Very Charleston: A Celebration of History, Culture, and Lowcountry Charm

Hits all the highlights of the city & it's history. Great to browse before any FIRST EVER visit to know what to seek out in a short time there. Has tidbits that even some repeat visitors may not have discovered yet! This book evokes fond memories of past visits & makes a good coffee table book to pick up and browse now and then. It will ENTICE your guests to have a look. IF you have NEVEN BEEN to Charleston ... or MAY NEVER GET THERE... this book will give the ESSENCE of Charleston! And reveal some well kept secrets! What I found amusing is that a FORMER area secret eatery brought about by Hurricane Hugo in 1989... a favorite of locals that has NEVER had a sign to identify its existence... that used to be nearly impossible to find without someone's help... is briefly featured in this book giving the name, address, and phone number! So Garmin it... but don't look for a sign! Park in the sand lot, be prepared to enjoy! You will experience some of the best boiled peanuts, fried grit squares, and fresh seafood available in the area. The restaurant is as it has evolved in the aftermath of Hugo... still rough, basic, and letting its food do the talking! The Wreck of Richard and Charlene HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED! UPDATE March 2018: Recently spent time in Charleston and took some 'first timers' to The Wreck. Big 'WOW' visit on a slow Tuesday night... great food & great service on a quiet night. Count two more fans with a new 'favorite' across the Cooper, down by Shem Creek. Big departure from tradition... there is now a red barrel at the street entry to the parking lot that modestly is marked 'the wreck' just for seekers; I guess this qualifies as a sign. Buy this book as a gift for friends & family to remember a great visit... or to preview Charleston to maximize activities on an upcoming visit.

Although this is not technically a guidebook, I found it to be a wonderful guide to Charleston. I love this book and wish I had it the first time I visited that city. There is such interesting information and, even though I've been to Charleston many times, I learned more than I ever knew from this book. The architectural details were fun to pick out, and the "joggling boards" seen all over town, were finally explained! If you love watercolors and lots of interesting information about what you are seeing in Charleston, you will love this. I have made this my #1 recommendation for friends who are visiting Charleston for the first time.

Fantastic little book. Bought it and a few other Charleston guide books for a 3-day mother-daughter trip but should have only bought this one. Loved it so much that we used Very New Orleans for a trip later in the summer. Even though the pictures and maps are drawn/illustrated, they are accurate enough that everything is recognizable, and the maps of each section are incredibly helpful. We especially loved the garden walk mapped out in the Charleston book. We didn't see it mentioned in any other Charleston books that we purchased, but it was such a gem! Also good to know- the specifics she mentions are the best options. For example, Palmetto Carriage Company was mentioned on the carriage page. We did our own research on the carriage companies and learned that Palmetto consistently gets the best reviews. We saved time on our NOLA trip by just going with the recommendations in the book.

This was a gift for a history buff visiting the area. It was uniquely designed and has a lot of non-standard information, but lacks some of the pictures and details a true travel nerd might enjoy.

I bought this book a a gift for my parents after they treated my husband and I to a trip to Charleston. The book is charming, beautifully illustrated and packed with information! It is a chunky smaller book so it sits on an end table nicely and is inviting for anyone who picks it up. My Dad likes it because it is a book one can pick up and read things in no particular order, just a tidbit here or a short story there. Filled with recipes of great low country food as well.

I bought this little book to keep for guests to use when visiting Charleston. It is a cartoonistic, vacuous little volume, which gives very little information about Charleston.

I saw this book while I was in Charleston visiting and upon returning obtained a copy. I used it to document where I went and plan out my next visit. Full of facts, and things of interest it will direct you to places you might not normally think to visit. Excellent if planning to travle there, and in fact I tured the book into a sort of scrapbook... putting my pictures in it, souveiners, ticket stubs, postcards.. and writing on the pages of the places we went to, my thoughts and dates of things. It turned out very nice, and is an all in one memory book for me.

Took this book to Charleston and loved having it as a quick resource to better understand the area. It has a beautiful artistic flair and helpful information and overview for any visit.

Loved this little book so bought one for my brother and sister-in-law for their trip to Charleston, SC. The seller sent me a very good used book. It was reasonably priced. I love my brother so had to gift him, but not with my First Edition.

