- Table View
- List View
On the Horseshoe: A Guide to the Historic Campus of the University of South Carolina
by Elizabeth Cassidy West Katharine Thompson AllenA complete guide to the historic campus, featuring archival photos along with a close look at the structures and the people who inhabited them.Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, the University of South Carolina is one of the nation’s oldest public colleges. Located in the heart of downtown Columbia and bound by Sumter, Pendleton, Bull, and Greene Streets, this historic landscape, known today as the Horseshoe, has both endured and prospered through more than two centuries of South Carolina’s often-turbulent history.In On the Horseshoe: A Guide to the Historic Campus of the University of South Carolina, Elizabeth Cassidy West and Katharine Thompson Allen offer a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of the historic Horseshoe. So much more than just a walking tour of Carolina’s historic original campus, On the Horseshoe features a wealth of archival photographs and drawings dating back to the nineteenth century and also provides a close look at the Horseshoe’s structures as well as the men and women who lived, worked, and studied in them.A numbered map with corresponding descriptions locates more than two dozen structures on the original campus and includes the history of each one, the important events that took place there, and its current use. An accompanying Web site (www.sc.edu/horseshoe) provides additional information and images for those who wish to further their knowledge of the university’s history. Walter Edgar, Neuffer Professor of Southern Studies Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at USC, provides a foreword.“Whether a native of Columbia, a South Carolina alumnus or a visitor to the Palmetto State, On the Horseshoe is a must-read for those interested in one of the most storied and historic facets of South Carolina’s capital city.” —John M. Sherrer III, Historic Columbia Foundation“Allen and West offer a well-researched and beautifully written narrative that highlights the physical and social histories of the campus. They seamlessly chronicle the construction of buildings, institutional traditions, the Civil War, slavery, Jim Crow, the civil rights movement, influential people, and ongoing memorialization efforts that showcase the rich and complex history of the university. This is an essential book for anyone interested in the University of South Carolina history, or southern history as a whole.” —Kelley Deetz, President’s Commission on Slavery and the University, University of Virginia
After Emerson (American Philosophy)
by John T. LysakerThe author of Emerson & Self-Culture shares essays covering such themes as identity, experience, ethics, poetry, philosophy, history, and race.John T. Lysaker works between and weaves together questions and replies in philosophical psychology, Emerson studies, and ethics in this book of deep existential questioning. Each essay in this atypical, philosophical book employs recurring terms, phrases, and questions that characterize our contemporary age. Setting out from the idea of where we are in an almost literal sense, Lysaker takes readers on an intellectual journey into thematic concerns and commitments of broad interest, such as the nature of self and self-experience, ethical life, poetry and philosophy, and history and race. In the manner of Emerson, Cavell, and Rorty, Lysaker’s vibrant writing is certain to have a transformative effect on American philosophy today.“An original and stimulating book, manifesting a level of reflection and existential concern of the highest order. It is intellectually and personally honest.” —Robert E. Innis, author of Susanne Langer in Focus“There is something fresh and hence refreshing in the manner in which John T. Lysaker takes up familiar topics. He shows, with both arresting details and an evolving design, how the conduct of life (to use Emerson’s expression) demands a form of thought frequently at odds with contemporary fashions and preoccupations, with institutionally entrenched approaches and all too rigidly policed discourses.” —Vincent Colapietro, author of Experience, Interpretation, and Community“Acknowledged as one of his generations premier Emerson scholars, Lysaker goes beyond his earlier work, Emerson & Self-Culture . . . [T]he writing is stimulating, vibrant, challenging, risky, and fecund. Recommended.” —D. B. Boersma, Choice
Comrades: A Local History of the Black Panther Party (Blacks in the Diaspora)
by Judson L. JeffriesEssays about the original Black Panther Party’s local chapters in seven American cities that seek “to move beyond the usual media stereotypes . . . Recommended” (Choice).The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded in Oakland, California, in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. It was perhaps the most visible of the Black Power groups in the late sixties and early seventies, not least because of its confrontational politics, its rejection of nonviolence, and its headline-catching, gun-toting militancy. Important on the national scene and highly visible on college campuses, the Panthers also worked at building grassroots support for local black political and economic power.Although there have been many books about the Black Panthers, none has looked at the organization and its work at the local level. This book goes beyond Oakland and Chicago examines the work and actions of seven local initiatives in Baltimore, Winston-Salem, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. These local organizations are revealed as committed to programs of community activism that focused on problems of social, political, and economic justice.
