South Carolina Books

Very well-written book re:Sherman's treck through Columbia, SC during the Civil War.
Highly recommend it!!

Professor Lucas has written a well researched analysis of the burning of Columbia, South
Carolina by the Federal army. There were strategic military reasons for Sherman's march
through central South Carolina. Columbia "was an important war manufacturing
center--one of the few still in Confederate hands--providing munitions, equipment, and
uniforms....central South Carolina contained the last Confederate sources of food
untouched by war." Governor Magrath pointed out to Jefferson Davis that the borders of
South Carolina were Richmond's second line of defense which was confirmed when
Richmond fell less than two months after Columbia surrendered.

The author outlines the wartime conditions in Columbia noting that both the civilian and
military authorities were tardy in realizing the obvious danger to the city and even slower
to act. Finally the author writes "The missing ingredient with the Confederate camp....was
a belief in the possibility of success. The defeatism of Beauregard's leadership was
abundantly clear...."

Chapter 2 gives a succinct account of the evacuation of Columbia noting that inspite of
the desperate condition of the Confederate armies, the large arsenals and war supplies in
Columbia were not evacuated. The cotton in storage was moved into the streets with
orders for it to be burned which contributed to the later fires. Columbia Mayor Goodwyn
surrendered the city while scores of bewildered Columbians, in an ill-conceived attempt to
placate a dreaded conqueror, began distributing alcoholic beverages to the soldiers. This
precipitated an insurmountable problem.

A balanced account of the burning of Columbia is given. The most damaging fire began
about eight p.m.on February 17th, was of inexplicable origin and was not extinguished for
six or seven hours when the wind abated. With drunken men roaming the streets, rioting
and acts of personal violence were bound to occur. Confusion reigned and most control
over the city was lost . The extent of the damage following the fire is reviewed. About
one-third of Columbia was destroyed with the business community virtually wiped out and
265 residences burned.

Regarding who burned Columbia, the conclusions were (and still are) along partisan lines.
South Carolinians charged Sherman as "morally responsible for the burning of Columbia".
Union officers and troops felt that while the events in Columbia were regrettable they
were the results of acts of war. Sherman entered South Carolina to disrupt the state's
transportation system and bring an end to the war by destroying Southern morale.
However, Professor Lucas notes "The failure of Sherman's psychological warfare, a new
kind of war which Southern civilians did not understand, was that the hatred generated
during the invasion did not terminate with the war's end."

The post war criticisms of and charges against Sherman and the Union army are reviewed.
The author notes that the Confederates as they evacuated the city began the looting and
plundering then the entering Federal troops seized what was left. The unanswered
question of incendiarism, the most disputed issue, is complicated by a lack of reliable
eyewitness accounts.
In summary, Sherman failed to take timely and sufficient action to control both the fires
and the riots. However, the author notes that the failure of Confederate leadership in the
defense of South Carolina and the evacuation of the city played a major role in creating a
situation which resulted in the destruction of the city. In addition no preparations were
made by Beauregard, Hampton or the city fathers for the official surrender of the city
when a formal declaration of Columbia as an open city may have produced positive
results.

In conclusion, Professor Lucas writes that the burning of Columbia was a great tragedy
for South Carolina and the Union stating "....when the Union Army left Columbia on
February 20, 1865, it left behind bitter hatred. Many citizens had lost everything they
possessed, while others had gone through the catastrophe relatively unscathed. All,
however, suffered psychologically. They had promised to give their "all" in defense of
South Carolina and the Confederacy; it was painfully apparent that few had done so. Long
before Columbia was captured, Columbians had given up."

I agree with the other reviewer in preferring Mr. Bernard's work to that of Mr. Cooper. Bernard brings Talleyrand to life - through the use of the erstwhile bishop's own memoirs & those of his friends - and even his enemies. What came through most was the fabled Talleyrand charm. A modern reader can clearly see why he was as influential as he is reputed to be. As Casimir de Montrond replied to his mistress upon being asked why he liked Talleyrand so much, "My dear madam, who can help loving someone with so many vices?"

