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!

This book is dynamic and I highly recomend reading it. It is wonderfully written with extaordinary prose. The author does a superb job of bringing the readers into the time period and a wonderful jog of telling Vesey's story. Engaging diction and syntax keep the readers alive. There is not a dull moment in this book. Every page is filled th wonderful insights surrounding the times of the book. This book is a must have for people of all interests.I highly recommend reading it and sharing it with a friend. Douglas Egerton does a fascinating job of telling the history of Vesey's life and atmosphere!

I am currently in Charleston and am stunned that not one person that I have asked all over town has ever heard of this dear lady! I just purchased her cookbook and intend to buy the other. She is a dieing breed. I went away to college 20 years ago and never moved back to the south until this year. Thanks to Mrs Pregnall (as she is my senior) I am looking forward to establishing my own group of fans for reproducing her fabulous looking, down-home, gentil and uniquely southern creations. If you are listening Mrs Pregnall, I am earnestly hoping to meet you while here and have you to personally autogragh my book. I am thankful that ladies like you are still around and that you will continue to encourage your craft, which I'm sure has very little to do with the actual ingredients that you put inside the cake....like mostly love. May the Lord bless you and keep you!

I just received this new book on Friday--I also have the first book she wrote--Treasured Recipes--my goal is to make all of the cakes in both books. I currently have the Brown sugar nut in the freezer--we thought it was quite good. So far our favorite is the Chocolate Pound cake--using the Dutch chocolate and sour cream. I have also made the chocolate chip cake--for some reason my chocolate chips tended to settle to the bottom of the pan--not sure if I folded them well enough.

We also made the Charleston chews---you must keep this in an airtight container or they will dry out quickly.

I am going to start making the cakes in the second book this week. I personally prefer a pound cake that is quite heavy--and I have found that all of her cakes are quite light--probably due to the cake mix. All of them are very good and a delight to make.

If you have any experience with the cakes--personal likes and dislikes--I would love to read about them.

I feel as though Mrs. Pregnall is a very good and close friend of mine, as well as a personal mentor. But, I have never met her and wish that I could. Her recipes from both books are used in my endeavors to please my family and friends with the very best confections possible. Anyone can produce these wonderful treats and relish in the compliments. Teresa is an inspiration to me!

I bought this in anticipation of an upcoming visit to Charleston. It is a beautiful brochure more than a book. It does have what appears to be an outstanding selection of retaurants including sample menus ,gorgeous photos, directions and some recipes. I can't vouch for the recommendations yet but I will certainly try several of the featured places when I'm there. My hesitiation is for those who like me was looking for a guide to help select some eating places in Charleston. This may be a bit much under those circumstances and a zagat guide might suffice. However I reserve the right to review again when I return.

This is a great book for anyone living in or going to Charleston. It is also great for those who appreciate great restaruants and good food. I love the recipes and sample menus (with prices!). It has everything you need for a great dining experience including directions and phone numbers. Enjoy!

This book captures the spirit of the great city of Charleston. With stunning photographs and great content, this book should be required reading for anyone wanting to explore a romantic city and the best of fine dining.

Visitors to the city, as well as local resisdents, will have "inside information" regarding the best dining establishments as well as recipes to try at home.

Highly recommended.

An excellent book; well-researched, with many interesting illustrations (both color and black&white), with informative text. Gives a new perspective on Charleston's role as a leading port and center of commerce. Widely purchased and read by those of us who live in the "Holy City".

We have lived in Charleston for 20 years and always marvelled at its maritime attributes and now we have a way to learn all about its history as relates to the importance of its port, its naval history and its shipbuilding industry over the centuries. Mr. Coker's illustrations are beautiful, and his appendices are wonderful. Much valuable research, on a subject that really needed it, went into this one!

Nick Barrett is doing a favor for some friends tracking down an old painting brought to Charleston, South Carolina, by early settlers. Instead of a friendly antiques deal, he finds himself involved with a religious cult, a group of racists who haveto revised a terrible punishment from the days of slavery, and hints of ancient voodoo--and a mystery that the police thought solved decades before.

Author Sigmund Brouwer writes convincingly of a south still caught up in the evils of its past--and evil men who use the Bible for their own goals, subverting its most fundamental rules. Like the south, Barrett is conflicted--in Barrett's case between hatred for his brother and the charity he shares with Angel and Retha. Brouwer's arguments about religion sometimes pull the reader out of the story. It's okay for Barrett to have faith, but he really doesn't have to share the reasons why he's abandoned the scepticism of his youth--twice--since it doesn't advance the story.

