Veteran journalist Adam Parker has covered just about everything for The Charleston Post and Courier , though he has spent most of his time writing about race, religion and the arts. His reported articles are not of the standard kind. The stories delve deep, investigating much of what informs life in the American Southeast. They are issue-focused and convey the experiences and perceptions of all kinds of people, from civil rights leaders to Cistercian monks. "Us: A Journalist's Look at the Culture, Conflict and Creativity of the South" is a collection of in-depth articles published by The Post and Courier over the course of nearly 20 years, and it reveals the breadth and scope of Parker's uncanny ability to pull back the scrim and take a hard look at ourselves and our community.