With all due respect to Duff Cooper I suspect this is the best English biography of Talleyrand about; it tracks his youth (including his fabled meeting with Voltaire), his involuntary admission to the priesthood, his Revolutionary activities (including his successful bid to strip away church assets), ihs exile in America, his affair with de Stahl, his team-up with and subsequent falling-out with Napoleon, his afterlife as the star of the Congress of Vienna and Louis XVIII's prime-minister and his long retirement (including his role as kingmaker in the 1830 revolution). Napoleon once said that Talleyrand was "filth in a silk stocking"; certainly many of Talleyrand's financial goings-on would qualify as corruption by modern standards but, as Barnard reveals, his foreign policy was generally a peaceful one, and his general approach to governmance sought to reduce civil discord through building a legitimate basis for the government of the day - be it Republican, Bonapartist, Bourbon or Orleanist. Even his so-called womanizing is explained in these terms: on his death bed his primary goal was to legitimize his long term mistress and to return to orthodox Catholicism. A great portrait of one of Europe's most influential and entertaining minds.

The perfect combination of history, statistics, analysis and photographic material. This is the only resource you will need to understand the badge system and to learn to distinguish the surviving relics from modern forgeries. Highly recommended.

this is the ultimate scholarly work on slave badges, a unique product of our slaveholding past. The book is thorough and easy to read. In it, you will find everything you could possibly want to know about badges and their uses.

I recommend it for Civil War buffs who want to add some marginalia to their discussions and to historical writers who want to add detail to their work. Anyone visiting historic Charleston will also find the information about fraudulent badges essential to their souvenir shopping. Plus, you may decide to bring your metal detector into the city from the beach, because that's how these valuable artifacts are usually found.

An excellent, thoughtful account of one of the most versatile and underrated American statesmen of the twentieth century. As is noted toward the end of the book, Jimmy Byrnes started out his political life as a Progressive-era Democratic reformer and ended it as an unofficial senior advisor to Richard Nixon. To learn about the kind of careful, brilliant political positioning that would make a transformation like THAT possible, I would strongly encourage you to read the book.

Political biographies are difficult to write and oftentimes more difficult to read. David Robertson's biography of James F. Byrnes is rich in detail, history, and brings alive the character of many prominent political figures. James F. Byrnes served as a Congressman, United States Senator, and Governor of South Carolina as well as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Secretary of State under Harry S. Truman, and "Assistant President" to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Brynes's autobiography was appropriately titled, "All In One Lifetime". Robertson has skillfully described the political life of Byrnes who rightfully enjoyed a reputation as one of the most crafty powerbrokers in the country. Byrnes's career stretched from just after the turn of the century until leaving office as Governor in 1955. Brynes remained extremely influential in South Carolina, helping to push the Palmetto State towards the Republican party, despite his having held office as a Democrat. Robertson beautifully illustrates not only Byrnes, but a host of personalities including FDR, Truman, and South Carolina personages such as racist Governor and Brynes foe Coley Blease. Any student of history should certainly read "Sly and Able". Those who are interested in history, South Carolina, politics, government, or the struggle for equality and civil rights will surely find David Robertson's biography of James F. Byrnes a rewarding experience

i love this book-an instant classic in the vein of carl kauffeld's 'snakes and snake hunting',in that it so clearly translates the pleasure of being out in the feild with a friend or two,and more so the thrill of finding the snakes you're out looking for....the author john kemnitzer goes into such vital details as weather conditions,habitat/terrain type being hunted at any given time,time of day,species type(s) found,and how they were found...but a nice balance to such important facts are the anecdotes-the fun and conversation had before,during,and after a day of hunting...i also personally liked how the author translates what he still gets out of snake hunting,even though he does not keep what he finds,instead opting to admire them then leave them as they were...also included is an accurate explanation of the most current snake bite envenomation first aid....a great book,and fun read!

This is a great book to carry in your backpack when hiking through the woods in the Carolinas. If you get bit by a snake, you could look it up in the book to see if it has envenomated you so you can get home and go to a hospital. If it says it doesn't have venom then you can wash it with water and continue your hike.

