This hardbound, coffee-table-size, heirloom quality book contains 565 pages and features 144 photos. The author begins with a framework of regional and national events. Onto this backdrop he weaves a mesmerizing true story of evolving society in a small South Carolina community. Readers experience horrors of the American Revolutionary War, then stability and prosperity in the fabled Cotton Kingdom. The author paints a graphic picture of initial euphoria, followed by privation and suffering, during the brutal American Civil War. The little village prospered thereafter, but disaster struck in the early 1900s. The dreaded boll weevil, demise of the small farmer, death of King Cotton, and Great Depression sucked lifeblood out of the town. Hard times forged unity, and families bonded together. Togetherness honed interpersonal skills and responsible citizenship. When venturing into mainstream America, town natives rose head-and-shoulders above the masses. In the sciences, the arts, the humanities, and the professions they excelled. Most credit their experience in the little town for their many worldly successes. The author weaves a spellbinding story. He uses plats, maps, deeds, letters, photos, and newspaper articles to breathe life into this riveting saga of life in rural America. The mystical lure of the laid-back little village has prompted many former residents to return in their later years. Most agree that their utopian rural home is truly "Heaven in South Carolina."

"It is one of the very first art books which helped artists develop the aptitude for seeing the inner essence of various natural phenomena."—Shambhala Sun "Red Pine introduces Western readers to both the text itself and the traditions it has inherited."—Virginia Quarterly Review Through a series of brief four-lined poems and illustrations, Sung Po-jen aims at training artistic perception: how to truly see a plum blossom. First published in AD 1238, Guide to Capturing a Plum Blossom is considered the world's earliest-known printed art books. This bilingual edition contains the one hundred woodblock prints from the 1238 edition, calligraphic Chinese poems, and Red Pine's graceful translations and illuminating commentaries. "Tiger Tracks" winter wind bends dry grass flicks its tail along the ridge fearful force on the loose don't try to braid old whiskers Red Pine's commentary: "The Chinese liken the north wind that blows down from Siberia in winter to a roaring tiger. China is home to both the Siberian and the South China tigers. While both are on the verge of extinction, the small South China tiger still appears as far north as the Chungnan Mountains, where hermits have shown me their tracks." Sung Po-jen was a Chinese poet of the thirteenth century. Red Pine (a.k.a. Bill Porter) is one of the world's foremost translators of Chinese poetry and religious texts. His published translations include The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain, Lao-tzu's Taoteching, and Poems of the Masters. He lives near Seattle, Washington.

(Originally published in hardcover as The Wreath Recipe Book) Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo, authors of The Flower Recipe Book and founders of Studio Choo, provide more than 100 step-by-step projects to make with flowering and leafy branches. In the spring, readers can create a cherry blossom bough or a centerpiece of lilacs and olive branches. In the summer, a garland features sage with pomegranates and citrus-colored strawflowers. In autumn, wreaths are made out of magnolias and rosemary. Winter highlights cedar, pine, and juniper, yielding unexpected table settings and new wreath shapes. Also included are hundreds of step-by-step photos, as well as tutorials covering basic techniques, sourcing, and care information.