Alexia Helsley Livres

Touted as one of America's most livable cities, Columbia has a history of independence and triumph. But that history also has a darker side, one that isn't told quite as often. The capital city's past is filled with salacious tales of debauchery, including a notorious pickpocket bold enough to victimize a mayor and a tradition of dueling that ruined lives over petty insults. From triple hangings at Potter's Field to the lure of ladies of the evening, Columbia has a history as famously hot as its weather. Join author and historian Alexia Helsley as she examines the devilish details of Soda Town.

For many, Edisto is a little slice of heaven--live oaks festooned with Spanish moss, winding waterways and crashing surf. Yet the waterways were pathways for privateers, smugglers and gunboats. Marauders terrorized residents. Privateers made life uncertain during the War of 1812. John Wilson and Andrew Gillon dueled to the death on the sands of Edingsville. The Civil War brought repeated skirmishes between Union and Confederate scouting parties. Join historian Alexia Jones Helsley as she recounts lost lives, early widows, dashed dreams, unseen secrets--the dark side of Eden.

Columbia sits on hills overlooking the Congaree, Saluda and Broad Rivers. The name evokes sanctuary and the American spirit. Its central location in the state makes it the meeting place of the Upstate and the Lowcountry. The all-American city sprang from wilderness, frame buildings and unpaved streets and valiantly responded to the challenges of change. The city was created by the legislature to be the capital and reflects the "ambitions and fortunes" of South Carolina. Columbia is a diverse city that serves as an educational incubator, a magnet for immigrants, a military center and a place to celebrate the arts. Follow author Alexia Jones Helsley as she weaves together the strands of Columbia's long and eventful past.