Networks of Entertainment: Early Film Distribution, 1895–1915 (Early Cinema in Review)
by Frank Kessler and Nanna VerhoeffEssays by prominent scholars examining film distribution in the early years of cinema.This collection of essays explores the complex issue of film distribution from the invention of cinema into the 1910s. From regional distribution networks to international marketing strategies, from the analysis of distribution catalogs to case studies on individual distributors, these essays written by well-known specialists in the field discuss the intriguing question of how films came to meet their audiences.Contributors include Richard Abel, Marta Braun, Joseph Garncarz, André Gaudreault, François Jost, Charlie Keil, Martin Loiperdinger, Viva Paci, Wanda Strauven, Gregory Waller, and many more.
The Battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky (Civil War Sesquicentennial Series)
by Stuart W. SandersOn January 19, 1862, Confederate and Union forces clashed in the now-forgotten Battle of Mill Springs. Armies of inexperienced soldiers chaotically fought in the wooded terrain of south-central Kentucky as rain turned bloodied ground to mud. Mill Springs was the first major Union victory since the Federal disaster of Bull Run. This Union triumph secured the Bluegrass State in Union hands, opening the large expanses of Tennessee for Federal invasion. From General Felix Zollicoffer meeting his death by wandering into Union lines to the heroics of General George Thomas, Civil War historian Stuart Sanders chronicles this important battle and its essential role in the war.
Confessions of a Guilty Freelancer
by William O'RourkeFrom an acclaimed writer and journalist, essays containing “a brilliant overview of American history from the 1960s to the post 9/11 era” (Maura Stanton, author of Immortal Sofa: Poems by Maura Stanton).William O’Rourke’s singular view of American life over the past 40 years shines forth in these short essays on subjects personal, political, and literary, which reveal a man of keen intellect and wide-ranging interests. They embrace everything from the state of the nation after 9/11 to the author’s encounter with rap, from the masterminds of political makeovers to the rich variety of contemporary American writing. His reviews illuminate both the books themselves and the times in which we live, and his personal reflections engage even the most fearful events with a special humor and gentle pathos. Readers will find this richly rewarding volume difficult to put down.“O’Rourke has always had his finger on the pulse of the contemporary American literary scene.” —Corinne Demas, author of The Writing Circle“With sparkling wit that never takes a vacation, [O’Rourke] is our unpaid public intellectual number one.” —Jaimy Gordon, author of Lord of Misrule, winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Fiction“O’Rourke’s . . . writing is literary, without a doubt, but his style is conversational, rhythmic and leavened by a dry sense of humor that engage the reader on an intimate level.” —South Bend Tribune“[T]hose who enjoy a good romp through some of our country’s most pivotal times in the company of an astute observer who is unafraid to offer a penetrating, and sometimes scathing, critique of the state of the nation, will find themselves well matched.” —ForeWord Reviews“O’Rourke’s descriptions of the writing life have the ring of absolute truth.” —Review of Contemporary Fiction
The Battle of Lake George: England's First Triumph in the French and Indian War (Military Ser.)
by William R. Griffith IVIn the early morning of September 8, 1755, a force of French Regulars, Canadians and Indians crouched unseen in a ravine south of Lake George. Under the command of French general Jean-Armand, Baron de Dieskau, the men ambushed the approaching British forces, sparking a bloody conflict for control of the lake and its access to New York's interior. Against all odds, British commander William Johnson rallied his men through the barrage of enemy fire to send the French retreating north to Ticonderoga. The stage was set for one of the most contested regions throughout the rest of the conflict. Historian William Griffith recounts the thrilling history behind the first major British battlefield victory of the French and Indian War.
A Lancastrian Mirror for Princes: The Yale Law School New Statutes of England
by Rosemarie McGerrThis seminal study addresses one of the most beautifully decorated 15th-century copies of the New Statutes of England, uncovering how the manuscript's unique interweaving of legal, religious, and literary discourses frames the reader's perception of the work. Taking internal and external evidence into account, Rosemarie McGerr suggests that the manuscript was made for Prince Edward of Lancaster, transforming a legal reference work into a book of instruction in kingship, as well as a means of celebrating the Lancastrians' rightful claim to the English throne during the Wars of the Roses. A Lancastrian Mirror for Princes also explores the role played by the manuscript as a commentary on royal justice and grace for its later owners and offers modern readers a fascinating example of the long-lasting influence of medieval manuscripts on subsequent readers.
