Our Virtual Bookshelf
A selection of regional reading, from playful to serious
Merriman's Second Chance
by Wilmot B. Irvin
Red Letter Press, 330 pages, paperback, $14.95
John Merriman is a crusty old trial lawyer who makes a career of skating across the ethical boundaries drawn by his profession. His nemesis, the self-righteous county solicitor Malcolm T. Prescott, makes life difficult for Merriman until the tables are turned and Prescott finds himself in the seat of the accused. The author is a well-known Columbia attorney and also the author of three other novels, plus a novella and a novelette soon to be released.
Reefer Moon
by Roger Pinckney
Evening Post Publishing Co., 208 pages, hardcover, $29.95
"Nobody knows the South Carolina Lowcountry like Roger Pinckney, hunter, fisher and voodoo man. He's the real thing." So says his friend Dorothea Benton Frank. And after reading this book, I have to agree with her. It's the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The jasmine is blooming and the moon and the magic are working overtime.
Expecting Goodness & Other Stories:
The Essential Fiction of Spartanburg
edited by C. Michael Curtis
Hub City Writers Project, paperback, 178 pages, $16.95
This book is a collection of 20 Southern short stories by both established and up-and-coming authors who remarkably share the same hometown.
City of the Silent
by Ted Ashton Phillips Jr.
with a foreword by Josephine Humphries and afterword by Alice McPherson Phillips
USC Press, 216 pages, hardcover, $39.95
The late Ted Ashton Phillips Jr. began his fascination with Charleston's picturesque Magnolia Cemetery at age 16, when he worked there as a groundskeeper and assistant gravedigger. His longtime passion for preserving the stories of the dead has led to the research represented in a newly-published collective biography of more than 200 representative Charlestonians now buried among Magnolia's 30,000 permanent residents. Mr. Phillips is interred in Magnolia Cemetery alongside the subjects of his book.
Guardians of the Valley: Chickasaws in Colonial South Carolina and Georgia
by Edward J. Cashin
USC Press, 208 pages, hardcover, $29.95
The Chickasaws were one of the more powerful Southeastern Indian nations, yet few realize that they played a major role in the history of South Carolina. With their outpost on the Savannah River, the Chickasaws were significant trading partners and military allies of colonial South Carolina. The Chickasaw Nation awarded the author the title "Imanoli Afahena" or "One Who Tells an Important Story" for his research into the Chickasaws of the Savannah River Valley.
The Devil Beats His Wife and Other Stories from the Lowcountry
by Horace Mungin
BookSurge, 221 pages, paperback, $11.99
This is a collection of picaresque stories of the modern South. The author's extraordinary imagination brings us a collection of short stories— one of which is narrated by mannequins and another by a talking fish! Mungin's focus on characters, desperately clinging to the bottom rung of the American dream, documents their lives with grace and empathy.
Haunted Secrets
by Sandra LaBruce
AuthorHouse, 303 pages, paperback, $15.95
Vivian inherits a house where spirits cannot rest and all occupants disappeared without a trace. She searches for the buried secrets her great grandfather did not want anyone to know. Whispering voices, slamming doors and dark shadows lure her to unveil the truth. Spirits have opened a door into the past. Take this one on vacation for a good read.
Glory on the Gridiron: A History of College Football in South Carolina
by Fritz P. Hamer and John Daye
The History Press, 160 pages, paperback, $19.99
From as early as 1889, college football began to take hold of South Carolina. The authors have given us an exciting overview of the teams, coaches, players and rivalries that have defined football in the Palmetto State. A great gift for that sports fan on your list.
Defending South Carolina's Coast: The Civil War from Georgetown to Little River
by Rick Simmons
The History Press, paperback, 192 pages, $21.99
The author relates the often-overlooked stories of the upper South Carolina coast during the Civil War. As a base of operations for more than 3,000 troops early in the war and the site of more than a dozen forts, almost every inch of the coast was affected by and hotly contested during the Civil War.
Tracing the Cape Romain Archipelago
by Bob Raynor
The History Press, 192 pages, paperback, $21.99
Between Myrtle Beach and Charleston lies the Cape Romain archipelago, which links with adjoining barrier islands to form a section of pristine, protected coast designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The author spent years weaving his way through the archipelago in his silent sailboat. His captivating, firsthand descriptions of the area, which is under threat from coastal development, offer a priceless glimpse into one of South Carolina's most important natural treasures.
Circling The Savannah: Cultural Landmarks of the Central Savannah River Area
by Dr. Tom Mack
The History Press, 128 pages, paperback, $19.99
The Central Savannah River Area is famous for the sand hills that frame both sides of the great river dividing South Carolina and Georgia. The author takes you on a journey to plantations, museums, monuments, and much more in this delightful collection of his columns that first appeared in the Aiken Standard.
Lowcountry Voodoo Beginner's Guide to Tales, Spells and Boo Hags
by Terrance Zepke
Pineapple Press, 160 pages, paperback, $9.95
When African slaves were bought to the American South to work the plantations, they brought with them their culture, traditions, and religion—including what came to be called voodoo. This unique blend of Christianity, herbalism, and folk magic is still practiced in the Lowcountry. The book offers a surprising wealth of information about this fascinating part of Lowcountry life.
Children's Books
Pirates of the Carolinas for Kids
by Terrance Zepke
Pineapple Press, 72 pages, paperback, $9.95
Another book for children ages 9 and older. Full of fun facts and colorful art, the book details the life of a pirate in the Golden Age of Piracy and introduces nine of the most famous pirates to weigh anchor in the Carolinas. Ms. Zepke loves pirates and the Carolinas.
Lulie Loves Lima Beans
by Michael P. Gibson and illustrated by Cynthia Nedved
Flying Pig Press, hardcover, 38 pages, $17.99
The star of the book is the author's 4-year-old Maltese puppy Lulie Anna who really loves lima beans. It is beautifully illustrated; a perfect book to read to a toddler who won't eat lima beans— or any other vegetable.
Tofu Quilt
by Ching Yeung RussellLee & Low Books, hardcover, 125 pages, $16.99
The author's memoir in free verse captures a world of rich snapshots from her youth in Hong Kong. Mrs. Russell lives in Charleston; this is her fourth book based on her childhood in a small town in southeastern China and Hong Kong during the 1940s. A children's book recommended for grades 3 through 6.
Lighthouses of the Carolinas for Kids
by Terrance Zepke
Pineapple Press, 64 pages, paperback, $9.95
This book is geared for children age 9 and older. A lively text, rich in pictures, tells the history and lore of the lighthouses along the Carolina shores— from Currituck Lighthouse at the top of North Carolina to the Haig Point Lighthouse at the bottom of South Carolina. A perfect read for the beach this summer.
