ited ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁Carolina ▁Historical ▁Society . ▁There ▁he ▁spent ▁four ▁years ▁serving ▁as ▁an ▁archiv ist , ▁li br arian , ▁and ▁grant ▁writer . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁he ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁high - prec ision ▁public ▁records ▁micro fil ming ▁system ▁for ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁Char l eston . ▁He ▁also ▁research ed ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁ 1 8 th - ▁and ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁Southern ▁plan ters , ▁their ▁homes , ▁and ▁their ▁slaves . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁he ▁turned ▁to ▁more ▁contemporary ▁subjects , ▁including ▁sexual ▁har ass ment ▁and ▁ab use , ▁motor cycle ▁gang s ▁and ▁drug ▁dealing , ▁entertain ment ▁personal ities , ▁the ▁American ▁circ us ▁industry , ▁religious ▁cult s , ▁and ▁de program mers . ▁He ▁also ▁author ed ▁or ▁co - author ed ▁nov els ▁based ▁on ▁family ▁relationships , ▁human ▁cl oning , ▁politics , ▁and ▁add iction ▁to ▁psych ics . ▁ ▁G aining ▁Rec ogn ition ▁▁ ▁His ▁three ▁bi ograph ies , ▁ ▁Mary ' s ▁World : ▁Love , ▁War , ▁and ▁Family ▁T ies ▁in ▁Nin ete enth - century ▁Char l eston ▁( 1 9 9 9 ); ▁The odos ia ▁B urr ▁Al ston : ▁Port rait ▁of ▁a ▁Pro dig y ▁( 2 0 0 2 ) ▁and ▁Str ength ▁and ▁Honor : ▁The ▁Life ▁of ▁Dol ley ▁Mad ison ▁( 2 0 0 4 )