Haunted Springield, Illinois (Haunted America)
by Garret MoffettSpringfield has launched a lot of history, from the career of Abraham Lincoln to the wagon train that bore the Donner party to their fate. While taking this tour with Garret Moffett, you will come face to face with the history that has refused to leave. Meet the Gibson Girl who turned society circles into séances during her life and the vengeful actor who held down a leading role as mischief maker after death. And maybe you should pause before you shake the hand of a Civil War reenactor at Camp Butler, just to make sure that his skin isn't as gray as his coat.
Lincoln's Springfield Neighborhood
by Richard E. Hart Bonnie E PaullWhen an emotional Abraham Lincoln took leave of his Springfield neighbors, never to return, his moving tribute to the town and its people reflected their profound influence on the newly elected president. His old neighborhood still stands today as a National Historic Site. The story of the life Lincoln and his family built there returns to us through the careful work of authors Bonnie E. Paull and Richard E. Hart. Journey back in time and meet this diverse but harmonious community as it participated in the business of everyday living while gradually playing a larger role on the national stage.
Readings in Wood: What the Forest Taught Me
by John Leland“[Leland] brings the botanical into direct relationship with the spiritual, using a prose style that is as profound as it is pyrotechnic.” —Jim Warren, Washington and Lee UniversityAward-winning nature writer John Leland offers a collection of twenty-seven short, poetic essays that marry science and the humanities as the author seeks meaning in trees. Readings in Wood is an investigation of trees and forests and also of wood as a material that people have found essential in the creation of society and culture. Leland views with wit and erudition the natural world and the curious place of human beings as saviors and destroyers of this world.At once personal memoir, natural history, and cultural criticism, the book reflects Leland’s idiosyncratic vision. As vast as a forest, topics range from tree grain and leaf shape to economic theories, mathematics, and engineering. Readings in Wood is a hybrid testament of science, faith, superstition, and disbelief learned from sitting on tree trunks and peering at leaves and fungi. Leland hopes others will join him in nature’s classroom. Quite aware of the irony, he reminds us, “These leaves you desultorily turn over once hung in a green wood gone to make this book. Touching a book, you touch a tree. I pray that Readings in Wood’s essays, touching you, may justify in some small way the trees who died in their making.”“This book constitutes a hymn to the technical and the beautiful, a meander through the geography, geology, botany, mathematics and vigor of our plants, especially in the southern Appalachians.” —R. T. Smith, editor, Shenandoah, and writer-in-residence, Washington and Lee University“Informative, thoughtful, inspiring, and innately entertaining.” —The Midwest Book Review
Signs and Society: Further Studies in Semiotic Anthropology
by Richard J. ParmentierA major voice in contemporary semiotic theory offers a new perspective on potent intersections of semiotic and linguistic anthropology.In Signs and Society, noted anthropologist Richard J. Parmentier demonstrates how an appreciation of signs helps us better understand human agency, meaning, and creativity. Inspired by the foundational work of C. S. Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure, and drawing upon key insights from neighboring scholarly fields, Parmentier develops an array of innovative conceptual tools for ethnographic, historical, and literary research.Parmentier’s concepts of “transactional value,” “metapragmatic interpretant,” and “circle of semiosis,” for example, illuminate the foundations and effects of such diverse cultural forms and practices as economic exchanges on the Pacific island of Palau, Pindar’s Victory Odes in ancient Greece, and material representations of transcendence in ancient Egypt and medieval Christianity.Other studies complicate the separation of emic and etic analytical models for such cultural domains as religion, economic value, and semiotic ideology. Provocative and absorbing, these fifteen pioneering essays blaze a trail into anthropology’s future while remaining firmly rooted in its celebrated past.
A Theory of Great Men
by Daniel GreenstoneA Theory of Great Men is the humorous, fast-paced story of an irreverent, flawed man who has a talent for accumulating both proteges and enemies. George Cavaliere, a veteran high school history teacher, has many attributes of a brilliant educator. He's a vibrant classroom performance artist, his colleagues respect his knowledge of history, and he's popular with many students. Cavaliere is at his best when he's debunking the so-called "Great Man" theory of history, which maintains that the actions of major historical figures dominate the course of human events. Not so, Cavaliere insists. People's lives are shaped by sweeping forces beyond their control, and often their understanding. And yet his own life seems to show the opposite. Cavaliere's impatience with political correctness and his restless philandering lead to the unraveling of his career and his marriage. A part-time job coaching an underdog basketball team helps Cavaliere confront his own shortcomings and begin to see that, although he is anything but a great man, he is, nevertheless, the master of his own fate.
