What type of logs for a fire?

My husband and I debate about this every winter. I grew up in a house with a big fireplace and hearth and all that and every year my family always had fires in it,(we live in SC so we don't get extremely cold winters but cold enough) I think that a fire is logs and blazing hot and should last all night. My husband says that because we live in the south that all we need is a fire log because it is only for show. How do you say? What type of fire is the best. There is nothing riding on the outcome to this question I was just wondering! Thanks in advance.