Louisiana Books

My long-time readers are aware that I am drawn to essayists as unswervingly as I am drawn to essaying. In my online journal (The Soupletter, 1993-2003) I reviewed collections by Diane Ackerman, Annie Dillard, Stephen Jay Gould, Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Lamott, Kurt Vonnegut, E.B. White, Terry Tempest Williams and many others. Each and all are wonderful wordsmiths, and Crowther belongs right up there with the best of them. CATHEDRALS OF KUDZU is largely drawn from the author's regular contributions to The Oxford American a lofty journal, with a regretably small readership. Though Crowther's newspaper column runs regularly in the Independent of Raleigh, and irregularly elsewhere in the alernative press, he deserves a much wider audience. On the other hand, one cannot ignore the fact that writing at his level is aimed a little high for a general readership. Crowther draws on wide knowledge of literature and history, a marvelous vocabulary, a well-honed scepticism, and his enormous good nature, in delineating, skewering, praising and confessing to the sins and glories of his South. His discussion of race relations is the sanest I have seen in print, period. His consideration of the meaning of the Confederacy and its lingering traces is thought provoking and deep, as his consideration of bourbon and hurricanes, evangelists and trees. Well done, I say, well done. A book of southern grace and southern cussedness, showcasing a writer fully deserving of the H.L. Mencken Award he received in 1992, who is still at the top of his form.

A WONDERFUL read! Great for any Southern culture enthusiast! Good source for other Southern books as many refernces are made in the text. Excellent!!!

This book is really worth your time. Hal Crowther is funny and serious and highly original, even with the South's easy targets, like Elvis or the Southern Belle. Even when Hal Crowther is highly critical, he really gets at the essence of why regionalism is relevant, especially when he's writing about about literature and religion.

I was born, raised and educated through college in Alabama, and I was riveted by Hal Crowther's account of life and culture in the South. I couldn't put it down; my husband kept asking why I was laughing out loud. It covers the gamut of everything Southern--from race relations to dogs to barbeque to Elvis. Crowther is a sympathetic writer, but pulls no punches and is not (in my view) the least bit revisionist about the South's mottled history. You'll enjoy the book more if you've paid homage at the altar of Southern literature--Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Walker Percy. I would recommend it especially to any Southern ex-pats. Fire up your grill, make some iced tea (or pour yourself a bourbon if you're so inclined), put an Elvis CD on the stereo, and kick back.

This book is great for people interested in the deep-rooted evolution of Conjure in America. Besides its material of historical interest that reaches back into old Africa, it has some some practical material that the reader can piece together; this isn't a how-to book. It is an excellent resource - I found several other books of interest through it - and it is written in a sympathetic and intelligent manner. It is definitely worth the purchase if you are interested in the whole matter of Conjure.

Insightful! A must read for anyone who is interested in African American spirituality and history.

A thorough, and fascinating, exploration of a little-known facet of African-American history and culture. For both the history buff and the working magician, this is a page-turner. Chock-full of historical information, yet very easy to read.

A couple of tidbits to whet your appetite:

*Zora Neale Hurston's supposedly dubious African-style intiations can be traced to secret-society initiations of the Mande and Krobo tribes

*Spiritual-supply companies often recruited sales agents through churches such as the Church of God in Christ

*"Many root doctors practicing today have become millionaires"

I'm one of those people who places a Post-It at each really interesting datum. My copy of _Conjure In African American Society_ has one on almost every page. I'm just sayin'.

This is a fabulously compiled book chocked full of every significant reference to conjure that is or was available. For those interested in getting accurate knowledge of African American conjure and all things related to it, this is the book to have in your library. I go to this book first when looking for clarifycation and direction. Jeff Anderson has worked very hard to provide a truthful, complete picture of conjure from the beginning to present day. A must have for any serious student of folk lore, folk magic and folk medicine. Its a rootworkers dream reference book...Thank you Jeff! -Todomojo

This is the best cookbook I have ever owned. I use it all the time, and have had wonderful results with every recipe.

I'd never cooked, and this was the most treasured of the cookbooks that my new husband arrived with hoping I might make a few things out of it someday. I wondered if maybe we shouldn't start with Joy of Cooking or something, but actually this is a wonderful book for novice or (I bet) experienced cook alike. Nippy's warm, kind voice is like a loving presence helping you bring to life the meals that her family gathered around and loved years ago. Whether or not you agree with James Carville's politics, after reading this cookbook, you will sure know that he was brought up right!

