Louisiana Books

Ella writes what she remembers about her childhood and gives us a chance to understand what life was like for a girl dealing with World War II and the aftermath. The details of everyday life help you understand what it took to survive. She writes with honesty and gratitude for those who helped her. It is an inspiring story. God is good - all the time!

I think this was a great book. It answers alot of unasked and unanswered questions. It also talks about the effects of war. We met the author at a time share and she gave a talk about the book. She was very interesting to listen to. My Dad read this book too. He agrees with me that she didn't leave anything out. I did wonder why I couldn't get a straight answer from distant relatives where our relatives were from. When a country or state boundary line has moved other places people write on there family tree death or birth record that when the people were born they live in X which is call Y in 2006. I never thought they were not telling the truth because they were afraid the communists would find them.

If you want to read an interesting book about Russia and Germany about WWII this is the book for you. The section about life in America was vivid about living with her parents but when she was more integrated into American life and not living with her parents the information was slimmer. I definitely wouldn't have wanted to live on a cotton plantation in the South.

I really think that people will enjoy this book. It moves at a easy reading rate. It has been called "a compelling" story by a literary agent who is not handling the book. It deals with a period history, The colony of Louisiana in the early 1700's, that has very seldom been dealt with. The characters are real people in a very difficult environment. The military events are true down to the detail. There is action, romance, and intrigue in this far outpost of civilization.

It has been referred to as a new Drums Along the Mohawk by one professor and "a descendant of The Northwest Passage" by another. Readers have commented that they didn't want to put it down because they wanted to see what would happen next.

It is a must read.

I have already read this book several times, and each time I have found things I've missed the previous round. The Distant Empire is a seemless blend of the result of years of painstaking research with an engaging individual story of a young man's turbulent journey to a home he never knew he had. This is not a historical epic. It uses the most accurate historical information available to create the backdrop for its story.
Mr. Howell refreshingly does not burden his characters with a modern worldview. The feel of this story is made all the more authentic since it is told from the contemporary perspective of its characters.
The Distant Empire maintains a good tempo making it a leisurely read, while incorporating very sympathetic characters and revealing a much-ignored aspect of the our country's development.
I eagerly anticipate Mr. Howell's work in the future.

Flogstad's Dollar Road ("Dalen Portland" in Norwegian) is a compelling, often quite brilliant picaresque on the road to Social Democracy in Norway. To me, it's an absolute shame that more people haven't read this book, and I do not think that you have to have lived in Norway (or read copious amounts of Marx and Hegel) to enjoy this book--though it certainly helps. It touches on themes of industrialization, international trade, neo-Marxism, philosophy, science...It's a very brilliant work, an amazing first novel, rich with detail and consistently intellectually engaging. A great novel--possibly the best from Scandinavia in the last 50 years

The novel is a story of how the farmer population in a Norwegian town walks down 'Dollar Road' to the capitalist industrial society, and how that changes their way of living ... but not necessarily their way of thinking.

The author combines this large societal perspective with close-up portraits of the people walking Dollar Road. Two characters are of special interest. One is a somewhat pathetic representative of the more or less uninteresting lives in the new everyday of industrial society.

The other becomes a sailor who experiences great adventures in South America and ends up being a half-hearted radical librarian, marrying a girl who happens to be his sister in blood. And he just walks out of the last pages knowing that he also is the half-breed of capitalism.

I have read this book (in Norwegian) four times - discovering new details and perspectives each time. Strongly recommended!

Christopher Harris did a great job with Dulce's Revenge. The story flows so well and every character is unique and amazingly written. I think this would be a great movie. Can you imagine John Goodman as Hooper? I hope Mr. Harris keeps writing so more people can enjoy this style of southern lit. Everyone should read this book. It is so good you can't put it down. And it is the perfect length to read on a flight and actually enjoy being cramped up for a few hours. Keep it up Chris!

Christopher Harris weaves an interesting story that takes place in and around New Orleans. It's a compelling story that puts the reader along side the vastly interesting array of characters. Harris captures the uniqueness of New Orleans with precise, interesting, descriptive detail, and he does a masterful job of letting the story unfold. Because I had not read any of Harris's fiction previous to "Dulce's Revenge," I was caught off guard with his story-telling brillance. He uses the language with exceptional skill. This is a good read, and movie makers ought to be fighting over the rights to "Dulce's Revenge." It ranks nicely at the top of this genre of literature. I hope he writes more.

I had the joy of meeting Margaret Gibson at a literary festival and was pleased to put a face and warm personality to the beautiful works I have read. Earth Elegy is a wonderful book, with a mix of new poems and selected old favorites. "Dia De Los Muertos" and "Fire Elegy" are strong works, along with the other poems. She has a good grasp of language and I'm glad to have become acquainted with both her as a person and her as a poetess.

