Customer Reviews

South Carolina: A History

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Overall this was an excellent book on what is most likely the most controversial state in the Union...Since the first landing in St. Helena Parish, through the Colonial period and the Civil War era to the flag controversy in the late 1990's, South Carolinians have been different, in almost every way, then the rest of the country. While NC's motto may be 'first in flight', South Carolina's could very well be 'first to fight'. Their instigation of the Revolutionary war and the Civil war, not to mention dozens of other controversial actions on the part of some of our ancestral fire-eaters make this book not just a history every SC-olian should read but one that every American should read as well. Like it or not, SC has played an extremely vital role in the path our country has taken and the culture we have developed. This book attempts to cover this role... While some of the book may bog down, the majority of the chapters are very well researched, flow smoothly, and are extremely interesting. You will find such topics as Colonial life in SC, Antebellum life in SC, SC-olinans in the Revolutionary War, SC-olina's role in starting the Civil War, how SC bucked reconstruction, etc...Overall, if you are a fan of good history then you will enjoy this book. If you are looking for action then try a couple books about SC's role in the fighting of the Civil War...'Kershaw's brigade' and 'the Stuck eagle: South Carolina Infantry in the Civil War'. Enjoy...

As an avid amateur historian interested in American History and particularly South Carolina History, I found Edgar's account of the Palmetto State's history to be the definitive reference. Before this book, the subject lacked a comprehensive study from a modern perspective. Edgar is neither a Southern apologist nor a smug social critic. He addresses head-on the sensitive issue of race relations and provides an unbiased review of its impact upon the state's course in history. His objectivity, on that issue as well as many others, is refreshing.

Walter Edgar has packed an amazing collection of facts and analysis into his work and presents it in a very readable and engaging style. The book is a well-researched, scholarly masterpiece. Just as importantly, though, it is also an entertaining manuscript full of stories about South Carolina characters and events. If you have only one book about South Carolina on your book shelf, it should be this one.

This book is wonderful! It tells the overall story of South Carolina and includes all of the people in the state. I loved the way he included the small towns throughout his book. Charleston and Columbia are important in understanding our states history but everything in South Carolinas' past didn't just take place in this two cities. This book is easy to read and gives a clear understanding of the important role that South Carolina has played in the building of the history of our great nation. This book explains why South Carolinians took the positions that they did and how. All walks of life are reading this book. This book has gotten the young and old asking questions about their families history in South Carolina. This is the best book since Wallace! Working in a museum in South Carolina I know first hand the positive impact that this book has had on our state. I find this book most refreshing. I think it is interesting that the author grew up in Alabama, and has returned to his South Carolina ancestral roots to marry,teach, study, and write. Edgar understands the heart and soul of South Carolina, making him forever a South Carolinian. God Bless Dr. Edgar for sharing his wisdom, knowledge, and time spent writing this outstanding book.

As a resident of SC for nearly twenty-five years, I was delighted to find a readable, comprehensive history of our state! Dr. Edgar does a wonderful job of inter-weaving the various aspects of SC history into a fine tapestry; he relates economic conditions to religious culture to the political climate to family life to economic conditions... Of special interest to me were the chapters dealing with the political and economic development (or lack thereof) during the years immediately following the Civil War through the turn of the twentieth century. (In fact, this time period would make a great movie!) Kudos to Dr. Edgar for a worthwhile 700+ pages of my time!

Erudite, judicious, and impeccably researched, Walter Edgar's history of South Carolina is certain to become a classic in southern historical writing. His breadth is simply outstanding. No subject escapes his keen scrutiny, no constituency eludes his steady eye. Edgar recovers the histories of men and women, slave and free, black and white with consummate skill and eloquence. More than simply comprehensive, Edgar's book bears the hallmark of a thoughtful historian whose mature, sensitive historical treatment demands respect and admiration. Edgar weaves the history of South Carolina's diversity into a compelling meta-narrative by demonstrating how the region sought order and harmony even as it delimited who could and could not participate in that process. Put simply, this is an outstanding book that will reward those who read it with the care that it patently deserves.

We in South Carolina have long suffered from not having a true history of our state. We have lived with myths and legends and the glossed over version of our history. Dr. Edgar has finally pulled "the bones from our collective closet" and set the record straight. The truth is not always what we've been told all our lives and is sometimes hard to swallow but we can now try to understand where we have been, assess where we are, and take this knowledge into the future to make our state an even greater place to live. Thank you Dr. Edgar. Your book would have certainly made studying SC History under you at USC a lot easier, just one book instead of all those smaller, less indepth volumes we had to work with. Thanks, DiAnna

To the reviewer from Pomario (see 2 January 2000), it's a shame that you are not interested in seeing a fair and truthful history of the state. Dr. Edgar's book opened the door to ALL the people of the state, not just the rich, white males who have been written about in excess. It is a well written, well-researched history for everyone interested in South Carolina history. Well done, Dr. Edgar!

I checked this book out for research and now I'm thinking I need to have my own copy. Such wonderful detail on so many different topics! Aside from the Civil War, Americans don't know much about SC, and yet South Carolina has played a pivotal role in American history. I love the way the book covers all groups--it's been difficult to find good material on ethnic groups in the early colonial period, for example. Of course 700 pages won't cover every detail of history for this fascinating state, but Edgar does a great job providing a variety of perspectives. Excellent reading.

Dr. Edgar's book finally answers some of my questions about what the common everyday citizen was doing during South Carolina's past. It is nice to have someone take the time to research and publish information about us ordinary people. After all, if we had not done our part, the leaders and shakers would not have had to freedom to the great things that most history books write about.

As a native South Carolinian, I was greatly impressed by this book. A definitive history of South Carolina was long overdue, and this work is highly readable. The attention to detail is evident through the extensive use of maps and photographs. These complement the writing and help provide a more complete understanding of South Carolina's diverse history.