Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guide, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of America's most spectacular destinations. Covering everything there is to see and do, as well as the best places to stay and eat, these gorgeous full-colour guides are perfect for anyone looking for a real understanding of the region. Lively, insightful writing and splendid illustrations make this guide to the most southern of the original states of the USA stand out. After covering the history and culture of Georgia, from the prehistory to the Civil War to modern Georgia, this extensive guide brings every part of Georgia to life, exposing the rich and often conflicting heritage that makes up the old and new South. The coverage includes: Atlanta - the gay Mecca of the South, the wealth of literary heritage, from Alice Walker to Uncle Remus, the reconstructed capital of the Cherokee Nation at New Echota, the old English dialect of the Blue Ridge mountains, with special features on the South Island beach resorts, mountain retreats, historic Savannah, new Southern cuisine, the Okefenokee Swamp and National Wildlife Reserve, and the best of Atlanta and Athens.