South Carolina a History

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!

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

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.

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 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.