Louisiana Books

I am from Louisiana and have listened to a great deal of our state's very unique zydeco and Cajun music. There is always a lot of controversy about the differences between Cajun and zydeco music, and the definition of Creole people. This book was so well-researched over a period of years, it helped me understand even better than before how zydeco was born and who started it. I particularly enjoyed the wonderful interviews with the musicians themselves, particularly people who are no longer with us, like Clifton Chenier and Beau Jocque. If you want to know about zydeco, this book is the next best thing to coming to Louisiana to listen for yourself!

Well maybe I channel for the original king of zydeco - maybe I don't. But hey this is the real book about this southwest Louisiana music. The photos are second to none. The photos really could be framed and hung on the wall of any art gallery in the country. Sure I know the photographer but anyone who knows me knows I tell it like it is. And this is a wonderful book. The writer, Ben Sandmel, writes like he is talking to a good friend. It is a fun read. Both the writer and the photographer must have had really good access to the musicians to come up with such original stuff.

FAIT ATENCION!: This is one vast bursting boudin of a book! It'll put the salt back into your snap beans! Tear out its pages and stick 'em in your dancing shoes, cher! Along with Michael Tisserand, Sandel and Olivier form the triumviate of Zydeco, mavens three of zydeco! For locals fans, converts and overall BooZoo-aholics, you have a New Testament (to Tisserand's Old Testament -- The Kingdom of Zydeco)! For recent arrivals and the general reader 'zydeco' will now no longer just be a killer Scrabble word! For anyone who reads this book, I bet you a six pack of Dixie that you'll soon be booking your flight to SW Louiaiana! You can't go wrong if you play it right, and nose to nose with Mr. Tisserand, Messers Sandmel and Olivier have done it big-time right! Merci beacoup. Laissez les bons temps roulez!

As a zydeco novice, I really enjoyed this book. It is not an exhastive history of zydeco. Rather, author Sandmel covers the giants of the genre with chapters on Clifton Chernier, Boozoo Chavis and Buckwheat Zydeco. Shorter chapters cover some other musicans. Looks like Sandmel conducted personal interviews with most of his subjects.

Oliver's black-and-white photographs are terrific. While there are a few photos of the musicians performing, most are of a portrait nature.

The appendices include a discography of Louisiana music (more than just zydeco), Internet resources, etc.

I also recommend Let the Good Times Roll: a Guide to Cajun and Zydeco Music by Patricia Nyhan.

My grandfather was born in 1888 in the town of St. Martinville, LA and turned the century with the rest of Mr. Capuder's cast of characters. Even with that connection, in reading this book I still learned things about my ancestors that I didn't know. It is amazing how real these folks still are on the pages of Le Petit Paris, as if they'd just closed their storefront or doused their lantern for the night, not the century. I am the author of a book of Cajun poetry, Porch People, that tells the stories of these same people two generations later and it is with great respect and pleasure that I add Mr. Capuder's vast information to my own.

The book takes you back in time. The author makes you think the people are still here with us today. And he makes you feel like you're living in the past. The book is very informative, interesting, beautifully detailed with pictures, and sectioned. It's our own heritage and the way they lived. It has cross references which makes it even more interesting. But most of all it leaves you hunger for more.

This book is a small treasure of riches from the past for rural southwest Louisiana. The turn of two centuries finds us viewing our ancestors as if they still worked this land and shopped these store fronts. I learned things about my own great-grandfather that our family oral history had not documented. Mr. Capuder has done a wonderful job condensing such a vast history into such elemental beginnings.

I suppose Jon Riley's Irish File could be classified as a travel book. However, that description falls short of the true value of this book. This is a travel book with spirit and soul. Riley doesn't just look "at" Ireland, but looks "into" the spirit of Ireland. The photographs and the words, both Riley's and O'Faolain's, give the viewer a sense of, not only seeing images of Ireland, but feeling, hearing and almost smelling the countryside. This is a beautiful book- beautifully photographed, written, and designed- worth owning for those reasons alone, even if you don't have a specific interest in the Emerald Isle.