I picked up this book on our honeymoon in New Orleans five years ago. A souvenir, if you will, but have found some wonderful recipes in it. The chicken etoufee is delicious and easy, the eggplant caponata is fabulous, and Mae Mae's ice cream is the richest and best-- like Ben and Jerry made it in your own kitchen! Plus, I love to read it-- her personality really comes through. The other review sounds like a sound bite from a publishing company, but I must say I really enjoy this cookbook. I have several shelves full of cookbooks, but this one is one of a few that gets used regularly!

This cookbook is the most well organized collection of recipes with complete step by step instructions. Timeless recipes of love and tradition, Nippy Carville, mother of James Carville, takes her Delicious Heritage from Avoyelles Parish (deep in the heart of the bayous of Acadiana in South Louisiana).

Nippy brings together 150 contributors who are friends and family for a true collection of cooking tradition.

This cookbook was featured at the White House and on the Today Show. Recently, Delicious Heritage was featured in the cookbook, Best of the Best for LA II.

Everyone should enjoy this wonderful collection of recipes including Gumbo, Chicken Fricasse, and Jambalaya, some of South Louisiana's most treasured dishes.

Everyone was always welcome at the Carville Table -- Please join us in this Delicious Heritage.

I read this book seventeen years ago when I was at school in England, being taught 'Literature' by a Texan. At the time I thought it a poignant story, and as years have passed the story of Desiree and Armand have lived with me. I couldn't remember the author, or even the title of the story, but was determined to search it out. Thanks to this website, I have managed just that. I would not hesitate in recommending this sad, strange story to all, but warn you that it is a truly unforgettable piece of literature.

I first read this at school in England where I was taught Literature by a Texan. Although I appreciated the clever delivery and beautiful poignancy of this story, I did not realise that it would live in memory. Knowing only the character's names, I have looked for this book for 19 years. Thanks to your website, I have finally found it.

This is a magnificent tale which I would recommend wholeheartedly.

In this poignant story the main character, Armand Aubigny, assumes that it is his wife's (Desiree) fault that their young son has Negroid features. He assumes this because when he first met and fell in love with her, she had no real knowledge about who her parents were and where she came from. Feeling shame and disillusioned about his marriage, Armand forces his wife and son away from his home and life forever. But by the end of the story, he stumbles upon a family secret which makes him, not Desiree, directly responsible for the Negroid features of his son. He discovers that his own mother, " . . . belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery." This bit of irony in the end is cleverly done and establishes Kate Chopin's final point - that the only difference that exist between white and black, is in the imagination of a society that exclusively decides its own racial purity!

In this poignant story the main character, Armand Aubigny, assumes that it is his wife's (Desiree) fault that their young son has Negroid features. He assumes this because when he first met and fell in love with her, she had no real knowledge about who her parents were and where she came from. Feeling shame and disillusion about his marriage, Armand forces his wife and son away from his home and life forever. But by the end of the story, he stumbles upon a family secret which makes him, not Desiree, directly responsible for the Negroid features of his son. He discovers that his own mother, " . . . belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery." This bit of irony in the end is cleverly done and establishes Kate Chopin's final point - that the only difference that exist between white and black, is in the imagination of a society that exclusively decides its own racial purity!

I have several guides for birds, butterflies, snakes, reptiles and amphibians. I just started learn about dragonflies this year and this is one of the best guides I have seen. In fact, it was highly recommended by an individual who has a Masters Degree in dragonfly study. I recommend it for individuals just starting out with dragonflies as the photos are great but it also provides enough information (range maps) to let you narrow down and identify the more difficult species.

This field guide is the one to own. It covers not only all the dragonflies of Texas and the Southcentral US, but all the damselflies as well. The photographs are superb and this make for easy identification of species in the field. However, because of these pluses, the result is a rather sizable guide that is just a bit too heavy to really qualify as a handy field guide. If you can deal with its size and weight, it more than makes up for this handicap in thes helpful information it provides. The only drawback and the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, is because it is a tad less user friendly for the novice or non-professional (i.e. The species identification keys are a bit confusing). Nevertheless, it is destined to become the standard to measure all other guides.