Confederate General Stephen Elliott: Beaufort Legend, Charleston Hero (Civil War Ser.)
by D. Michael ThomasThis Civil War biography offers a lively account of the Confederate brigadier general whose defense of Fort Sumter was honored by the Union Army. General Stephen Elliott rose from captain of a militia artillery battery to command of an infantry brigade. His early war reputation as a daring raider and superb artilleryman grew to true hero status through his exemplary service at Fort Sumter. Handpicked to defend Sumter to the last extremity, Elliott performed so well that his Yankee foes saluted him by dipping the Union flag in recognition of his courage and steadfastness. Wounded on five separate occasions, Elliott exemplified courage and inspirational leadership that justified promotions advocated by Generals Robert E. Lee, P.G.T. Beauregard, and President Jefferson Davis. In the first in-depth study of Elliott, D. Michael Thomas presents the life of a renowned soldier with fresh, previously unpublished material.
Woman of the River: Georgie White Clark White-Water Pioneer
by Richard WestwoodThe great adventurer who helped make whitewater rafting a beloved national pastime comes to vivid life in this rollicking biography. Georgie White Clark—adventurer, raconteur, eccentric—first came to know the canyons of the Colorado River by swimming portions of them with a single companion. She subsequently hiked and rafted portions of the canyons, increasingly sharing her love of the Colorado River with friends and acquaintances. At first establishing a part-time guide service as a way to support her own river trips, Clark went on to become perhaps the canyons&’ best-known river guide, introducing their rapids to many others, both on the river, via her large-capacity rubber rafts, and across the nation, via magazine articles and movies. Georgie Clark saw the river and her sport change with the building of Glen Canyon Dam, enormous increases in the popularity of river running, and increased National Park Service regulation of rafting and river guides. Adjusting, though not always easily, to the changes, she helped transform an elite adventure sport into a major tourist activity.
Accidental Anarchist: How the Killing of a Humble Jewish Immigrant by Chicago's Chief of Police Exposed the Conflict Between Law & Order and Civil Rights in Early 20th Century America
by Walter Roth Joe KrausIt was a bitter cold morning in March, 1908. A nineteen-year-old Jewish immigrant traversed the confusing and unfamiliar streets of Chicago–a one-and-a-half-hour-long journey–from his ghetto home on Washburne Avenue to the luxurious Lincoln Place residence of Police Chief George Shippy. He arrived at 9 a.m. Within minutes after knocking on the front door, Lazarus Averbuch lay dead on the hallway floor, shot no less than six times by the chief himself. Why Averbuch went to the police chief's house or exactly what happened after that is still not known. This is the most comprehensive account ever written about this episode that stunned Chicago and won the attention of the entire country. It does not "solve" the mystery as much as it places it in the context of a nation that was unsure how to absorb all of the immigrants flowing across its borders. It attempts to reconstruct the many different perspectives and concerns that comprised the drama surrounding the investigation of Averbuch's killing.
Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present
by Hannah S. Cohen Gloria G HarrisIn a series of biographical profiles, this volume celebrates the lives and achievements of women who made history in the Golden State. Throughout California&’s history, remarkable women have been at the core of change and innovation. In this fascinating volume, Gloria Harris and Hannah Cohen relate the stories of forty women whose struggles and achievements have paved the way for generations. Coming from all walks of life and entering a variety of fields—from activism and conservation to science, medicine, entertainment, and more—these women overcame prejudice, skepticism and injustice to prove that women can do anything. Visionary architect Julia Morgan designed Hearst Castle; Dolores Huerta co-founded United Farm Workers; Donaldina Cameron, the angry angel of Chinatown, rescued brothel workers; and silent film actress Mary Pickford helped form United Artists Pictures. From fearless pioneers to determined reformers, Harris and Cohen chronicle the triumphs and disappointments of diverse women who dared to take risks and break down barriers.