I picked up this book randomly at the book store when I saw the title and was intrigued. This has turned out to be the best book of poetry I have ever read! If you like Rilke, you will love this book as well. Margaret Gibson has an amazing gift with language and a very insightful view of the world and her own experiences. Her poems are filled with longing and love. "I want the faith that moves mountains. / I want the bright force that keeps them still." ("Keeping Still") This is the kind of book that you keep near you and pick up again and again whenever you want comfort or inspiration.

Eating New Orleans is a feast--a terrific read brimming everything that's worth knowing about the Crescent City's unique universe of food. It deliverse a full course meal of facts, legends, and stories, seasoned with portraits of the people, unique ingredients, and classic dishes that make New Orleans a place unlike any other in the world. Mr. Johnson writes about his city with extraordinary insight, knowledge, humor, and passion. Before Katrina this book had tremendous practical value. Now it is a treasure. It provides a unique and precious window into a world in transition: a history of what was, a handbook to what is, and a guide to the culinary world that we as Americans can and must revive, restore, and renew in this Living National Treasure of a City, New Orleans.

There is no more fun place to dine anywhere on earth than New Orleans, Louisiana. This book has great advice on all the restaurants one should consider and I mean all of them. You may be asking yourself what a Texas redneck knows about Creole food and I say plenty it has been a passion of mine for quite some time. Pableaux has done a fantastic job in this book and it is a must have if your into food in New Orleans. Dont leave home without this book if you are a novice on New Orleans cuisine.

This book is an excellent guide to enjoy the best New Orleans has to offer. The restaurants atmosphere, service, price and food was exactly as the book stated. New Orleans has so many choices, this guide sends you to the right choice for every meal.

I love living in New Orleans, but mostly I love EATING in New Orleans. We are blessed with fabulous restaurants that serve wonderful meals at unreal prices. Tom's book is an excellent guide to the best of the city when it comes to dining. Buy it and have a great New Orleans meal.

Julia Schueler's autobiographical book remembers the story of a girl who always lives elsewhere - Russia, Germany, France, America. . . She interlaces the past with the present - often within the same page. She describes people's lives, hopes, fears during the 1930's and 1940's during World War II (we Americans tend to think Hitler's terror began with Pearl Harbor). She does not paint with a broad brush - the details are exquisite.

Unlike most monolingual English speaking Americans, Julia's world was/is peopled with many languages, many cultures. Her style of writing is unique and made me want to taste each word, each phrase, each story - and often I reread. Some books make the reader sad to see that there are fewer and fewer pages left to be read. "Elsewhere: A Memoir" is one of those books. -Diana DeMille

Julia Schueler seemed to float through history. Her view of the world's progression is everything it should be, funny, emotional and honest. This is a wonderful book.

The stories collected in <> are easy to read, even gripping, and you might even end up sitting down and not getting up until you've finished the collection. Then you can go back and read your favorites again and again. Mine: "The Last of the Spanish Blood," "The Test," "Noise of Strangers." Read your favorites again and know that when Garrett (in the intro) calls the story a gift, he's speaking more truly than maybe even he realizes.

George Garrett is a consummate craftsman. There is no writer of short stories alive in America who can get you into a story faster than Garrett. If you want to learn how to write in this genre, there can be few better exemplars. It is true that you sometimes wish the stories ended more imaginatively, but they always do end inevitably--as they must. The pacing of Garrett's plots is always exactly right; his ear for dialogue never falters. The range of these stories is extensive, set as they are in small towns of the South (Florida), academic communities, military bases, Europe. The characters themselves include devilish boys, soldiers, mean-spirited academicians, small-town law. This collection, which will make you laugh and weep, is a book you'll want to travel with--it's definitely a book you'll be beating up.

EXPLORING NEW ORLEANS is loaded with the history of jazz, voodoo, and Mardi Gras--the heritage of this venerable city. With a background on the diverse population, cultures, unique architecture, inimitable music, and fabulous food, your experience in New Orleans is greatly enriched, and you are ready to explore: Cities of the Dead; Louisiana Children's Museum; Riverboats, streetcars, and swamp tours; French Market, Bourbon Street, and the French Quarter; Marie Laveau, voodoo, and African Spiritism--you will be enthralled by Exploring New Orleans: A Family Guide. Read about Mardi Gras, Storyville, historic Cornstalk Fence and Hotel, St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Line, and the Garden District Walking Tour. This will become a favorite book! Cajun recipes included!
Exploring New Orleans: A Family Guide

From zydeco to jazz to the casket girls, Exploring New Orleans is a great fun-to-read book that is a must for any visitor or resident of this seductive city.In her humorous style, Larenda Lyles Roberts explores the history of jazz, voodoo, cities of the dead, Cajun and Creole culture and popular attractions in a readable, interesting style. She even includes recipes from authentic Cajun cooks! This book makes a wonderful guide to the city and made me fall in love with New Orleans!