The South Carolina State Library’s Center for the Book has selected two works exploring South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution as its 2026 Great Reads from Great Places selections, including Backcountry Resistance: South Carolina’s Militia and the Fight for American Independence by Carl P. Borick, director of The Charleston Museum.
The annual Great Reads from Great Places program is part of a national initiative of the Library of Congress that highlights books representing the literary heritage, culture and history of communities across the country. The books are written by authors from their state or territory, take place in their state or territory, or celebrate local culture and heritage.
Selections will be highlighted at the annual Library of Congress National Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
“I’m honored that Backcountry Resistance has been selected as a 2026 Great Read from Great Places. South Carolina’s backcountry inhabitants played a critical role in the struggle for American independence, yet those stories and the people who lived them are often less familiar to the public,” said Carl Borick, director of The Charleston Museum. “I hope this book helps readers better understand the complexity of the Revolution in South Carolina and the contributions of the communities that fought for its outcome.”
An Army of a Different Kind: The Battle of the Great Savannah, August 25, 1780 by Eric K. Barnes was also selected. The selections complement ongoing efforts throughout South Carolina to commemorate the semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of American independence, by encouraging residents and visitors to engage with the state's Revolutionary history through books and scholarship.