Louisiana Books

To first address the sterling recommendation I've given this book of photographs, I say why shouldn't it recieve 5 stars as after all, I'm his son. Good to have a critic in the family right?

The five stars speak to the images themselves and not to the quality of reproduction. The printing of this book was and remains a singular tragedy. We received no galley proofs before hand and only after strenuous insistence did we receive two pre-release copies. These were delivered well past the release date due to them having to follow my father and I through the Bahamas on our yacht. My father's pride was quickly replaced by disgust upon seeing the first image. After protracted depression and sleepless nights, the organization charged with producing the book for Jargon Soceity, received a short yet effective response from Lyle Bongé. A memorable quote from which follows: "That piece of Sh** went through the tubes like a mango through a sick gringo!"

Not only had our friend in charge of publishing (who replaced Minor White at the helm of Aperture) suffered terrible personal tragedy, but also due to in house politics he had relinquished editorial authority to a zealous young art school graduate with less brains than experience. Eager to wreck the editorial work (arrangement of images in sequences) of Tom Murphy (longtime student & friend of Minor White and practised eye) and Lyle Bongé, this zealous casting couch achiever rearranged all the photographs using amateruish and collegiate cute tricks. All very pedestrian...

Decisions were made without consulting either Jargon Soceity or Lyle Bongé which ruined the reproduction of the images. Cheap paper was used. Paper which couldn't accept wider ranges of black inks nor concomitant gradations to white resulted in fewer blacks and cheaper inks. Results: Muddy, seemingly out of focus images, misty hued, overcast crap!!!

The images contained in this book are a stark exposé of the darker lurking creatures within the Mardi Gras reveller. Seen through the eye of a hungry devourer of souls and a really great guy! What the viewer of these reproductions misses are the rich crystaline blacks, the glowing and ghostly aparitions withing the frame, and subjects seeming to float just above the ground.

There is only one photographer that has captured Mardi Gras in the French Quarter of New Orleans and that is Lyle Bongé. Many have tried and none have gotten close. When Lyle photographed his last regular Mardi Gras he'd been doing it for 30 years without missing a year. If he'd done no other work as a photographer, he'd have done enough.

I found the book wonderful. Lenora Worth wrote it in a way that made me want to just read it from cover to cover without stopping.
The book is about a young man named Lucas Dorsette who always lived at the edge. He challeged God, and played with life, never really forgiving God for His mysterious ways. But then he meets beautiful Willa O'Connor. Even though she also has doubts about why God does what He does, she is helped by Lucas and his family to overcome her problems, and fears. And in God's garden they all learn how to trust Him and lean on Him always.
This book definitely got me thinking about all the things that I take for granted. It got me to really count my blessings and pray for those who really need prayer.
"So we do not lose heart...For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

a magnificent cookbook filled with her life stories as well as great recipe's. i really love this book.

My stepfather asked me to purchase this book for him since he did not have a computer. He read the first 400 pages within 3 days. He called me to tell me that he totally enjoyed this book and he asked me to order the book for another person(he raved so much to this person about the book). He's leaving the book to the family (once he passes on) to let each
member to read and learn about Afro American History.

Very good book the only major problem is that the book fell apart and now I will have to return it for a replacement.

Carl Rowan's account of his travels through the American South in the 1950s brings to life the harsh realities of the racial inequalites that existed in our great nation just a half a century ago. I used this book as a primary source in a US History Survey course. I would reccomend this book to high school and college age students as well as adults who are interested in race relations just prior to the Civil Rights Movement.

Loveland delivers a fairly complete picture of evangelical's effect on southern society. Drawing from the journals and sermons of southern evangelical ministers, Loveland explores firsthand how regenrated preachers felt about politics, society and the cause of Christ throughout the South.
She recounts how the evangelical sermon was a crossroads of politics, society and religion, as ministers often addressed the burning questions of the day from the pulpit. She describes the missionary activity so characteristic of northern evangelists undertaken by their southern counterparts. She shows how southern preachers were involved in a host of benevolent projects, from reforming sailors to caring for the poor. She relates how many southern evangelicals believed in instructing and converting slaves to Christianity but that they differed from their northern contemporaries in that they also upheld and defened slavery.
Overall, one of the best books on the complex and fascinating topic of antebellum southern evangelicalism.

This is a great book, based on archival records from Spain (Archivo Militar de las Indias). Never before have I read a book with so much information about the Spanish activities during the British period in Florida in such a detailed manner and with so much references to the original source.

It has a load of informations on Spanish government spionage on and even the names of the floridanos, Minorcans, and Indians who were involved.

Although the British always suspected that the Spanish goverment had such an activity, they were never aware of its extent at that time.

I wish I have more books like this about early Florida, (1565-1845) there are tons of material waiting to be translated into English and discovered by writers in the city of St. Augustine several historic libraries (St. Augustine Historical Research Library, Flagler College, University of Florida,etc) and much more in the archival records of Spain.
I really thank the author, Light Townsend Cummins for all his efforts in this wonderful and detailed book, I hope others will follow.

I loved this collection of poems- Gibbons' writing is quietly lyrical and never obvious or outright. Through the simple language and subjects, he weaves together a song for the reader based on everyday experiences, observations and moments. I've never read any other collections from Gibbons (except for the prose collection Five Pears or Peaches- which is lovely, too), so Sparrow introduced me to some truly beautiful pieces from an earlier time, such as "Maybe It Was So."-that one is a beauty. This is a collection to savour, it makes me wish his other works weren't mostly out of print!

I have read Louisiana Sportsman magazine for years and have enjoyed Todd Masson's stories. He is truly an excellent oudoors writer and concetrates on the issues that Louisiana sportsman need to hear as well as the fundamentals to maximize each and every outdoor adventure in this state.

Specks is an incredible look into patterns of the speckled trout, one of the finest fish to catch and serve on the dinner table. The book is put together very well including the scientific facts about this fish and the seasonal secrets to catch these fish throughout the state's top ten trout regions. The pictures are of good quality and excellent for seeing what the state has to offer as well as the rigs for catching specks. The maps are of good enough quality to get a general idea of where the action is throughout the year, but shouldn't be substituted for high quality topographic maps and charts. Masson also includes directions to each of the best fishing spots, where to launch your boat and local establishments that can serve the day and weekend angler if they need supplies, refreshments or a quick meal.

Being from south Louisiana and a fisherman that loves catching specks as much as Masson, I have to say that this is an inspiring book that belongs in the tackle box or next to the maps and sea charts. You will maximize your chances of catching quality fish using this handy guide. An excellent read.