As an admirer of dragonflies and damselflies I was quite delighted to find this book by John C. Abbott. It is a mix of the very technical and (at least in part because of the 64 plates of magnificent color photos) the very useful for the non-specialist. The range maps are invaluable as a way of adding clues for the identification of similar species. The line drawings of anatomical parts are important in separating closely related species and the glossary of terms, the check list, and the large bibliography round out a very useful or even indispensable volume for the dragonfly watcher. In short, this book is a serious guide to an area with the highest odonate diversity in the United States. "Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States" simply is a must for anyone interested in the odonate fauna of the five states involved. Its production, along with at least three earlier regional and national books on the subject, is a testimonial to the growing popularity of these beautiful and fascinating insects.

This is not a book that you can skim; rather, it is one intended for the serious student of Odonata in Texas. Written by an acknowledged expert in the field, it covers everything you might want to know about the dragonflies found in Texas.

Be warned, though, that you cannot approach this book lightly. The author uses scientific terms liberally: you will have to spend time acquiring the vocabulary.

For the serious Texas "Odo-nut" this is an absolutely essential part of your library.

"Duel Between the First Ironclads" is probably the best book I have read about the historic clash between the CSS Virginia (Merrimac) and the USS Monitor. It relates the fascinating tale of the development and fight between the two great ironclads and their meeting on March 9, 1862.

William C. Davis is both a historian and a storyteller. He expertly weaves memoir and journal accounts from actual participants to reveal a human side to what many would consider 'dry' history. That Monitor and Virginia were the first Ironclads to meet in battle is notable. But it is the men who commanded those ships, fired their guns and worked their engines who were behind it all. Davis expertly captures that and brings it to life. It is this mesh of human drama and military might that makes this book so valuable.

Then there's the fact that it is simply well written, well paced and just entertaining. While this subject has been covered before in countless books on Civil War Naval history and military, none I have seen has gone into this much depth, both for the human side and the historical background.

I really enjoyed this one. I think it's written well enough that I could suggest this book to just about anyone who has an interest in military history, or just likes a good story.

The USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (ex-Merrimack) were not the "first" ironclads... rather, it was the First Duel of Ironclads. It can only be supposed that the title was forced on Mr. Davis by the publisher. Still... this is perhaps the best of all books on the historic fight between the Monitor and the Virginia, stirringly re-created and well annotated, and is a vital work for anyone wanting to know what really happened on the water in the Civil War. Highly recommended.

I reviewed "The Battle Of The Ironclads" by Quarstein and called it the best book that I'd read on the Monitor and Virginia/Merrimack. That was before reading this book. This book has more source material and, consequently, more detail and is a better text. "The Battle Of The Ironclads" has more contemporary illustrations so both books complement each other in some ways. Despite the additional source material there are strange omissions in Davis' book, for one he does not mention why the Navy Department disliked Erickson: "The Princeton" affair wherein a gun, not designed by Erickson, blew up killing some high govenment officials when tested on the Princeton, a ship designed by Erickson, and Erickson was blamed for the deaths. Davis also casually mentions that the Confederacy was working on an ironclad called the Richmond when the Confederates abandoned the Norfolk Boatyard. In fact, work was proceeding on both the Richmond and Virginia simultaneously and it is possible that the Virginia could have been completed earlier with more devastating affect on the Union fleet if all work had concentrated on her.

Davis' work is the more scholarly of the two with an index and list of references. Either one is a great read with much detail and the true student of the Battle or of the Civil War will want to read both.

Wiliam C. Davis chronicles the race to build the ironclads as well as the dramatic battle that ended unresolved. All of the colorful charactors on both sides of the war are portrayed as both human and visionary, in their desperate gamble to win.. More importantly, however, Mr. Davis places this battle into its proper context as a crucial turning point in military and naval history. The chapter on the development of ironclad technology after the battle and war is the proper ending. For the first time, the true importance of this battle and the race to build the ironclads was brought home to me. Highly recommended.

Breathe easy, these poems will flow like wine over your lips. Flint's last collection before his untimely death in 2001 is as fresh as his first. He writes with a breezy, plainsong style that begs to be spoken and heard. And as I had the privilege of having him as my poetry professor at Georgetown ca 1980, I hear the poems in my head as he would have read them. There is Flint's usual tongue in cheek joking, especially about sex, as in "Monkey House," "Never Again Would Birdsong," "When I Invented the Rose," and "Berkshire Massage Works." My favorite poem is "Easy," the title piece. As a reader of poetry for 25+ years, there aren't too many poems that move me to tears anymore. This is one. How could such a simple poem about domestic nothingness mean so much? It's not merely the subject matter but how Flint says it, the intonation, the word choices, the flow- so easy: He finishes with: "how easy it is, the times like this, when it's simple." Yes, so easy...