The Irish File is the strikingly beautiful photographic works of Jon Michael Riley. Riley lives in North Carolina has done award winning works for numerous magazines and other publications. On his journey to the Emerald Isle, Riley incorporate in his photos a conjoining of dramatic elements.

The photographs are so absolutely beautiful it gives the viewer a sense of a Victorian era painting. The artist gives you the feeling of haunting sounds of music and gentle breezes. The sounds so lovely and celestial like an ethereal song-as he describes his visit in Co. Kerry at the gate entrance of St. Senan's Holy Well. The place inspires the spirit of the breezes tumbling about the metal pipes of the gate [on the front cover]. It's looking at the land with a sense of grace and prefection. Not seeing it as a picture postcard snapshot. Like a scene out of a cinema graphic still with soft overtones. He gives his images a vintage look yet bringing out the realness of their simplicity.

Nuala O'Faolain's author of 'Are You Somebody: The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman', poetic words in the introduction expresses the photogrpher's broader ego to the spirit of the place. This would make a beautiful coffee table book for lovers of breathtaking photography and those who want to reminisce their travels to Ireland.

If you want to know the soul of Ireland then sit in a quiet spot with "The Irish File" and let the images show you an Ireland you probably never knew. As a photographer I am not easily impressed with "photography" books but Jon Riley's images in his book are absolutely stunning! Well done Jon and thank you!

I just got back from the Newman exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. and although I thought I had seen most of his work, I was stunned by the boldness of some of the photo collage work and color work which I had previously only seen in B&W. The book has all of the show and many more. It was $40 there and they were selling like hotcakes. The book is beautiful and has $1 million worth of images in it. Hard to pick a favorite. Certainly Picasso and maybe Isaac Asimov too.

I'm an amateur photographer, so when I heard an interview with Arnold Newman on NPR's Morning Edition, I knew I had to get this book. Newman is considered the inventor of "environmental portraits," in which the photographer uses surroundings to capture essential elements of his or her subject.

The photos collected in this volume span Newman's entire career and range from Senator John F. Kennedy to President Bill Clinton. The collection is mostly black-and-white. Leafing through the book, I've gotten many ideas for my own photography, but I've also gained a new appreciation for many of the historical figures Newman captured in his work.

The book is large and heavy, very satisfying to hold and look through, and will make an excellent coffee table book. Whether you're into history or photography, you'll really enjoy this book.

Arnold Newman died recently at age 88 but his photographic work will live one. Newman was known for his environmental portraiture - capturing the famous faces of his time in the atmosphere in which they created their magic and lived their lives, sometimes private, but most times public.

In this superb collection of Newman's work there are the famous photographs of Igor Stravinsky at his piano, Marilyn Monroe ('she was terrified of aging'), Carl Sandburg, Mickey Mantle, Truman Capote, Pablo Picasso, Frank Lloyd Wright, Sir Cecil Beaton, Diana Vreeland and many more. Each subject is part of a personality scape, accompanied with the trappings that made them famous.

Arnold Newman felt that a subject's environment illuminated the subject, and while many other photographers have followed his lead, Newman remained at the top of his genre. This book is an excellent tribute (though not published as such!) to an artist departed whose legacy will linger. Recommended. Grady Harp, June 06

The Bermuda Hundred campaign -- a May 1864 attempt to seize Richmond by 33,000 Federal troops under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler -- has always tended to be caricatured by the Civil War historians who cover it. The usual narrative is that Butler had a great chance to grab the Confederate capital, blew it through world-class incompetence, and wound up retreating into the neck of the Bermuda Hundred peninsula between the James and Appomattox Rivers, where supposedly it was as neutralized as if it had been "in a bottle strongly corked."