My Wife and I recently took our first trip to Charleston together and we made notes on every page of the places that we visited. We used it as a journal for our trip and now have it as a keepsake that we will cherish forever.

Hits all the highlights of the city & it's history. Great to browse before any FIRST EVER visit to know what to seek out in a short time there. Has tidbits that even some repeat visitors may not have discovered yet! This book evokes fond memories of past visits & makes a good coffee table book to pick up and browse now and then. It will ENTICE your guests to have a look. IF you have NEVEN BEEN to Charleston ... or MAY NEVER GET THERE... this book will give the ESSENCE of Charleston! And reveal some well kept secrets! What I found amusing is that a FORMER area secret eatery brought about by Hurricane Hugo in 1989... a favorite of locals that has NEVER had a sign to identify its existence... that used to be nearly impossible to find without someone's help... is briefly featured in this book giving the name, address, and phone number! So Garmin it... but don't look for a sign! Park in the sand lot, be prepared to enjoy! You will experience some of the best boiled peanuts, fried grit squares, and fresh seafood available in the area. The restaurant is as it has evolved in the aftermath of Hugo... still rough, basic, and letting its food do the talking! The Wreck of Richard and Charlene HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED! UPDATE March 2018: Recently spent time in Charleston and took some 'first timers' to The Wreck. Big 'WOW' visit on a slow Tuesday night... great food & great service on a quiet night. Count two more fans with a new 'favorite' across the Cooper, down by Shem Creek. Big departure from tradition... there is now a red barrel at the street entry to the parking lot that modestly is marked 'the wreck' just for seekers; I guess this qualifies as a sign. Buy this book as a gift for friends & family to remember a great visit... or to preview Charleston to maximize activities on an upcoming visit.

Although this is not technically a guidebook, I found it to be a wonderful guide to Charleston. I love this book and wish I had it the first time I visited that city. There is such interesting information and, even though I've been to Charleston many times, I learned more than I ever knew from this book. The architectural details were fun to pick out, and the "joggling boards" seen all over town, were finally explained! If you love watercolors and lots of interesting information about what you are seeing in Charleston, you will love this. I have made this my #1 recommendation for friends who are visiting Charleston for the first time.

Fantastic little book. Bought it and a few other Charleston guide books for a 3-day mother-daughter trip but should have only bought this one. Loved it so much that we used Very New Orleans for a trip later in the summer. Even though the pictures and maps are drawn/illustrated, they are accurate enough that everything is recognizable, and the maps of each section are incredibly helpful. We especially loved the garden walk mapped out in the Charleston book. We didn't see it mentioned in any other Charleston books that we purchased, but it was such a gem! Also good to know- the specifics she mentions are the best options. For example, Palmetto Carriage Company was mentioned on the carriage page. We did our own research on the carriage companies and learned that Palmetto consistently gets the best reviews. We saved time on our NOLA trip by just going with the recommendations in the book.

This was a gift for a history buff visiting the area. It was uniquely designed and has a lot of non-standard information, but lacks some of the pictures and details a true travel nerd might enjoy.

I bought this book a a gift for my parents after they treated my husband and I to a trip to Charleston. The book is charming, beautifully illustrated and packed with information! It is a chunky smaller book so it sits on an end table nicely and is inviting for anyone who picks it up. My Dad likes it because it is a book one can pick up and read things in no particular order, just a tidbit here or a short story there. Filled with recipes of great low country food as well.

I bought this little book to keep for guests to use when visiting Charleston. It is a cartoonistic, vacuous little volume, which gives very little information about Charleston.

I saw this book while I was in Charleston visiting and upon returning obtained a copy. I used it to document where I went and plan out my next visit. Full of facts, and things of interest it will direct you to places you might not normally think to visit. Excellent if planning to travle there, and in fact I tured the book into a sort of scrapbook... putting my pictures in it, souveiners, ticket stubs, postcards.. and writing on the pages of the places we went to, my thoughts and dates of things. It turned out very nice, and is an all in one memory book for me.

Took this book to Charleston and loved having it as a quick resource to better understand the area. It has a beautiful artistic flair and helpful information and overview for any visit.

