To escape death the slaves hid. So begins Insurrection on the Stono, the story of a 1739 slave rebellion on the outskirts of the city. Charleston s violent and varied history emerges in the retelling of this dramatic event. In Charleston Curiosities: Stories of the Tragic, Heroic and Bizarre, South Carolina Historical Society s Michael Coker describes several centuries worth of little-known wonders from the Holy City. Whatever happened to Osceola s head? What was it like to walk the streets of Charleston just after secession was declared? Whether presenting the colonial struggle among European powers for control of Charles Towne or the real story of the birth of she-crab soup, this eclectic and engaging volume will delight seasoned historians, residents and visitors alike." Michael Coker has been the Visual Materials Curator at the South Carolina Historical Society since 2000. He also works as a tour guide for the City of Charleston, with specialties in Colonial History, Civil War, American Revolution, and Folklore. He has authored one book, A Fair Wind and Tide: The Battle for Charles Town, 1706 (Joggling Board Press, forthcoming) and dozens of magazine and newspaper articles, most notably for Charleston Magazine, Moultrie News, and Carolina Morning News. Additionally, he has spoken at conferences for the Charleston Library Society and the South Carolina Genealogical Society, among others.