CROWN OF THORNS's strength is fast-moving action as Barrett and the young women who seem to infiltrate his life are plunged from one danger into another. Author Sigmund Brouwer delivers an engaging and page turning style that draws the reader in and delivers.

Check out some of the hotter male mystery writers and you'll run across the names of James Lee Burke (Jolie Blon's Bounce) and Harlan Coben (Gone for Good). These guys are NY Times bestsellers. After reading Brouwer's Nick Barrett mysteries, I believe he has reached the same level of writing. He deserves a wide audience for this masterful tale.

The story quickly introduces us to two damsels in distress--except neither woman is weak or cowardly. In fact, Angel and Retha are two memorable and likeable characters. Both are trying to protect children in their care; both are threatened by violent, outside forces.

Enter Nick Barrett. Barrett is a three-dimensional man, born of questionable parentage and raised in an atmosphere of subtle bigotry and pride. He is trying to stay afloat emotionally. As he finds himself involved in the lives of Angel and Retha, he must face his fears, his doubts, and his faith.

Voodoo doctors, cult members, and bitter high society players all join in the action as the mysteries unfold. The city of Charleston is a character in the tale. As the climax nears, the plot twists turn tighter, the surprises mount, and--for this reader--the emotional impact swelled.

Like the two aforementioned bestselling writers, Brouwer mixes his gritty story with heart and warmth. Not even the half-dozen punctuation and spelling errors could keep me from sinking myself into Brouwer's fictional world. When I turned the final page, I closed my eyes and said aloud, "That is one darrrrn good book!" And I meant it.

Minor distractions from the otherwise impressive scholarship in this book are the woefully inaccurate maps accompanying the text. In one wildly wrong map, the port city of Charleston is located not on the Atlantic but thirty or more miles inland on a river's bank. I realize such errors should not be chalked up against the author, but for such an expensively-priced volume, a reader should also receive accurate illustrations. A university press should have taken greater care in the production of this otherwise excellent book.

This book is a carefully edited work that will be appreciated by scholars and laypersons alike interested in Vesey as well as slavery, racism and resistance in general.

There is a great deal about the history and folklore of Charleston and the low country in this book. If you are after folklore this is your book. On the other hand if it is ghost stories you crave you might want to pass. Many of the stories start out with several pages relating to the history of the haunting and finish with only a paragraph about the ghost itself. For example the story often ends with a sentence like, "The young girl's spirit still roams......".

The writing style is very good and Mrs. Martin's love for Charleston is very evident. I realize that the style of writing these type of books has changed a great deal since this book came out so I won't be too hard on it. The idea of presenting a ghost story as fact and interviewing those who claim to have seen the ghost wasn't in style in 1963. Still I bought this book expecting much more ghost and a lot less folklore and history. If you are really into ghosts there are much better books out there dealing with Charleston.

I first read this book as a child and when my paperback copy was destroyed I purchased a new hard cover copy. I still pick this book up on occasion for a wonderful trip back in time and into a touch of the spirit world.

Written and first published almost forty years ago, Charleston Ghosts was the product of the late Martin's fervid interest in her hometown's history, particularly the tales of local hauntings and the circumstances that caused the unearthly unrest as recounted over and again by other native Charlestonians. These stories, tales of spurned love (a wealthy society girl rejects love for money and pays the consquences) and rejection (a house servant risks her heart and loses) are as colorful as the city itself.

Pick up a copy of Charleston Ghosts if you are unable to visit the city yet have an interest in Southern history and "otherworldly" things. Martin's retellings of the city's more known legends are fascinating to read, from the frightening "Gray Man" of St. Philip's Episcopal Cemetery to the "Whistling Doctor" who can still be heard--a century after his death!

If you do happen to be in town, take a walking tour and get the book. You just may meet a major character in one of Martin's tales.

Even though Great Destinations: Charleston, Savannah & Coastal Islands Book : A Complete Guide (3rd Ed)is an excellent guide book filled with usefull information; it does have definite drawbacks. For instance, the book is way to big and therefore one is not able to place it in ones pocket which made it not so practical.

Having, for more years than even I may care to remember, long considered myself an 'armchair traveler' I tend to be extremely wary of many travel guides. While the author/editor may have their hearts in the right place ( and of that I'm not always certain either! ) they tend to be written, for the most part, from a slightly askew view-point. By that I simply mean seemingly to have been authored by someone who too is merely 'visiting' the city/region that I am reading about....and therefore long to aggressively explore and 'drink-in' the local culture. Again, a book being written from one is on the 'outside looking in' so to speak. And since I tend to wish to 'blend-in' when travelling ( I loathe actually looking like a tourist, don't you? ) I require a book from one who not only knows all the region's highlights but the cafe's, shops and little nooks and crannies that the 'locals' frequent as well. And when a travel book is written concerning the wonderful 'Lowcountry' of Georgia and South Carolina than I may be even more persnikity! But having lived in the South for a number of years ( I'm a transplanted Savannahnian! ) my critiques may be even more judgemental. Therein lies my dilemma!