The Voice of Technology: Soviet Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1928–1935
by Lilya KaganovskyA deeply researched exploration of the technology, aesthetics, and politics of Soviet film during the transition from silent to sound. As cinema industries around the globe adjusted to the introduction of synch-sound technology, the Soviet Union was also shifting culturally, politically, and ideologically from the heterogeneous film industry of the 1920s to the centralized industry of the 1930s, and from the avant-garde to Socialist Realism. In The Voice of Technology: Soviet Cinema&’s Transition to Sound, 1928–1935, Lilya Kaganovsky explores the history, practice, technology, ideology, aesthetics, and politics of the transition to sound within the context of larger issues in Soviet media history. Industrialization and centralization of the cinema industry greatly altered the way movies in the Soviet Union were made, while the introduction of sound radically altered the way these movies were received. Kaganovsky argues that the coming of sound changed the Soviet cinema industry by making audible, for the first time, the voice of State power, directly addressing the Soviet viewer. By exploring numerous examples of films from this transitional period, Kaganovsky demonstrates the importance of the new technology of sound in producing and imposing the &“Soviet Voice.&” &“Kaganovsky&’s research is impeccable. Not only does she reference virtually all English-language writing on her subject, she also has combed the archives, unearthing personal stories, government records, filmmakers&’ notes, press reviews from the period, and other previously untranslated documents.&” —CineMontage
Alpana Pours: About Being a Woman, Loving Wine & Having Great Relationships
by Alpana Singh&“A primer on everything the wine-phobic woman needs to know . . . Probably the only wine book out there that could be excerpted in Cosmo.&” —Chicago Reader Alpana Singh is uniquely qualified to talk about wine, contemporary women and relationships. At age twenty-six, she became the youngest woman to be inducted into the world&’s most exclusive sommelier organization, the Court of Master Sommeliers. She spent five years as sommelier at a world-famous four-star restaurant, Everest of Chicago. While there she closely observed the sometimes humorous, sometimes absurd, social interactions between men and woman at all stages of their relationships. Her mental journal of these &“social observations&” came in handy as she wrote Alpana Pours. Alpana Pours reaches readers in playful language they will understand, and in a highly entertaining manner they will enjoy. Women want to know how to select wine when entertaining important clients, pair wine with food they and their partner are preparing together, choose the right wines for hostess gifts, bridal showers, a first meeting with a boyfriend&’s parents and what wine to, or not to, order on a first date. Alpana Pours supplies tips on these and a myriad of other topics including &“dating&” and &“dealing with guys.&” The book&’s gender riff on wine and lifestyle is unique and will definitely grab reader&’s attention. &“Singh&’s quirky writing makes reading about the correct wine and food pairing more fun than it should be . . . Singh blends wine culture with everyday life, while still illuminating the mysteries and myths of wine. The author&’s friendly tone welcomes readers who don&’t know their pinot noir from their peanut butter.&” —Publishers Weekly
Haunted South Georgia (Haunted America)
by Jim MilesEach county in the vast territory of southern Georgia has a haunted history. The old Barber-Tucker Inn in Colquitt County and the renovated former Scottish Inn in Bryan County host ghostly guests. A profane spirit disturbed a house's former residents with vile language. The Hairy Man still searches a swamp for his long-lost son. A Dodge County ghost twice saved the lives of a family's children, while one in Liberty County mysteriously extinguished a fire that would have destroyed a historic house. Ghosts in Randolph County and Echols County provided the living with evidence sufficient to convict their murderers. Join author Jim Miles as he recounts stories from the fifty-seven counties of the region.
Ghosts of the Quad Cities (Haunted America)
by Mark McLaughlin Michael McCartyA haunted history of this Midwestern region filled with supernatural lore . . . Includes photos! Divided by state lines and the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities share a common haunted heritage. If anything, the seam that runs through the region is especially rife with spirits, from the Black Angel of Moline&’s Riverside Cemetery to the spectral Confederate POWs of Arsenal Island. Of course, the city centers have their own illustrious supernatural residents—the Hanging Ghost occupies Davenport, Iowa&’s City Hall, while the Phantom Washwoman wanders Bettendorf&’s Central Avenue. At Igor&’s Bistro in Rock Island, Illinois, every day is Halloween. In this chilling tour, Michael McCarty and Mark McLaughlin—both Bram Stoker Award honorees—hunt down the haunted lore of this vibrant Midwestern community.
