[.ca] Very Charleston: A Celebration of History, Culture, and ... (ISBN 1565123395)

Radiant and Inviting:
I recieved this book as a gift from my mother and was impressed with the watercolors and the excentric details of her artwork. Her ability to go into a city and get to the heart of it while learning a bit of history as well was "very charming". I reccommend this book for everyone.

Charleston Lite:
Charleston is one of the most charming cities in the US, and it is fitting that Diana Hollingsworth Gessler has written a delightfully charming book about the Holy City. "Very Charleston" is a small book, but big on snippets of Charleston. It is also wonderfully illustrated by Gessler with watercolors. This 159 page book is packed with a myriad of entertaining tidbits. It includes historical facts, famous festivals, Charleston vocabulary, places of interest, interesting characters (past and present), famous restaurants, some traditional recipes and LOTS of trivia. It also touches on such diverse topics as The Civil War, The Citadel, Slavery, making indigo, architectural details and places to shop. Very Charleston is the perfect book for a new visitor to Charleston. There are a few minor inaccuracies (for example, there are more than 3 zones for carriage tours). But these do not detract from the book. However, a visitor seeking a more in-depth look at the Holy City would be better served by more serious reading. Still, Very Charleston is a very enjoyable and interesting introduction to this beautiful and historic city.