us.

A warm, positive, honest account of the emotional journey of dealing with a parent who is aging with memory loss. Sally wrote this as a diary and friends suggested she publish it. Everyone has something to learn from this book as we are all aging. I recommend that health professionals read this , esp medical students but really it applies to all families as we will all have to deal with the loss of a parent at some stage. A very worthwhile book, and it makes a great gift.

I read Sally's book and immediately passed it on to my mother. Aside from enjoying the family bits, it prompted her to make sure certain aspects of her will were in place. Sally's gifts as a writer are apparent in her anecdotal treatment of her response along with her family's to her mother's disease. She brings light to the dark and in the end alerts us to our final responsibility as a parent.

I enjoyed the book and would encourage my folks to read it. It is so hard to get an unbiased history of Denmark Vesey. I am looking for African descened historians to give me an accurate picture.

Considering the author isn't a black historian, he gives a pretty, fair and balanced view of Denmark. I believe the truth is a problem for many people, but I am relatively satisfied this book.

It is beyond belief that some folks would have a problem with enslaved humans rising up and slaughtering thoe with their foot on their necks. These same people don't seem to having a problem with the the whites slaughtering, maiming, and raping, terrorizing and working to death the Africans. Go figure!

I highly recommend.

The Lives of Denmark Vesey is a story of an atypical slave (Telemaque) born in the Caribbean who ends up in Charleston, South Carolina by the time he's sixteen. Vesey, having learned three languages, was extremely intelligent compared to slaves of his time and would later lead a slave revolt in Charleston.

Douglas Egerton does a great job of vividly describing Charleston and many of its inhabitants in the early 19th century. This interesting and astonishing book about a slave in the early 1800s is very accurate and truthfully coincides with many historians living in Charleston today. I recently did a report comparing Egerton's book to various sources of the known history of Charleston in the late 18th and early 19th century, and Egerton's book hits on all the main aspects of Charleston. The buzzard and manure infested streets and the large "underground" slave population that roamed the streets at night are just a few of the characteristics of Charleston Egerton accurately hits on. Props to Egerton on an interesting and accurate story about a monumental aspect of Charleston's history.

I have very mixed feelings about this book because there are parts that I enjoy and think are important, but as a whole I think that this is very dangerous not because of the content but because of how this book was written.

For anyone who wants to understand the difference between field slaves and town slaves (there are a lot) in the 1820's in the South this is a good book. Douglas Egerton follows the life of the slave Denmark Vessey as a way to "show-off" Southern society and culture at the time and discusses issues that arose for enslaved and free blacks in Charleston.

But the main part of the book is when Egerton gets to the failed insurrection by Vessey (a plan that involved killing a large portion of white Charleston and sailing on boats to Haiti). This too he describes in great detail from the planning of the revolt to how Vessey and his conspirators were tried and hanged.

Then I read "Denmark Vessey and his Co-Conspirators" by Michael Johnson which appeared in the October 2001 issue of The William and Mary Quarterly. It is necessary that you read this in conjunction with Egerton's book. Johnson attacks the very evidence used by Egerton in his book (mainly trial documents) to claim that there wasn't a revolt at all and that Vessey and many others were killed because White Charleston "thought" there was a slave insurrection. He further argues that historians like Egerton have fabricated this entire plot and rewritten history, hence "co-conspirators."

Personally, I don't agree with Johnson that there was no revolt, but he convinced me that Egerton's evidence isn't adequate to say there was. Egerton did write a response to Johnson which pushed that there was in fact a revolt but doesn't even acknowledge that a lot of his evidence is faulty.

I got the chance to meet and discuss the issue with the author and got little besides a character assassination of Johnson. I cannot deny that his lack in recognizing his mistakes and trying to correct them has made me biased and I like his book a lot less. He sees it as a finished product, I see it as a rough draft that needs to be re-researched. But I think that this is the real issue here. Historians make mistakes, but when we are too prideful our mistakes can become what many see as the truth. I'm not saying that Denmark Vessey's slave revolt never happened, I don't know, but the attitude of historians like Egerton is dangerous because it provides the right conditions for this "rewritten history" to occur.

In Egerton's defense he did make a revised addition at the urging of his publisher (not on his own accord), but the changes are menial, the biggest he said was confirming that one town slave was a mulatto and not completely black, and he wants to later include how Vessey's wife, Beck, ended up in Liberia. To me, this was no effort to revisit any of the old evidence that is inadequate, just adding more fluff.

The other issue (others have mentioned) is that the Vessey is almost deified in this book. And yes I realize that it is convenient for me, as a white person, to say that killing all of the whites in Charleston is morally bankrupt, but Egerton doesn't even try to address this issue anywhere in his book.

This is an excellent history of slavery in South Carolina with a focus on the unsucessful revolt led by Denmark Vesey. The strength of the book is the history of Vesey and the evolutionary process that leds him to his death.

What is most intriguing was the discussion of Vesey's rejection of the New Testement as a guide for his actions and his use of the Old Testement as a guide. The book deals well with the issue of the effect of the masters use of the Christian faith as a justification for slavery on the slaves and freemens spiritual life.

The only flaw in the book was the authors obvious admiration for Vesey. Not that such admiration is not deserved, but it tended to color some of the more difficult issues in Vesey's revolt. For instance, a major controversey has arisen concerning whether as part of the revolt the whites of Charleston were to be massacred. The author does not deal with the claim other than to dismiss is as illogical. However, this dismissal is insufficent given the hate and feellings for revenge that the slaves must have felt toward their masters.

All in all, this is a very readable history important events in American history. A good read.

This was an extraordinary book. Douglas Egerton does a marvelous job of telling the different lives of Denmark Vesey. The book is extremely well researched and tells the historical truth of Vesey's life. The author does a wonderful job of finding the true story of Denmark Vesey and incorporates intriging insights into his life. This is a wonderful book that illustrates what life was like for a dynamic slave who turned free. Egerton tells Vesey's story in a fascinating way and does a great job of recapturing Vesey's life. The author tells of how Vesey was a strong-willed, highly intelligent leader who had an ingenious plot to help slaves and free blacks to truly become free. The author shows how fascinating Vesey was even though his plan failed. This is a marvelous book and I highly recomend reading it! It is an absolute joy to read!