Robertson could have followed the old bash-Butler interpretation, but instead set aside the conventional story and looked at the campaign with the eye of a superb operational-level military historian. (He's on the permanent faculty of the Combat Studies Institute at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.) While avoiding the opposite error of turning Butler into some kind of misunderstood genius shafted by his superiors and subordinates, Robertson patiently delineates the flaws in U.S. Grant's instructions to Butler, the frictions created by an awkward command relationship with Butler's two corps commanders -- neither of whom he'd met, much less worked with, until the eve of the campaign -- and the modest but genuine achievements of Butler's offensive. He also does a nice job of handling the Confederate side of the hill as well.

This was a wonderful resource for me when I was writing And Keep Moving On: The Virginia Campaign, May-June 1864, and I heartily recommend it.

This is such an outstanding account of a Civil War campaign that I try to reread it every year or two. Aside from
being a great account of the Bermuda Hundred Campaign,
it is such a welcome change from so mant of the books currently being sold under the description of Civil War history, when they are in reality just junk. This is basically
a "how to" book on how to write and bring to life a Civil War
campaign, especially welcome in that it deals with a relatively obscure campaign in 1864 Virginia. Buy this book!

Wonderful description of the Union successes in almost capturing the little protected Petersburg and the incredulous defense by Confederate forces against huge odds. This book has details on the campaign that actually starts from the Suffolk area where Union cavalry penetrate the lightly defended no man's land southeast of Petersburg outside of Suffolk that even today is lightly populated. The Union cavalry penetrate through small towns like Ivor on route 460 and Windsor heading all the way to the Weldon railroad south of Petersburg. This raid rivals the Grierson raid made during that was made during the Vicksburg campaign. The audaciousness of the Union cavalry
led by Kautz in a series of raids below and above Petersburg rivals Stuarts trip around McClellan in 1862. This is excellent writing as Robertson writes in efficient prose about the early aspects of the Petersburg campaign that has not gotten enough print. The book follows Pickett's stressed out attempts to protect Petersburg with just a few thousand troops and his physically collapsing as soon as Beuraguard arrives to take command. The book also describes the fluttered attempt by Butler's surprise move on Petersburg that fails only because Generals like William Smith stop their attack impressed by Confederate forces that establish a bold front with small numbers, numbers so small that Smith could have steam rolled them and entered Petersburg. The book also describes Beauregard's attempts to get Lee's attention to get more troops and the description of the strained relationship between the two. Very well written description of the Confederate defense of Drewery's Bluff on the James (a wonderful tour stop today) and the counter attack along the Bermuda 100 that seals Butler's forces on the Peninsula as a "cork in a bottle" as Grant was alleged to have said. The author makes a good point that Grant's continued attack of Lee at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania may also have been to divert Confederate pressure and attention north away from Butler to protect Butler's forces allowing an opportunity for victory. The defense of Petersburg is very exciting as the Confederates thin defenses and response forces barely held on for modest reinforces defeating the Union attack. It's truly a miracle that the Confederates held on. This compact book tells the story rapidly but is well written with an easy to read style.

when i was a kid larry gilbert was mr. baseball in new orleans. everyone was really surprised when he left for nashville. the pelicans are featured in this book but also a lot of baseball history that i didn't remember, like shoeless joe jackson and the yankees in new orleans for spring training. but this for yourself, but get another one for your grandpa. he'll appreciate it.

Mr. Gisclair's romance with New Orleans baseball is clearly expressed in this book, with glimpses of amateur, intercollegiate, and professional outings to the city.

For my preference, I would have preferred Mr. Gisclair to have expanded the scope of the book to include all of Louisiana, rather than limiting to New Orleans. There is virtually no information on the old Sugarcane League, for example, a semi-pro league designed and sponsored mainly by oil companies, which competed throughout rural Louisiana and Texas from the 1920s to the 1950s.

In addition, a heavy emphasis lies on Tulane. While Tulane has understandably been a power in the last 20 years, there is less about the careers of UNO players, Loyola University's love-hate relationship with athletics, and other college traditions.

