As the wounds of the Civil War are just beginning to heal, one fateful summer would forever alter the course of a young girl’s life. In 1868, on the barren shores of post-war Outer Banks North Carolina, the once wealthy Sinclair family moves for the summer to one of the first cottages on the ocean side of the resort village of Nags Head. Seventeen-year-old Abigail is beautiful, book-smart, but sheltered by her plantation life and hemmed-in by her emotionally distant family. To make good use of time, she is encouraged by her family to teach her father’s fishing guide, the good-natured but penniless Benjamin Whimble, how to read and write. And in a twist of fate unforeseen by anyone around them, there on the porch of the cottage, the two come to love each other deeply, and to understand each other in a way that no one else does. But when, against everything he claims to represent, Ben becomes entangled in Abby's father's Ku Klux Klan work, the terrible tragedy and surprising revelations that one hot Outer Banks night brings forth threaten to tear them apart forever. With vivid historical detail and stunning emotional resonance, Diann Ducharme recounts a dramatic story of love, loss, and coming of age at a singular and rapidly changing time in one of America’s most beautiful and storied communities.

Reunited with her beloved college chums after years of separation, Kate Abrams, now a successful interior designer, must face the many bitter truths of her own past.

There is a sliver of sand that extends itself into the sea beyond the usual coastline of North Carolina. Rich in pirate lore, ghost stories, nor'easters, and unpredictable weather, the Outer Banks continues to leave an indelible impression on those who are receptive. A reflection of three generations in the changing landscape of the North Carolina Outer Banks, Coming Home takes readers back to the more innocent era of the 1920s and 1930s, followed by accounts of the legendary Casino, the shifting sand of Jockey's Ridge, and other memories too good to lose from the 1950s and '60s. This reflection comes full circle with stories from vacationers who 'wrote' parts of this ode to the Outer Banks through their own real-life experiences. Author Sally Nixon Haines invites readers to see this place as locals do, offering insider information, travel tips, and amusing anecdotes—all sprinkled with a hearty dose of humor and nostalgia. Whether you're a native to the area, a frequent visitor, or a tourist in the making, you'll enjoy Coming Home: The North Carolina Outer Banks, which urges you to discover the beauty that remains...and don't forget to pack the memories when you leave.

LONG THE FUNNIEST, and savviest, commentator on North Carolina's beloved Outer Banks, "Uncle Jack" Sandberg is back with the ultimate collection of hilarious-and on-the-mark-observations, supplemented by the work of great cartoonists. Sandberg dispenses stories, advice, criticism, annoyance, warnings, insight, and always laughs, about this narrow strand of islands that has become one of America's premier vacationlands. From Corolla to Hatteras Island, with stops at Manteo, his beloved South Nags Head, and all spots in-between, Uncle Jack does indeed own the Outer BanksUNCLE JACK'S OUTER BANKS: The Ultimate Collection is the perfect gift or memento for anyone who loves the Outer Banks or just likes to laugh. It is, as Uncle Jack says, "a pretty funny book."

She was the spirited daughter of a North Carolina plantation owner, and he was a poor fisherman who she tutored on the porch of her family's Nags Head cottage. When we last saw Abigail Sinclair and Ben Whimble at the close of The Outer Banks House, they'd overcome their differences in life stations and defied convention to begin their new life together. But now it's seven years later, and Return to the Outer Banks House finds the couple married and in hard times-riddled by poverty, miscarriages, and weakened family ties. The strong bonds that once held them together have eroded over time, and their marriage threatens to unravel, particularly when relationships from the past and ambitions for the future find their way into the mismatched couple's present predicament. Can their love survive? Or are the challenges they face insurmountable? Return to the Outer Banks House carries readers back to 1875 to answer these questions and explore the ebb and flow of a rocky marriage set against the enchanting North Carolina shoreline. Replete with history, intrigue, and plenty of maritime drama, it's an evocative tale of struggle in the Reconstruction-era South.

In the mid-1800s, wealthy farmers and businessmen began bringing their families to North Carolina's Outer Banks to escape the blistering inland summer heat. Soon after, the region's first hotel was built with accommodations for 200 guests. By the mid-1900s, hotels such as the Carolinian, the Nags Header, and the Arlington as well as smaller motels and cottage courts like Journey's End, the Sea Foam, and the Cavalier dotted the coastline. Most motels were independent, family-run operations. Many guests returned yearly, reuniting with the motel owners and other visitors. However, by the end of the 20th century, many of these mom-and-pop establishments had become a distant memory, lost to wrecking balls and replaced by large beach houses. This book recalls these hotels and motels and their impact on the Outer Banks and its visitors.