Charleston Icons

Charleston Icons celebrates the Holy City through full-color photographs and evocative essays highlighting fifty of the best places, foods, buildings, institutions, and inventions that Charleston has to offer. From the four corners of law to sweetgrass baskets, the Spoleto Festival to shrimp, grits, and boiled peanuts, this book showcases what makes Charleston special.

A native Charlestonian, Ida A. Becker has covered the city, her people, and its cosmopolitan culture for more than five years as both the Society Editor for Charleston magazine and SCENE reporter for the Charleston City Paper. Her Fête Set blog earned the reader's choice Best Blog in Charleston award in 2006. An intrepid traveler who spent 2008 circumnavigating the globe, Ida interviewed and photographed the people she met in more than 20 countries for her U Truth Project, a documentary that chronicles personal beliefs (www.UTruthProject.org). Despite her wanderings, Ida remains a southerner at heart, saying "You can't find boiled peanuts or college football in Dubai." Ida holds a BA in journalism from the University of Georgia. Her work has appeared in Charleston, Charleston City Paper, Charleston HOME, Charleston Weddings, Gotham, Legends, and skirt!