Addlestone Authors’ Series Starts off Strong - College of Charleston Libraries

On February 15, the Friends of the Library launched the Addlestone Authors’ Series with a lively discussion by Ken Burger on his new book, Baptized in Sweet Tea. He captivated the crowd with stories from the heart about living and growing up in the South. The book is a compilation of his columns from his career as a journalist for the Post and Courier. The columns ranged from stories of his childhood to memories of the past, and tales of how he overcame struggles and addictions.

On March 19, we will welcome Stephen Hoffius and Susan Millar Williams for the second discussion on their book, Upheaval in Charleston. Last semester, Steve and Susan’s talk on the anniversary of the Charleston Earthquake in 1886 drew a record crowd. Their upcoming talk will focus on the murder of Francis Warrington Dawson, the editor of the News and Courier at the time of the earthquake and how his demise affected the politics of the Jim Crow era in Charleston. Additionally, novelist Roxanna Robinson, a direct descendant of Dawson and of Harriet Beecher Stowe, will discuss Dawson from the point of view of the family’s legacy of outspoken idealism and moral commitment. On March 22, Robinson will take the main stage and discuss two of her books: Cost and her definitive biography of Georgia O’Keeffe.