Chapter 22 - Low Country Summer

Finally, having a weekend away, we headed down to Mt Pleasant, just a little more than two hours south of us and just minutes from downtown Charleston. We usually just spend our time in Charleston which is very beautiful and historic. This visit took us into some of the surrounding areas we had never seen before.

So many wonderful Southern writers live and/or write about the Low Country and for good reason. Being surrounded by the majesty of oaks dripping with Spanish moss, the whimsy of beautiful birds (see picture), the quiet loveliness of the marsh and the peculiarities of nature give a story-rich environment. Our travels this weekend took us to Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms, Shem Creek, Folly Beach, and, of course Charleston.

Here are a few of my favorite books about this beautiful place we call home.

Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank - Frank's first book and one of her best, it tells the story of a woman who after walking in on her husband and his young lover decides to go back to where she grew up to put her life back together again.

On Folly Beach by Karen White - After losing her husband to war, a young widow buys a bookstore on Folly Beach. What follows is a tale of mystery and discovery.

The Smell of Sweetgrass by Nicole Seitz - This book takes place in Mt. Pleasant and is the story of a sweetgrass basket weaver who has the opportunity to view people and events from a different perspective.

The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe - The first of a quartet, the book takes place on Sullivan's Island and captures the complex relationships between Dora, Carson, and Harper, three half-sisters —and a grandmother determined to help them rediscover their family bonds.

Do you have a favorite Low Country book? Let me know!