Perhaps the largest criticism is that the AAABA teams, which were long coached by the late Rags Scheuermann, are given only scant attention. Likewise, the city's contributions to the Negro Leagues are also covered only sporadically.

These are, however, piffling criticisms in what is clearly a well-researched labor of love, and any enthusiast should be interested in the book if only for the pictures and the bibliography.

Seeing all of the old New Orleans Pelicans brought back a lot of fond memories from my childhood! Larry Gilbert, Eddie Rose, Lou Berger, Al Milnar -- they're all there. I'm an old baseball fan, but I didn't know a lot of what was in the book. It packs a lot of history into a small space, but it's really more of a photo book. The captions are like little stories and are very interesting. Anyone who loves baseball will like this book.

C.C. Lockwood has done a remarkable presentation of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.It is obvious from the pictures and text presented that he is extremely knowledgable of one of the seven natural wonders of the world. There are views of the inner Canyon that have never before been published and his intimate portrayal of river running on some of the largest white water in North America exemplifies his professionalism as a photographer. For Canyon lovers and river runners alike, both past and future, I highly recommend Mr. Lockwood's achievement.

A beautiful glimpse into the heart of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. The photographs in this book have captured some of the magic that can only be found in the depths of the canyon. I have done two dory trips through the Grand Canyon and I can say that this book is the next best thing to actually being there.

I have been guiding river trips through the Grand Canyon for over thirty years and this is one of the best photo journalist volumes I have seen. There are thousands of books, concerning the Grand Canyon, I have collected over the years..."Beneath The Rim" has a special way of describing the intimate details of the life and spaces beneath the rim. One can tell by the unique photographs and inspiring text that C.C. Lockwood has a special relationship with the Grand Canyon. It is a must have for any Grand Canyon aficionado.

About 70,000 Italians entered the Port of New Orleans in the first thirty years of the 20th century, most of them in response to widespread poverty in Sicily and the demand for labor among Louisiana planters. Land ownership was rare in Sicily and conditions were crowded and unpleasant in the northeastern urban slums of the U.S., but in Louisiana the immigrants settled mostly in rural areas and quickly became the principal food producers for the state. They often were not welcomed, however, by those who came before, as in the infamous lynching of a dozen Italians who had been arrested but not charged following the murder of New Orleans Police Chief David Hennessey in October, 1890. Margavio and Salomone, both professors of sociology, have done an excellent job in depicting the gradual assimilation of Italians and their culture, from muffalettas and Roman Candy in New Orleans to Nick La Rocca's Original Dixieland Jazz Band and the activities of the Societa Italiana di Mutua Beneficenza Cefautana. There are today hundreds of thousands of Italian-Americans living in Louisiana and this book should be of interest to most of them.

I was looking for a gift for my Dad's birthday in July, and I saw this title recommended on OSIA's website. I ordered a copy for my Dad and myself. After I finished my copy I left it with my Uncle to read. My Dad an my Uncle have been telling all our family about THE BOOK. I was actually in LA & my Dad introduced me to his cousins by saying SHE'S THE ONE THAT FOUND THE BOOK. Dad and all his relatives can't stop talking about it. I grew up in Maryland and it was interesting to me from a historical and cultural perspective about my roots. I remember hearing my parents and grandparents talk about the people and places. It was interesting listening to my Dad & his family who grew up in New Orleans talk about the book, because they not only knew the people but it seems like they were related to them or had a relative who was; they had been to the places described; and they or their parents had been involved in many of the events. It provides a wonderful family history for me to pass down to my daughter.

Margavio and Salomone's enlightening masterpiece chronicles the history of Italian-Americans who immigrated to Southeastern Louisiana during the late 1800's, where they were not welcomed warmly. The title "Bread and Respect" refers to the two main goals of this group of immigrants, whose plight has been ignored in popular and educational literature in favor of examinations of the Italian immigrants who established homes in New York and Boston. Unfortunately, such examinations of Italian immigrants to the Northeastern U.S. are often disseminated to the masses as works of fiction that are woven from some realistic elements (ie: the Godfather). This book, on the other hand, is an objective examination of a group of immigrants who endured the predjudices of an entire state and managed to carve their culture into the heart of New Orleans.

