This was well researched and written. It told a lot bout the deep love, struggle, and resilience of this family. I felt connected to them and would love to read more of Nicholson’s work!

Thank you to Net Galley and to South Carolina Press for providing an early copy of The Garrets of Columbia by David Nicholson

The history of the Garrett family of Columbia, South Carolina covering the period from the end of American slavery to the beginnings of integration is the scope of author David Nicholson's research and reflection on what is both personal to him and important for others to consider.

The narrative of the Garrett's begins with a slave arriving in the United States, but the majority of the emphasis is on Papa and Mama Garrett, Nicholson's great-parents as they negotiate the hopeful belief in Reconstruction, the never-ending lack of real opportunity for African-Americans, the drive to offer their children a better life and the belief in the American Dream against all odds.

Readers will take notice of the realities of their times, including the printing of town directories that listed African-Americans separately of with a "C" after their entries, the contributions by the black Pullman Porters who carried news across the United States and the deep religious fervor that united African-Americans in their communities.

At the end of the Garrett account, Nicholson forces the reader to contemplate what makes a person a success in this world? How do ordinary people find ways to make the system work for them or aid in trying something new when it doesn't.

Nicholson's inclusion of photographs, excerpts of letters and a strong compilation of notes and resources support a truly American historical journey.