Loved this little book so bought one for my brother and sister-in-law for their trip to Charleston, SC. The seller sent me a very good used book. It was reasonably priced. I love my brother so had to gift him, but not with my First Edition.

My Wife and I recently took our first trip to Charleston together and we made notes on every page of the places that we visited. We used it as a journal for our trip and now have it as a keepsake that we will cherish forever.

Love the illustrations

This book is such a gem! I keep ordering it because I keep giving my copies away!

After moving to Charleston, I found this book and have enjoyed using it to learn about Charleston. Now I give one to my housequests as a reminder of things Charleston. Very happy with the book and strongly recommend it.

I buy these as a closing gift for all my clients! Excellent purchase!

Enjoyed reading the history of low country recipes. Great recipes for gatherings.

Highlights the best spots in Charleston

I took a trip to Charleston. I read this before I went to help me become acquainted with the lay out of the city and the history. I took it with me to better get an idea of what I read and remind me of things I needed to check out. After returning home I can look at the book and it can remind me of the interesting places I visited.

I love this book. It includes African American historical and cultural facts which many other books of this kind does not. And the best part, on page 43, my 4th great grandfather Noisette, is featured. Thank you Diana!

This is a beautiful little book. I enjoyed it very much. The information given was very succinct and helpful, each page is wonderfully illustrated and in full color. I'm going to read it through a second time just to be sure that I don't miss anything before my visit to Charleston! Loved it!

Loved The illustrations by the artist!!

This book has interesting facts and nice illustrations. Will make a perfect memorable gift.

I bought this for a friend who just went on a trip to Charleston and came back with lots of wonderful things to tell! I saw this book later and thought of her. It is so cute and I love the watercolors in it. Very nice book that I know she will treasure.

When visiting Charleston for the first time recently, I saw this book for sale everywhere. When I got home I ordered it from Amazon. This is a charming, interesting little book and I am glad to have been able to buy it at a bargain price.

I got this book for my son when he moved to Charleston. He said that he did not know much about the history of Charleston.

Very Charleston celebrates the city. It is not a boring travelogue, but packed with watercolor drawings depicting major sightseeing areas, peculiar little details and intriguing curiosities that give Charleston such character. Except for the thick humidity, it feels like being there. A loving tribute to a gracious old southern city.

I ordered that book because I will may need it to use for my future travel. I heard that city sounds like a historic.

Love this book. Takes me back to memories of a great visit to that city. I learned so much new information and hope to go back again. As an artist, the artwork is fantastic. Bought the New Orleans book as well and would highly recommend both.

I stumbled upon this book after visiting Charleston. I fell in love with the city, as many do, and wanted to revisit the charm of the city combined with the nostalgia of a magical vacation. This book does the job. The watercolors are lovely and the text is informative.

This was purchased as a gift for friend. She loved it! It’s a great keepsake for anyone who loves Charleston.

It's a fun book but not a book that I would call "coffee table style". The pictures are just a little young, but the information is interesting. I probably would not buy again -- but it's different than my other books.

Loved this little book. The artist rendering of the history is very good. It is an easy to read book that will be a great companion when visiting Charleston. It is a wonderful book for young children to read when learning the history of Charleston. 'Lyn

Absolutely gorgeous book! We visited Charleston in the summer and really loved the city. The bungalow we stayed in had this book on the coffee table. I would read it every morning while I sat in the porch and drank my coffee. The illustrations are so beautiful and I love reading about all the history of Charleston. It was fun to read more detail about some of the history we learned while on a carriage tour. I wanted this book so I would never forget that memorable place! This would make a great gift for anyone with a love for Charleston or even a friend who is planning a visit.

Fantastic guide to Charleston - I recommend this to anyone planning their first visit. This beautifully illustrated book gives interesting details of the major (and many minor) attractions and introduces visitors to the various areas of the city -- giving you a better lay of the land.

Gessler has a flair for expressing a lot of information in illustrations. She appears to have a passion and thorough knowledge of Charleston. I bought this book to learn about the city as we are about to go there for the first time and it did not disappoint.

I am an art student so I really appreciated the watercolor art pictures of Charleston, good way to learn about the place one plan to visit. Written in nice, simple words that capture the history and stories of Charleston.