Busick is great! This is a "sober desire for history" at its best. Sean Busick is the man and I would recommend that every American should read this great work of writing. Please share this with your family around the Christmas tree this Christmas. I hope that this book is on everybodies wishlist.

Busick's careful study shows yet another facet of the literary genius Simms was. Busick's work is additional proof of the depth of that genius. No other American literary figure of his day had such depth and breadth of achievement. It is particularly encouraging to see young scholars make such explorations into the antebellum intellectual climate of the South.

Solve for X is the fourth collection of brief, "creative nonfiction" essays by author Arthur Saltzman (Professor of English, Missouri Southern State University). From reflecting on the phenomenon of child prodigies in "Wunderkindergarten", to a tongue-in-cheek suggestion of how the degree to which a woman enjoys James Joyce's novels can be used to estimate her level of arrogance, to the unquestionable dominance the automobile has claimed in modern American culture, Solve for X ranges the gamut of introspection, insight, and at times, crushing criticism. A most delectable intellectual smorgasbord.

Arthur Saltzman has again exhibited his superb writing style, displaying his biting satire, poignant observations and hilarious sense of humor. This collection of essays covers a wide range of his interests and experiences, and flows so easily that the book becomes a very fast read. The stories are fresh and never fail to arouse the reader's curiosity about where the essays will lead. Some of them caused me to have the best laugh I've had in a long time from a piece of writing. Others intrigued me as I considered the interesting viewpoints of the author. And all of them exhibited his usual flair and his wonderful choices of words and images. I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly to all age groups, along with his earlier collections of original essays. The material is current, witty and just plain fun to read. I eagerly await the topics, issues and recollections to be covered in the next series.

Guy Beck's Sonic Theology is a superb introduction to sacred sound in Hinduism. He covers a great deal of material including shabda and nada brahman. It is well written and covers a lot of ground.

As a writer and researcher in the area of Hinduism and Yoga, I read and review a number of books everyday. This work successfully opens the field for study in sacred sound in the Hindu Tradition.

Although a number of works deal with mantra in relation to the various soteriological traditions of India, none have truly brought all of the knowledge together as efficiently and decisively as he has. His comparitive approach and weaving together of helpful, contextual historical information make it a valuable study. His treatment of the grammarian traditions and their theories on language, meaning and mantra are insightful.

I heartily recommend this work for those interested in learning more about the role of sound in soteriology. As India's legacy is its oral tradition, this book provides a unique perspective into the Indic spiritual traditions. Beck's approach has reset the perspective and opened a doorway to the heart of Hinduism. As one of my mentor's stated, "Only a fine musician could have written such a book."

Tip** If you want a starter book on the topic, look up Harold Coward and David Goa, Mantra: Hearing the Divine in India.

As a personal friend of the author I have seen the proofs of this beautiful book which ranks right up there with Ms. Kiefer's "A North Carolina Christmas" A great birthday or Christmas gift for ANYONE

Are you wondering what to give someone as a very special gift? THIS is the answer, or Ms Kiefer's other books on Christmas traditions, songs, poems, cartoons, recipes, with super-de-luxe photos that make you remember a visit there or just dream and really enjoy.

This is a great book and even though it was a used edition, It was like new.
This book is out of print and I was glad to find a copy.

I have fond memories of this book and return to it regularly to read once again the very interesting history of the Palmetto State. This is such a good, accurate, and complete history book my college class at Furman University used it as a textbook, yet it is definitely written so that the average person can enjoy it. Lewis has a friendly writing style that most should enjoy. He does not bog you down with numbers, and there are no footnotes or obscure references to deal with.

One of the major problems in South Carolina history is that many writers allow themselves to take sides, either on the Civil War, the slavery issues, racial issues, and Reconstruction. If you want a good example of what I mean, read David Duncan Wallace's very good and very interesting three volume history, written in the late 1920's, which is just as interesting for the cultural slant of the writer when dealing with these issues as it is for its actual content.

Lewis avoids these problems adroitly, without sounding "politically correct."

This book would make a great gift for someone moving to South Carolina, or a great buy for yourself if you just want a good thorough history of the Palmetto State.