Quaker William Penn once described "Charles Town" as “a hotbed of piracy,” full of wayward women “who frequented a tap room on The Bay and infected a goodly number of the militia with the pox.” Since the Carolina Colony was founded and named for Charles II, the Merry Monarch, it’s no surprise that Charlestonians have always had a flair for flouting the rules. In the 18th century, Bostonian Josiah Quincy complained that Charlestonians, “are devoted to debauchery and probably carry it to a greater length than any other people.” In Storied & Scandalous Charleston, storyteller Leigh Jones Handal weaves tales of piracy, rebellion, ancient codes of honor, and first-hand accounts of the madness that ensued as the city fell first to the British in 1780 and then to the Union in 1865. Meet some of the foremost female criminals of the day—lady pirate Anne Bonny and highwaywoman Livinia Fisher. And learn how centuries of war, natural disasters, bankruptcy, and chaos shaped modern Charleston and the Carolina Low Country.

From the Lowcountry's first recorded duel to old-fashioned summers at the 'hottest spot in town", these pages will captivate you with stories of people, events and places that have all but vanished from memory. Find out the real history behind some of Charleston's beloved mansions and learn about the early plantations and their owners. Join the authors as they relate the riots and romance, the preservation and politics - and even a ghost story - from Charleston's hidden history.

From its earliest days, Charleston was a vital port of call and center of trade, which left it vulnerable to seafaring criminals. The Golden Age of Piracy, encompassing roughly the first quarter of the eighteenth century, produced some of the most outrageous characters in maritime history. The daring exploits of these infamous plunderers made thievery widespread along Charleston's waterfront, but determined citizens would meet the pirate threat head-on. From the "Gentleman Pirate," Stede Bonnet, to Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and famed pirate hunter and statesman William Rhett, the waters surrounding the Holy City have a history as rocky and wild as the high seas. Join author and tour guide Christopher Byrd Downey as he tells the tales of Charleston during piracy's greatest reign.

The waltz, perhaps the most beloved social dance of the 19th and early 20th centuries, once provoked outrage from religious leaders and other self-appointed arbiters of social morality. Decrying the corrupting influence of social dancing, they failed to suppress the popularity of the waltz or other dance crazes of the period, including the Charleston, the tango, and "animal dances" such as the Turkey Trot, Grizzly Bear, and Bunny Hug. This book investigates the development of these popular dances, considering in particular how their very existence as "taboo" cultural fads ultimately provided a catalyst for lasting social reform. In addition to examining the impact of the waltz and other scandalous dances on fashion, music, leisure, and social reform, the text describes the opposition to dance and the proliferation of literature on both sides.

From the dawn of the photographic era, Lost Charleston chronicles the markets, mansions, hotels, restaurants, church towers and cherished businesses that time, progress, and fashion have swept aside. The miracle of Charleston is that despite the very worst that man and nature has thrown at it--from earthquakes to hurricanes, great fires to Civil War bombardment--so much of the city has been preserved. Lost Charleston shows what else could have been on display for tourists to visit had events been otherwise. Using classic archive images, Charleston's greatest architectural and cultural losses are documented in chronological order from 1861 through to 2018. Apart from the grand buildings there are also elements of Charleston life precious to Charlestonians that have disappeared over time, many of which will still resonate with the local community. These include beloved local restaurants, annual festivals, the fishing fleet that DuBose Heyward wrote about in his novel Porgy, a famed local football team, trolley cars, and the Piggly Wiggly store. Plus there's the Jenkins Orphanage Band whose dance moves gave the city its most famous export: The Charleston!

Welcome to Kansas City—the best town this side of Hell. The Paris of the Plains. Home to the Wettest Block in the World. This collection celebrates a storied history of one notorious city. Meet the mobsters and victims, bootleggers, madams, political bosses and raucous entertainers who truly brought the party to the plains even during Prohibition. Witness the best parades, the wackiest costumes and the wildest scams. Kansas City’s sordid underbelly is full of surprises sure to delight and entice—the odd, macabre and delightful. ,

In this fascinating inquiry into the African Diaspora, Caryl Phillips embarks on a soul-wrenching journey to the three major ports of the transatlantic slave trade. Juxtaposing stories of the past with his own present-day experiences, Phillips combines his remarkable skills as a travel essayist with an astute understanding of history. From an West African businessman's interactions with white Methodists in nineteenth-century Liverpool to an eighteenth-century African minister's complicity in the selling of slaves to a fearless white judge's crusade for racial justice in 1940s Charleston, South Carolina, Phillips reveals the global the impact of being uprooted from one's home through resonant, powerful narratives.

When she starts falling for the man she’s vowed to destroy, a woman must come up with a Plan B to save her from her own desire. Will she reap the benefits of betrayal with a man impossible to resist? Reeling from a bad divorce, Zoe Alston makes a pact with two women similarly scorned. Her mission: take down gorgeous businessman Ryan Dailey by sabotaging his sister’s political campaign. The problem: the white-hot chemistry sizzling between them. Now she’s caught between her promise and the man who’s bringing her back to life. How far will she go for revenge . . . or love? Praise for the novels of Cat Schield “Cat Schield knows how to write a captivating romance . . . a joy to read.” —CataRomance.com “A Cinderella story that will have readers clamoring for more.” —Harlequin Junkie “It’s charming and fluffy and full of tropes that bring comfort and delight!” —Fresh Fiction

Do you love stories with sexy, romantic heroes who have it all—wealth, status, and incredibly good looks? Harlequin® Desire brings you all this and more with these three new full-length titles in one collection! #2642 SEDUCTION ON HIS TERMS Billionaires and Babies by Sarah M. Anderson Aloof, rich, gorgeous—that’s Dr. Robert Wyatt. The only person he connects with is bartender Jeannie Kaufman. But when Jeannie leaves her job to care for her infant niece, he’ll offer her everything she wants just to bring her back into his life…except for his heart. #2644 THE SECRET TWIN Alaskan Oil Barons by Catherine Mann When CEO Ward Benally catches back-from-the-dead Breanna Steele snooping, he’ll do anything to protect the company—even convince her to play the role of his girlfriend. But when the sparks between them are real, will she end up in his bed…and in his heart? #2645 REVENGE WITH BENEFITS Sweet Tea and Scandal by Cat Schield Zoe Alston is ready to make good on her revenge pact, but wealthy Charleston businessman Ryan Dailey defies everything she once believed about him. As their chemistry heats up the sultry Southern nights, will her secrets destroy the most unexpected alliance of all? Look for Harlequin® Desire’s February 2019 Box set 1 of 2, filled with even more scandalous stories and powerful heroes! Join HarlequinMyRewards.com to earn FREE books and more. Earn points for all your Harlequin purchases from wherever you shop.

The Palmetto State is home to many strange and unexplained events. The Gray Man of 2018 is Pawleys Island's most historic ghost. He has been seen walking the beaches before hurricanes. The tiny town of Hilda hears the mournful wail of a ghost train. The Bowery, Myrtle Beach's most legendary bar, hosts the spectral singing of Barman Joe. A ninety-two-foot crop circle appeared in the small town of McBee in 1994. And there's a host of Bigfoot sightings in the state. Sherman Carmichael delves into the mysterious side of South Carolina.