I've never been to Charleston, but from friends who have lived there and raved about it, Charleston would be my first pick of American cities to visit. No matter the category... from history to food and architecture, this book appears to sum it all up.

Such a cute book... adorable sketches and educational and interesting information. I want to get one as a house warming gift next time I visit a friend who has a place on IOP.

Beautiful book. The author, artist is so lovely. Captures the beauty of Charleston! Lovely work and history. Good size to carry on plane and while in Charleston for reference.

caught the heart of Charleston

Great travel book

I love this book.Great book as gift or any Charleston lover.

This is a charming little book with beautiful watercolors of places to explore in Charleston. Just enough information on all the highlights of the city and beyond, without overloading you with too much information. I would highly recommend this book, only wish I had one for all the cities I visit.

a nice gift for for hosts to give to visitors (if you want them to return)......

We thought it was going to be a helpful travel book. It is not. It has loads of cartoon drawings with some interesting historical "tidbits" - some of which were inaccurate (as we learned when we visited various places) which added to the disappointment with this book. Cute book, but definitely not a travel resource. Very happy with seller, however. This rating, in no way, reflects on the seller!

I prepared with multiple resources, but this was by far my favorite to use. I bought a second copy & sent it to my Mom in anticipation of our trip. The sketches are actually as useful as they are pretty.

very small book with colored drawings. not at all what I was expecting. not worth the money.

Very Charleston not only gave us great information for what to see and the history behind the scenes, but also is a great keepsake of our visit. The wonderful art is just a treasure to own.

Well written and hightly entertaining. This small book captures the remarkable charm and southern sleekness of this city. AND the recipes are wonderful.

Very Charleston: A Celebration of History, Culture, and Lowcountry Charm is a wonderful keepsake for those who love Charleston. Love this book.

Love this “picture” book of Charleston! Concise and nicely illustrated.

Good product - would recommend!

Great little book about one of the nation's beloved cities. The illustrations and descriptions make for easy reading.

This book was the most informative of several I bought prior to my trip to Charleston. It is cleverly done and gives history, recipes and more!

Book nicely illustrated and full of fun/interesting facts about the city. I'll bring it with me next time there to see places that I missed this time. Great speedy service from sender.

I love this book highlighting the best of Charleston. I have given it as a gift a number of times - to interested visitors to Charleston.

Nice little book, I am going to take it with me when I go to this city this fall. Came very quick and well packaged.

This is a fun book - and a nice little coffee table book. The art work/watercolor/naration makes the history more interesting. It's fun and will accompany me on my trip to Charlston.

Very interesting read. I am a South Carolinian.

The wonderful watercolor drawings and short descriptions make this book a must have for those people who have been (or will soon go) to Charleston, South Carolina. The spirit and color of Charleston is captured in this small volume. I traveled to Charleston with three other women and we all bought this book! One lady even used it as her trip journal, making comments in the book about places we had been. I bought one for another friend going to Charleston and she, too, loved this little book.

Excellent little overview and mini-history of Charleston, SC!

Lovely entertaining book!

gift

Wonderful gift for a friend. It arrived very quickly and was in excellent condition ...brand new.

For new visitors and past visitors, this little books is delightful. Surprised us on things we knew were there, but never visited.

This was a gift for my mother, she absolutely loved it. I flipped through the book before I wrapped it up to give her. Illustrations were great, so was the content. I went ahead and ordered one for myself and a few family members that live and/or visit Charleston frequently.

A perfect little book from Amazon.com for a Charleston vacation. Complete with thumbnail artist's color sketches, and small enough to pack in a purse, it is itself magically packed with all the information you could need to find your way to lovely places to enjoy. It is certainly going along with my friend and me when we visit Charleston this April.

it is ok for general information.

Interesting guidebook for Charleston. Well illustrated with watercolor drawings. Book was just like new and arrived promptly

Great book I love it.

This book is so very southern and so very different. I just loved it and will leave it out for my guest to pick up and enjoy too.

This was not what I expected. It would be perfect for someone young since there are child like illustrations throughout the book, but for me I am trying to learn the history of Charleston and found the brief writings and stories not substantial enough for what I was looking for.

