In South Carolina: A Timeless Journey, Robert Clark and Tom Poland tour the backroads of the Palmetto State, stopping along the way to note the historic monuments, natural landmarks, and colorful characters that distinguish South Carolina from its neighbors. Purposefully avoiding the stock cars, shagging, and politics that outsiders commonly associate with the state, Clark and Poland venture off the beaten path to profile memorable South Carolinians and the places they call home. These vignettes present a contemporary portrait of the Palmetto State in the midst of transition. From the pilots of Desert Storm to the crabbers of the Lowcountry, Clark and Poland portray the extremes that characterize South Carolina on the eve of the twenty-first century. They applaud the beauty and resilience of historic Charleston while lamenting the dilution of the Lowcountry's Gullah culture. They visit an authentic general store, a grist mill that now serves as a museum, and one of the few shops where sausage is still made by hand. They mourn the obsolescence of the front porch, fire tower, and family farm. But even as Clark and Poland look nostalgically on the remnants of a simpler time, they cite the international businesses, institutions of higher education, and modern advancements that point to South Carolina's continuing evolution.