The back cover of Cecily McMillan's " The Charleston, Savannah & Coastal Islands Book " states that the author has lived in the 'Coastal Empire' since 1980 and it truly shows. The book itself is penned from one who not only truly knows the region well but from one who seemingly loves it as much as I do. Laid out for easy accessibility I had no problem using the book last summer when visiting Charleston and Kiawah Island. It even gave me much needed updated information on Savannah ( I've been gone far too long! ) such as smaller shops where I could spend my hard earned dollar, tucked away restaurants featuring delicious local cuisine and especially a vast amount of info on the surrounding islands ( Hilton Head I'm coming back to stay next time! Definitely! ) as well. The book also gave a sense of history for the region which I always find very helpful when attempting to 'get the feel' of any city/town and it's local population. Plus, there was an agreeable amount on local beach's that I didn't even know existed. Shame on me! Overall, a very well put together edition that guided me effortlessly through my travels.

Obviously this is a 'two-thumbs up' review of " Charleston, Savannah & Coastal Islands " and why not? The Lowcountry is a marvelous region and one which possess's an abundance of beauty and a laid-back elegance which is undeniable. I found little wrong about this guide ( not much on local Golf courses but it did give badly needed info as to where I might find it! ) from the first-rate information that was easy to use and seemed fully up to date. And while I am no longer a 'local' ( for the moment! ) I am happy with my purchase and for Ms. McMillan in helping me enjoy my summer holiday. Perhaps you truly can go home again! Thank-You!!

Ms. Mcmillan knows this region well and the book reflects that. It is well organized, factual, and as up to date as is possible, given the vigorous growth spurt that has enveloped the area. The restaurant reviews are honest and accurate as to specifics. As a resident of the South Carolina coast, it has been helpful to me and to the friends to whom I have given a copy. This is a region rich in history and atmosphere. I think this book conveys a sense of those things in a very entertaining and refreshing way.

How I would have loved knowing Mrs. Whaley beyond the pages of her books. She has the most deliciously charming perspective on a world gone by and presents her recollections with a spirit right at home in today. She's observes with pithy candor and humor and reading her nuggets of advice is a real treat. Besides, the recipes look marvellous--and very Southern.

I enjoyed "visiting with" Mrs. Whaley again, although perhaps not as much as in her gardening book. When reading, you feel as if you are sitting in front of her, engaged in listening to stories about Charleston, her past, and her family, and about making guests feel at home. I don't think the recipes will take the world by storm--most are variations on old favorites. But you pick up tidbits about entertaining and the relaxed southern style. This book and/or her gardening book would make wonderful gifts, and would be perfect to tuck into a gift basket along with some other items. It is the kind of book you want to pick up when you've had a hard day or have a rainy afternoon to enjoy!

This book made me want to revisit Charleston again. I loved the stories (I have not read this author's gardening book) and the recipes sound not only delicious but easy to make as well.

Oh to grow up in a time where there are servants everywhere and the family stays close together. It made me yearn for a time that is no more.

I'm an armchair history buff, but not a historian. This book was pretty "to the point" (thus the name) and interesting from the beginning through the 19th century, but the 20th century components were not compelling to me.

The book was dry. I'd recommend it if you are preparing for a visit to Charleston -otherwise find something else to read.

I've just returned from a short visit to Charleston and Rosen's "Short History to Charleston" was a perfect comrade in preparation for the tour. His book is a fun and quick read full of all the sort of information one needs to delect in Charleston's fascinating history. Not only does it give a rather complete, albeit brief, historical account of Charleston's dramatic evolution from beginning to near present day, but every page provides descriptions of remarkable individuals or events which enhance and delight the reader's experience of Charleston's history all of which are most often embellished with remarkable illustrations. I highly recommend this book.

We were, there in this wonderful, historic southern gem on vacation. In a wonderful, large, bookstore, we inquired, what book if you want to learn more about the history. This is it, the local experts said.

It is, well written from the beginnings of Charles Town up to Hurrican Hugo, the prose is lively and attention keeping.

Especially to be enjoyed is the side-bar entries of primarily people and architecture which add much to the verbal discussion going on the page.

To go further in study, the author provides this wisdom: "there appear to me to be more bad books written about Charleston than just about any subject I know." So he lists those he knows are worthy and recommended on each time period. Helpful!