This is exactly the book my ladies group was looking for as a beginning to our meeting programs for the year. Not a lot pif writing and lots of pictures that led to further research on Charleston. This has become our planning guide to our trip to Charleston next year.

I am from Charleston but live in Pa. I give this to all my friends who are headed in that direction. Wonderful little book with a terrific synopsis of my city. I love the illustrations as well. Everyone loves this little book. Makes a nice gift.

Great book at a great price. A must as a gift for all my friends who come to visit us in Charleston!

Very clever!!

I'm sure the paintings are lovely by themselves. The book is too busy when you turn the pages, hard to follow

This book is fun and colorful. Filled with watercolors featuring the highlights of Charleston, it is an interesting and quick read. Great for a coffee table book!

very cute book

Lovely little book filled with watercolors and info on Charleston!

Great book.

I didn't realize this book would have all these recipes in it. I bought it for a gift and after looking at it, I made it a gift to myself. I love reading all these recipes

Very entertaining book.

Charming. Can't wait for my visit to Charleston.

The title says it all. What a great guide to "heart" of the south! A must read b4 you visit. A gift book I've given over and over. I look forward to visiting there again soon. Want to go cet?

Recently moved to Charleston and I was looking for a overview of the area and points of interest. This book fit that bill perfectly.

Perfect coffee table book (especially if you live in Charleston)

I bought several of these books to give as wedding favours as my family and friends were coming over from England for my wedding. I am sure they will love them and they came well packed and in excellent condition.

This book hits the high spots with a most interesting insight and contains charming sketches. The next time I visit Charleston, I will definitely take this book with me.

We read this on our flight to Charleston and laughed our bums off. Very good insight to Charleston and the old south

I used this for a vacation to Charleston and it was so helpful! Great information for what to plan to do for the trip.

Love this book! Full of charleston charm!!

Wonderful information and fantastic watercolor illustrations. A real find! A friend lent me hers, and I liked it so much I bought one for myself.

Quick easy to read information about Charleston, great illustrations

My husband saw this on my wish list on Amazon and ordered it for me. It's a cute book but not necessarily historic. More like recipes, styles, decorating, etc. It's OK for a fun book but not if you want something historic.

Excellant very well received

This book is a charming and well illustrated mini travel guide to Charleston. Adds unique characteristics to the charm of Charleston.

This makes a lovely gift for anyone who loves charleston and appreciates it's beauty.

I live in Charleston and ordered this for my boyfriend who is moving here. As soon as I got it, I couldn't put it down and learned so much about the town I live in! A great little book for visitors and residents!

Good condition!

Beautiful

Great little book it gave me a lot of information.

Kind of a silly book that a tourist might buy. I live near Charleston and was hoping for a more informative book.

great book

My wife enjoyed the book.

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.

Maybe not as detailed as a Fodor's guide, but beautifully presented and easy to read. Nice souvenir from a beautiful city.

Diana Hollingsworth Gessler’s Very Charleston is a charming book. Packed full of facts and anecdotes about Charleston, South Carolina, the book can be read in thirty minutes or so, then kept to refer to again and again. Gessler’s illustrations are beautifully wrought and fun, as well. This book is a perfect souvenir of a trip to Charleston (that’s how I acquired it,) but it would also make a lovely gift to anyone contemplating a trip or anyone who just loves to travel.

My mother-in-law gave us this book before our move to Charleston, SC. My own family came to visit and while driving around downtown with the book it felt like a tour of our very own. The next day we did in fact go on a real Charleston tour and they restated many of the interesting facts of Charleston found within the book! The book is not only a wealth of information, but also a beautifully illustrated book!!! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! :) I recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about Charleston!

My daughter had this book with her when we visited Charleston for the 2nd time. After reading it (couldn't put it down), we found more reasons to return to this wonderful area; learned more interesting facts about already viewed streets, homes and history. It is a light read with beautiful watercolor pictures throughout the book. Don't pass it up!

Bought this as my guest book for my wedding in Charleston. It was absolutely perfect because the illustrations are very vivid and a little cartoon-y.

Any Charleston lover must own this book!! It is a delightful, easy to read history of this charming city. Complete with illustrations and interesting fun facts.

What a charming and wonderful book. I bought it when I arrived in Charleston and used it as my guide. Love the drawings and helpful information.