For entertainment value alone, this book should be turned into a filmed documentary. Margarvio and Salomone take us through several vignettes that are, in and of themselves, indicative of real life sucess stories. These case studies, if you will, illustrate the pains and triumphs of an immigrant group that fell prey to mass lynchings and false accusations in the 1890's. There is a little known fact that the treatment of Italian immigrants in Lousiana almost led to the brink of war with Italy, prompting King Umberto to recall his diplomats to the U.S..

Moreover, the educational value of such an anthropological study is priceless. I am not suprised by the reviewer who states her family's astonishment over the fact that there were massive groups of Italian immigrants in Louisiana. Recently, an associate of mine from North Boston, seemed to be in awe of this fact saying "I didn't know there were THAT many Italians in Louisiana...I thought they all went to Boston and New York". I was not suprised by these comments, having recently read George Takaki's "A Different Mirror", an acclaimed study of ethnic groups in America, which makes no mention of the plight of Italians in Louisiana.

There were not only Italians who immigrated to Louisiana, but their story is the story of a true hard-fought battle. That story is chronicled in "Bread and Respect". This book should be required reading for every upper-level Anthropology and Sociology student in the United States.

Louisiana's culinary traditions are rooted in ethnic influences provided by the French, Spanish, Italian, African, and Native American elements of its history. The result are the very special culinary categories of Cajun and Creole cuisines. Edie Hand, in collaboration with William G. Paul, have compiled 150 authentic regional recipes, as well as an historical survey of significant events in Louisiana culinary history and the unique cultural food customs of the region in "Cajun And Creole Cooking With Miss Edie And The Colonel". the recipes include classic sauces, breakfast dishes, appetizers, dips, soups and gumbos, entrees, vegetables, and desserts ranging from Cajun/Creole Seafood Dip; Creole Mayonnaise; Cajun Sauce Piquant; and New Orleans Creole Jambalaya; to Creole Zucchini and Tomatoes; Cajun Fried Chicken; Creole Shrimp and Crab Meat Quiche; and Cajun Syrup Cake. Of special note is the appendices featuring Cajun/Creole Resources; Cajun and Creole Restaurants, Nightclubs, and Dance Halls; Famous Festivals of Louisiana; Tables, Measurements, and Equivalents; a Selected Bibliography; Historical Louisiana Cookbook References, an Index, and 'Colonel Paul's Seasoning Blend'. "Cajun And Creole Cooking With Miss Edie And The Colonel" is a welcome and recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (2/08)

I love Cajun and Creole food so I was thrilled to have an opportunity to try out some new recipes. But, to my surprise, not only does this book have recipes; it has a huge section of narratives depicting the Louisiana lifestyles and traditions, essential utensils and elements, as well as terms and specific Louisiana ingredients. But, there is more, there is a whole section on the history and influences of French, Spanish, African, and American Indian on the culinary traditions. With all these elements added to a traditional cookbook, one can honestly say "I read a cookbook."

I often wondered what the difference was between Cajun and Creole cooking. Basically, it's that Cajun cooking is "down home country cooking" and Creole is considered to be "fancy city cooking."

When I hear the word gumbo, I automatically think of Cajun cooking. Since I've never made traditional gumbo this was an opportunity for me to do so. I tried "Chicken Sausage Gumbo" and it was a great hit. The seasoning was just right and thickness was perfect.

Being a fan of Emeril Live on the TV cooking channel, I decided to try a recipe that reminded me of something similar I saw on his show. The Louisiana-Style Shrimp Stir-Fry was to die for! Very quick to make, I will be making this dish again and definitely for a dinner party.

The third dish I made was traditional Congri (black beans and rice.) Again, without disappointment, it was a hit. Thank goodness for it being a large recipe; we had it two days in a row and relished it both times. This is a very hearty and nutritious dish for a cold winter day.

