Charleston is a special city that draws people in and makes itself loved. There is an appreciation of beauty and taste that lingers and captivates the visitor.
Is Technology Ruining Your Life? Take A Quick Quiz To Find Out By Clicking Here.
When invited to speak in the city, I was struck by how well the message of my book, Return to Order, resonated with the culture. It was a natural fit for a book signing.
As part of a mid-February book tour, I traveled with fellow author, Norman Fulkerson,who wrote the book, An American Knight: The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC. Together we held several double signings since the two books naturally complement each other. The special focus of the tour was centered on the role of honor, authority and leadership as an essential part of any return to order.
The Citadel, the city’s famous public university in a cadet military setting, was one of the 
highlights of the tour. The school embodies order and honor found in its regimented program and highly motivated cadets. We were honored to speak to some 500 cadets of the school’s large Republican Club during 
lunch break. Even the lunch was not without its regimented aspects, as cadets ate their lunches quickly during the meeting, and rushed out to make it to their afternoon classes after a brief signing session.
A high point of the afternoon was viewing the Friday parade, a military review with some 
maneuvers dating back to the Crusades and others to Revolutionary War times.
Its renowned pipe and brass band played, while the Citadel’s 2,300 cadets were drilled, paraded and reviewed before the school’s Commandant Eugene F. Paluso.
Another opportunity to know Charleston was a sidewalk book signing on King Street in front of the Pauline Book and Media Center. At such a location, we came in direct contact with the public and experienced the warmth of constantly greeting passersby who were friendly, whether interested in the books or not. It was unlike those busy cities where a book table would be ignored as though it did not exist.
It is always that cordial human element that makes Charleston so delightful and charming. It is the organic development of the city that puts it outside the box and gives it that originality and character for which it is famous.
Yet another signing took place in nearby Columbia, the state capital. We were the guests 
of the dynamic St. Thomas More Catholic Center at the University of South Carolina. The presentation of the two books provoked a lively and excellent discussion, which showed that the themes of honor and leadership resonate well among our youth.
The second South Carolina tour of Return to Order was a wonderful opportunity to spread the ideas of the book and influence the debate over the nation’s future.
Read about the last book tour in South Carolina here:
My “Return to Order Moment” in Charleston
To schedule a talk about Return to Order in your area, write to: [email protected]