Louisiana Books

This is a new and exciting book with colorful characters! I hope this is the beginning of an adventure with Adam. Randy Haynes has the ability to bring the characters to life. This reader wants to have more!

This is an excellent mystery that introduces a new hero, who I hope will appear in a series of books. The atmosphere will draw you in. I am looking forward to the next book.

It took W. Randy Haynes five years to write his first mystery, but the effort was worth it. The first time "out of the gate," as he says, he garnered a selection as a finalist for the prestigious 2006 Lambda Literary Award. Haynes is a disabled Vietnam vet who found time on his hands during the long Lake Tahoe winters. But Haynes is originally a Texan, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a member of the Cherokees of California and started up
a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Lake Tahoe. He is presently working
on a sequel to CAJUN SNUFF.

Special Agent Adam Stephen is inexplicably tapped by his somewhat boorish boss to investigate the mutilation murder of a U.S. Congressman who happens to be Black. On his way to New Orleans, Adam meets up with a woman named Adaline Fontenot, a widow from New Orleans, who not only opens doors for him during his investigation, but who will change his life forever:
"'Mr. Herndon? I'm Adam Stephen. I really appreciate your talking to me."

Adam handed over the letter of introduction.

'Come in.' The man unlocked the office door and turned on the lights. The office was unsophisticated but functional. Herndon took a seat behind the desk and motioned for Adam to sit in a chair. 'So, you're a friend of Ms. Fontenot, huh? How did you get so highly connected?'

'It was an accident. We met on a flight to New Orleans, and I've visited her home since. She's well-known in the state?'

'You could say that. Ada is the power behind the progressive politics here in Louisiana. She prefers to work behind the scenes and avoids publicity.'"

CAJUN SNUFF is an understated, yet passionate whodunit that is character-driven and examines the politics of the South and the attempt by right-wing zealots to take over our country. Adam Stephen is a dreamboat of a character who is both as spicy as New Orleans and, at the same time, is vulnerable and strong. When Adam meets up with Homer, a neurotic bloodhound with separation anxiety, Haynes injects just the right amount of humor to enliven and lighten the tale. But Adam and Homer bond, Adam saves the day, and Haynes sees fit to give us a reverse ending. CAJUN SNUFF is extremely well done and is a great little tale full of intrigue and local color.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

Having been raised on a bayou in Louisiana, gone to school in Lafayette and lived in New Orleans for 22 years I found Mr. Haynes book fascinating, imaginative and insightful of the darker side of Louisiana Politics, criminal aspects plus the goodness of Southern hospitality. The characters are from every aspect of life in Louisiana, from down home country people through the flamboyant Gallery owner to the bigots, criminals and every other group that populates the landscape.

This is a great murder mystery with many twists and turns. The descriptions of the locations are wonderful with great details. I am looking forward to the next book with Adam Stephens.

I can only hope that this is the first of many mysteries to be produced by Mr. Haynes. The lead character Adam Tyler Stephen is a fascinating blend of sleuth, hard-nose FBI agent, and a sexy single gay guy. He solves the mystery of the murder of a Congressman, and in the process upsets most of officialdom in Washington, at FBI headquarters, New Orleans, and the Louisana bayous. In the process, he befriends the doyen of New Orlean's Garden District, a sassy FBI secretary, an aged butler, and a college age gay kid who is allegedly a Neo-Nazi. Needless to say, the convoluted plot keeps the reader guessing until the very last few pages.

The character development of Adam is such that he could theoretically become a new gay super slueth if his creator decides to make him such. I can only hope that there are more stories for Adam in Mr. Haynes imagination.

It is like he interviewed my grandparents. This book is incredibly accurate and covers the most dynamic period of the Cajun history. This book should be mandatory reading for young people from this area. His coverage of the old perceptions regarding the Cajun people are particularly humorous and his arguments for the dilution of the French traditions well stated. Informative read.

The Cajun people have long been a subject of curiosity, and much has been written about their unique past. Since their existence, Cajuns have been studied by historians and romanticized by poets; however, there has been a dearth of serious historical work focusing on the recent transformation of their identity. Primarily a 20th century phenomenon for Cajuns, Americanization (the process by which a group or sub-culture becomes assimilated into the larger American identity) is the focal point of Bernard's The Cajuns.

Save for the introduction, which provides a quick historical overview of the Cajuns and perceptions of them through their existence, Bernard's tome consistently pairs each chapter to a corresponding decade, allowing the reader to follow the process of Cajun Americanization in a chronological fashion. Starting in the 1940s, chapter one discusses the effects of World War II on Cajuns in the military as well as those who remained back home. The decade of the 1950s, along with the cold war and global politics, and how these events affected Cajuns, makes up chapter two. In chapter three, the turbulent 1960s brings to light the changing mores and nationwide cultural shifts that Cajuns had to deal with, and how they were transformed by these changes. Chapter four reveals how Cajuns began to take back their identity in the 1970s through a number of initiatives. Finally, revitalization, expansion and exploitation of the culture and the resulting backlash in the 1980s and 1990s is explored in chapter five.