This cookbook is a keeper! I highly recommend "Cajun and Creole Cooking with Miss Edie and the Colonel" to any lover of cooking ethnic dishes. I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

The beginning chapters of "Cajun and Creole Cooking" have no recipes. Instead, there is a in-depth history of the influences on Creole and Cajun cooking. The influence of the the West Indies, Italians, Germans, French, the Acadians is covered. I found out many things I didn't know about Louisiana cuisine, including the origins for using chicory (lack of coffee during the Civil War), why some Jambalaya has tomato in it and some doesn't (Italian influence versus the older version with no tomato.) And even the name Jambalaya is debated: is it "jambon a la ya" or ham and rice? Or is it a word meaning "gift with rice?"

Then the book commences to give recipe after recipe. The standards are here, gumbo, pirogues, maque-choux, jambalaya and etouffee. But also there is a chapter on game, including rabbit and alligator. And the most extensive chapter is, as to be expected, on fish. There are recipes originating from the famous Commander's Palace and the influence of K-Paul's is also discussed. There are unusual versions of standards, including a traditional pecan pie, with pieces of pecan, not whole nuts, and red velvet cake with no cocoa.

Not only is this fun reading, but it is probably one of the most complete Louisiana books since Paul Prud'homme's book. If you love the cuisine of Louisiana, this book is not only full of information, it is chock-full of recipes that are well-organized with a separate section in each just for the spice mixture you need to season the dish.

I first bought this book while living in Natchitoches, LA around 30 years ago. My copy is yellowed with heavy use and spotted with a few decades of southern cooking. My children are grown now and live in different states. After years of phone calls requesting recipes from this book, that they remembered from their childhoods, I purchased each of the four grown children a copy of this cookbook for Christmas this last year. They were all thrilled with their copies. Not only does it bring them all the recipes they cherished from when they were growing up, but the pages hold a ton of childhood memories for them, as many of their early cooking experiences came from the pages of this book. I was thrilled to find I could still find them copies. If you want southern cooking at it's best, you can't go wrong with this book. The recipes all come from tried and true southern cooks and from true regional cuisine...not from some test kitchen somewhere.

This is not my first time owning this book. I am actually replacing the edition my Grandmother gave me in 1988. I loaned it to someone about 3 years ago and she still hesitates to tell me when I will get it back. I don't like the fact that I haven't gotten it back but I understand why I haven't

"Cane River Cuisine" is a wonderful collection of time tested recipes by local Louisana cooks. The recipes are interesting, relatively easy to prepare and for the most part, appealing to a variety of tastes. In my opinion, it is a good cross section of Louisana cooking styles, ingredients and tastes. I say this because some of my family members come from Baton Rouge and New Orleans so I have some experience with Louisana cooking styles.

My favorite recipe in this book is the meat pies featured on the first page. The pies remind me of the ones my mother made when I was a kid. They are meaty, spicy and the crust is flaky and tender. I have served them as a main course and made smaller versions to serve as appetizers for parties. They have turned out wonderfully every time.

I have enjoyed cooking from this book. However, some people who shy away from "comfort foods" might be put off by the types of oils, cooking methods (frying) and high calorie ingredients in some of the recipes. Restraint is all though. Eating these foods (or any food) in moderation is the key maintaining one's health while enjoying some really good eats.

The book has everything you will need to cook a down home Southern meal from clever appetizers to rich, delicious deserts.

Enjoy it!

I cannot say enough about how functional and interesting this cookbook is. I have a closet full of cookbooks, but this is my personal "no fail" favorite. My first was worn out from many years of use, and I gladly purchased my second copy. The recipes are outstanding, and the arrangement of the list of ingredients as well as the cooking instructions are easy to follow. This book is a fascinating glimpse into the delicious world of southern cooking. If you are interested in purchasing a cookbook you will use over and over, not just thumb through and place on a shelf, this is it. Forks up to those who compiled and illustrated it!