Topsail Island:
Mayberry by the Sea

As if caught in a time warp, Topsail resembles resorts of decades past. It has the small-town feel of a family beach, a place with few commercial trappings whose devotees return generation after generation. McAllister blends interviews with the people who know the island with stories of early pirates, devastating hurricanes, a 1940s dig in search of a 1630 Spanish galleon's treasure, the U.S. government's secret rocket program, a modern-day sea-turtle preservation project, and a black bear that came to stroll the beach. McAllister tells the many stories of Topsail with the help of those who love the island best.

About the Author

Ray McAllister is a former columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the current editor of Boomer Life magazine. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Wrightsville Beach: The Luminous Island

Soon after crossing the drawbridge from the mainland, you'll reach a fork in the road and face your first decision at Wrightsville Beach. Bearing left will take you to the famous Johnnie Mercer's Fishing Pier and near the site where a giant sperm whale named Trouble once washed ashore and refused to leave. Bearing right will take you to the classic downtown and points south, including the Coast Guard station and the site of the late, great Lumina Pavilion.

Either way, you can't go wrong.

Wrightsville Beach is Ray McAllister's homage to a special place, a book that captures not only Wrightsville's history but also its heart.

About the Author

Ray McAllister is a former columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the current editor of Boomer Life magazine. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.