I have never been able to say this about any other book: I enjoyed EASY so much that I read it through twice in one sitting. Roland Flint is a writer of great heart who has suffused each of the thirty-seven poems in his new collection with quiet beauty. It is hard not to feel grateful after reading these poems, and most people will most likely also be more aware of the pleasures they take in daily life, the ones they might not readily recognize. In one of the poems in the book's third section, "Strawberries Like Raspberries," Flint describes the delight of eating a perfect pear in such clear detail that I immediately thought of a pear I had recently eaten and wished for another. Flint's language is always lucid, his lines and stanzas crisp like fall leaves, and there is sometimes an autumnal melancholy to his poems, e.g. "After the Spanish Mass with Nena," "Pamela," "Grief November," "Prayer." Others, however, are more celebratory: "Never Again Would Birdsong" and "HaHa" examine the link between laughter and sex, revealing that the two are often closely related. Still others amuse with anecdotes or mild wordplay: "Henry & June the Movie" and "Land of Cotton." This is a collection in which readers will rediscover joy. Praised be Roland Flint! Praised be!

I have never been able to say this about any other book: I enjoyed EASY so much that I read it through twice in one sitting. Roland Flint is a writer of great heart who has infused each of the thirty-seven poems in his new collection with quiet beauty. It is hard not to feel grateful after reading these poems, and most people will also be more aware of the pleasures they take in daily life, the ones they might not readily recognize. In one of the poems in the book's third section, "Strawberries Like Raspberries," Flint describes the delight of eating a perfect pear in such clear detail that I immediately thought of a pear I had recently eaten and wished for another. Flint's language is always lucid, his lines and stanzas crisp like fall leaves, and there is sometimes an autumnal melancholy to his poems, e.g. "After the Spanish Mass with Nena," "Pamela," "Grief November," Again Would Birdsong" and "HaHa" examine the link between laughter and sex, postulating that the two are often closely related. And Movie" and "Land of Cotton." This is a collection in which readers will rediscover joy. Praised be Roland Flint! Praised be

EASY is acclaimed poet Roland Flint's 7th book, and in a career marked by the rare marriage of multiplicity of style with knuckle-busting consistency of vision, this may be his most compelling collection to date. A native of North Dakota, Flint's plainspoken, masterful eloquence informs line after line, carefully measuring the liveliest, smartest, most sensual poetry of our day. He is more than partial to a laugh (see "Monkey House," "Land of Cotton," "Ah, Venus," "HaHa") -- he's stubbornly bent on laughter. His work possesses the cleverness of Roethke, the lyric, ingrained sensitivity to rhythm and occasional rhyme of Wright, the psychodynamic jazz of Matthews, the hard irony of Berryman. And that's merely the beginning. What stands out in poem after poem is the compassionately rendered, unsparing clarity of emotion -- whether of hilarity or piercing loss or both at once -- that without the poem had gone unnoticed, unrescued, unpraised, unredeemed. Take his characteristically precise and moving "Strawberries Like Raspberries," in which the poet recalls a trip to Bulgaria, where he tasted "the genius/ or luck of Bulgarian horticulture," especially in the country's strawberries -- "small, a delicately sweet dark red." He's learned just enough Bulgarian, from a communist text, to misconstrue -- for the varietal name of the fruit itself -- a local friend's comparing these strawberries with raspberries. Later, back in the states, the poet reads of the transition (or translation) from communism to capitalism, of the saddening kinks in the new food distribution chain, regretting all that wasted genius, and concludes: "... for a while, at least,/ the harvest will be only of fruit -- / bitterer than sour cherries --/ of what had been more deeply sown." EASY is replete with such poetry of harvest: in "Little Men Who Come Blindly," fathers reap what they've sown in their children; in "Seasonal, 1991," early spring in Bagdhad, following the Gulf War, brings from military triumph the mortal grief in "a season of heat and winds/ of cholera and typhus;" in "Pamela," adolescent love bears the fruit of enduring loyalty. These are poems ripe with their moments, coming off the page easily, of their own weight. Flint's earthy versatility calls to mind a maple on the plains in October, whose lower limbs still are green, whose middle branches are yellow, and whose upper leaves are orange-red: a single figure for loss, austerity, and an abundance of bright-hard laughter. EASY is a collection you will respect, and thoroughly enjoy in each of its many facets. Roland Flint will make you smarter at heart.