Built to Move Millions: Streetcar Building in Ohio (Railroads Past and Present)
by Craig R. Semsel“A hobbyist’s enthusiasm, curiosity, and attention to detail exude from this technological history of Ohio’s streetcar industry . . . Highly recommended.” —ChoiceAt the beginning of the twentieth century, the street railway industry was one of the largest in the nation. Once ubiquitously visible on the city streets, by mid-century the streetcar was nothing more than a distant memory. Ohio was home to several large streetcar systems, especially in Cleveland and Cincinnati, and had more interurban tracks than any other state in the union. Thus, Ohio served as one of the street railway industry’s greatest centers of manufacturing.Built to Move Millions examines the manufacture of streetcars and interurbans within the state of Ohio between 1900 and 1940. In addition to discussing the five major car builders that were active in Ohio during this period, the book addresses Ohio companies that manufactured the various components that went into these vehicles.Includes extensive photos
The Beeswax Workshop: How to Make Your Own Natural Candles, Cosmetics, Cleaners, Soaps, Healing Balms and More
by Christine J. DalzielOver 100 recipes to transform this miracle ingredient into environmentally friendly household cleaner, personal care products, candles, and more.Making all kinds of amazing, all-natural stuff out of beeswax is easy and fun. Packed with over 100 step-by-step recipes, The Beeswax Workshop shows you how to make beautiful gifts, household cleaners, beauty supplies and so, so much more. Projects in this book include:HOME• Mason Jar Candle• English Furniture PolishHEALTH• Bug-Be-Gone Insect Repellent• Chamomile Sunburn SalveBEAUTY• Everyday Body Butter• Rose Lip GlossGARDEN• Waterproof Shade Hat• Nontoxic Wood SealantWhether you use beeswax from your backyard hive or purchase a supply, this book offers tips, tricks and techniques for getting the most out of this miracle ingredient.
Women of Privilege: 100 Years of Love & Loss in a Family of the Hudson River Valley
by Susan GillottiDrawing on &“a treasure trove of family records&”, this biography of the women of a prominent Hudson Valley, New York family is &“riveting and moving.&” (Miriam Cohen, Evalyn Clark Professor of History, Vassar College) Carolyn Heilbrun, in Writing a Woman&’s Life, said there are far too few books about the real lives of women. Women of Privilege helps to fill that gap. Susan Gillotti provides us an insight into her ancestors&’ heretofore secret lives, culled from their private diaries, letters and journals. Up to now, these intimate narratives have been the private thoughts of four generations of women who inhabited Grasmere, one of the great houses of The Hudson River Valley, where they lived among the Delanos, the Vanderbilts and the Roosevelts. On the surface, their lives seemed ideal, but beneath that facade, there were mental illness, alcoholism, yearning for divorce and questions of sexual identity. Written by Susan Gillotti, the great-great-granddaughter of Sarah Minerva Schieffelin, this fascinating and revealing book is part biography, part memoir and part social history. &“A riveting read—one cannot stop until the final outcome of these powerful, but flawed, lives is revealed.&” —Peter H. Brink, former senior vice president, Programs, National Trust for Historic Preservation &“Susan Gillotti weaves . . . the stories of her mother and grandmothers, bravely, sometimes desperately, trying to claim their independence from social straight jackets, and succeeding.&” —Georgina Forbes, artist
The Ocean's Menace
by Archibald RutledgeA twist-filled adventure story set in a treacherous land where most hunters dare not venture—enhanced with artwork and a literary scholar’s commentary.One of the more underappreciated aspects of Archibald Rutledge’s varied literary efforts is the way he could weave stories of danger in the wilds. What he frequently described as chimeras—great sharks, alligators, rattlesnakes, and cottonmouths of incredible and often embellished dimensions, wild hogs with razor-sharp tusks, and more—clearly fascinated him. Similarly, he exhibited a knack for twists and turns in his tales reminiscent of O. Henry at his best.“The Ocean’s Menace” offers a fine example. The title of the short story may conjure images of a massive white shark or a devilfish—but in fact “The Ocean” is a remote, treacherous tract of land where hunters dared not venture and which locals viewed with a mixture of awe and alarm. It provides an ideal setting for this tale—in which, Instead of a mighty stag or an antlered giant, the quarry proves to be the hunter’s salvation. Delightfully told, with an abundance of twists and turns as the story unfolds, this is the sage of the Santee—a John Burroughs Medal winner and South Carolina’s first poet laureate—at his finest.A project of South Carolina Humanities benefiting South Carolina literary programs, this new edition of “The Ocean’s Menace” is illustrated in handsome charcoal etchings by Southern artist Stephen Chesley. Award-winning outdoors writer and noted Rutledge scholar Jim Casada provides the volume’s introduction and afterword.“These books remind us of Mr. Rutledge’s command of the English language, his great skills of observation of the natural world, and his fondness for distilling universal truths from stories of local essence . . . It is good to have Mr. Rutledge with us once more.” —Pat Conroy