S. Max EdelsonPlantation Enterprise in Colonial South Carolina

As a person trying to learn more about the rice industry in South Carolina, this book provided an excellent description of how the industry began; how it grew and how it changed the environment of the Carolina Low Country.

A very well-written as well as well-researched book on its topic, and while its focus is on planters in South Carolina, there's content of merit for the general scholar of the plantation era of the Americna South here, too. The focus on transforming the natural environment--which in coastal South Carolina was a pretty swampy, difficult, and alien environment for early planters--into one which could sustain viable agricultural enterprise is fascinating. We take for granted our ability to mold the land into what we desire it to be via technology today, but in the colonial days up to the Civil War of course technological means were much less advanced, and yet people were able to carve out resolute plantations nonetheless. Professor Edelson's introspection on the business side of establishing and running these plantations is especially nuanced and interesting. All in all, a fine book on South Carolina history

it was great

very interesting book

Well-researched and very informative, but a bit more dense than I was expecting. Would make a great textbook, but not necessarily a good casual read.