After a wonderful forward by Paul McIlhenny (Tabasco) and introduction by
Marcelle Bienvenu (Who's your mama) you know this book has to be good.

The recipes are by Eula Mae, a long time cook for the Tabasco company, and
the narative is by Marcelle. Together they provide an insightful look into
Louisana Cajun cooking.

Miss Eula Mae has captured the spirit of Cajun cuisine. Of course, it didn't hurt that she lives on Avery Island and cooks under the auspices of Paul McIlhenny(of Tabasco fame). I found the recipes easy to use and uniformly delicious. My only problem was that I had a hard time choosing among all the great offerings. I suspect that I won't live long enough to try them all, but I intend to make a valiant effort to do so. If you like Louisiana cooking, whether or not you're accomplished at it, this is the cookbook for you.

My husband has taken up cooking in the last few years and has begun to appreciate cookbooks. This is one of his favorites. We both love the recipes he has tried. He says, "The recipes are delicious and easy to follow. Eula Mae's fascinating stories make the book even more enjoyable."

Besides a good collection of everyday Cajun food, this book is rich in the history and lore of the area. Thanks to Eula Mae Dore and Marcelle Bienvenue, the history as well as the recipes of this area will not be lost.

This good man acted on his good intentions. He was both a general and a foot soldier in the fight for the civil rights of all. This book brings his story to life and lets us know how his efforts impacted both his neighborhood and his family. The world is a better place because Marvin Caplan lived in it.

It is always nostalogic fun to read about one's contemporaries. It is always rewarding to read an account that you know rings true. We will all remember and honor Marvin for the leadership he provided for all of us.

Farther Along is a wonderfully written autobiography of a non-commissioned officer in the great civil rights wars of the latter half of the twentieth century. In completely personal terms the book describes the journey of a Jew who spent his productive years fighting to remove barriers to equality and prosperity for African-Americans in America. The book is full of endearing humility, perspectives, and insights into civil rights battles and life in general.

In his engaging autobiography, Marvin Caplan describes the daily life of a devoted civil rights worker. Not the exploits of a famous leader in the struggle, this is, nevertheless, an important story by a man who has simply lived an uncommonly decent life. Mr. Caplan is a wise man as well as a felicitious writer.

After searching for a cookbook to produce fish entrees at home that are in the style of Pappadeaux in Houston or Mulate's in Louisiana or even Galatoire's in New Orleans, I will assert that THIS IS THE ONE. The Brennan books made my head swim with baking beef bones to produce broth ingredients and boiling shrimp tails to make fish stock, and on and on. Frank Davis explains clearly and simply, without condescending, how to make seafood dishes that taste really good. He even lists possible variations on the recipes, and which fish to buy. This is a wonderful cookbook.

I have borrowed afriend's book long enough - time to have my own. I enjoy using it - others will also.

This is my kind of cooking book. It's not just a cookbook, but a textbook on seafood also. The first several chapters are just on purchacing, handling, and cooking techniques for many types of seafood. Then, the cookbook section is loaded with great recipes. Frank has a great personality. He's great to watch on tv here in New Orleans, and his humor and knowledge really come through. If you like books such as this that take you "to school", try "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart.

Written as a textbook of sorts, entirely in narrative script, this book actually teaches you how to cook seafood as opposed to how to follow just one singular recipe. It is chock full of valuable information dealing with culinary procedures, use and application of spices, techniques for preparing everything from boiled blue crabs to beer-battered alligator, and the only complete listing of every single fish that swims the waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico and how to cook them! But the recipes themselves are special--not only unique to the famed cuisine of the Crescent City but so simple to follow and easy to prepare, both for the novice cook as well as the professional chef. It is truly one of those books a serious cook interested in preparing seafood the proper way needs to have on his or her bookshelves, and it is certainly one of those books you'll feel compelled to read from cover to cover for pure entertainment and enrichment.