travel

North Carolina is so often overlooked as the subject for a beautiful coffee table book. Yet it's a "natural," with so much variety (seashore, steamy lowlands, Piedmont, rugged mountains). So I was dubious that an affordable book like this could do the job. But congratulations to Carol Highsmith and Ted Landphair for pulling it off. The photography is absolutely magnificent. There's a compact introduction with delightful old photos that sort of sets up the "tour" of the state. And then a very logical trip across North Carolina. I especially loved the unexpected and quaint shots, like the old general store exterior in Catawba, two guys playing checkers inside another general store in Valle Crucis, and some nostalgic shots of tobacco farms and wildflowers and a Civil War re-enactment. The photographer and writer even managed to include a great shot of the Dismal Swamp. Next to taking a month and touring the Tar Heel state on your own, this surprising book is the best way to see North Carolina.