Bernard's examples of Americanization are numerous, stark and, in some cases, disturbing. Mostly isolated for around 200 years, the Cajuns enjoyed relative exclusion from the evolving American ethos. Indeed, early Acadian settlers into the Louisiana territory, whose descendants would later become Cajuns, had settled the prairies and bayous of modern day Louisiana even before it became part of the United States. And while one might presume that the 1803 purchase of the Louisiana Territory by the United States was the beginning of the Americanization process, Bernard's research points to the events of the 20th century, fueled by war and the acceleration of technology, as the paramount period of the culture's alteration.

While technological advances such as rural electrification, the automobile, and television provided a vehicle for the Americanization process, the seminal event that fostered Americanization of the Cajuns was World War II. Young Cajun G.I.s returned to their homes in South Louisiana with a new found awareness of the world. Some of these "world-wise" Cajuns began to pursue formal education, start businesses, and participate in politics.

Nonetheless, many Cajuns had no such opportunities, and for them, Americanization was an assault on their identity. The very language they spoke became a target, as evidenced by public school efforts to intimidate Cajun French speaking students into learning and speaking English. Techniques such as spanking, humiliation and writing of lines were used in order to coerce children to abandon their native tongue and learn the lingua franca of a unified America. (My own father experienced such methods upon first attending public school in 1951.) The result of this attempted eradication of the Cajuns' language was that the affected generation became ashamed to speak their first language, and was reticent to pass this gift to their children.

It should be noted that not every aspect of Americanization was brought about through coercion, however. Cajuns have readily accepted the economic advantages of becoming members of the American middle and upper class. Like their contemporaries in other parts of the United States, Cajuns drive SUVs and luxury cars, have mortgages, pay taxes, and invest in the stock market. From every external perception, they have become American. Yet in spite of this noticeable transformation, modern Cajuns have managed to negotiate a place for themselves in American society by maintaining cultural activities that project their inherent identity. Music, cuisine, religion and other institutions are the outlets used today to remind the world (and ironically, themselves) that they are still Cajun.

The reader will find, as I have, that Bernard's work is a unique prism from which to view contemporary Cajuns. No longer stereotyped as illiterate and poor French speaking people of bayous or prairies, Cajuns of the modern world are a composition of English and/or French speakers with surnames ranging from Arceneaux to Zerangue. And even while some may manifest no outward sign of their heritage, they are no less Cajun than a Vietnamese in Hanoi or a Chinese in Shanghai. Only time will tell if subsequent generations of Cajuns will keep at bay the ever-increasing tide of homogenous American culture, or be overcome by its powerful waves.

This book changed my life! Mr. Bernard does a great job of putting the culture in perspective. His history is accurate, interesting and inspiring. As a full blooded cajun, living outside of Louisiana, this book really hit home. I'm convinced I must return and learn the cajun french language and encourage the rest of the younger people in my family to do the same. Thanks for a great book.

When I first purchased Mr. Bernard's book, "The Cajuns: Americanization Of A People," I initially expected it to be a summary of the last few decades covering every festival, pilgrimmage to Nova Scotia, and Edwin Edwards. In other words, I expected it to be just like a lot of other things labeled Cajun these days: commercial. Although Edwards and Nova Scotia are covered in good detail, this book is anything but commercial. In fact, it can be utterly depressing at times.

When reading the book, one is introduced to a time period for Cajuns that is often glazed over or not even mentioned in Louisiana's colorful history. Most folks are told when the Cajuns landed in Louisiana and how the popularity of their food and "culture" brings loads of tourists and their money to the state. What we aren't told is how prejudice and hate almost forced this group into oblivion. Fortunately for us, this book brings these problems into focus.

To know that fellow countrymen ridiculed the Cajun soldiers for their weak English skills and considered them dumb isn't very good news. Things get bleaker as the decades pass. We are told how children are punished at school because they are speaking Cajun-French instead of English. We are given examples from prominent newspapers and other media in which Cajuns are considered backward, ignorant, stubborn, etc. We learn about the struggle over the term, "coonass," and how many people wear it as a badge of honor whereas others hate it entirely. We are told of how Cajuns are coupled with New Orleans, though New Orleans is one of the least Cajun places in Louisiana. Not only that, but it seems that Canadians and the French, with misguided good intentions, also looked down on Cajuns for their "broken" French language and attempted to repair it and give them a proper culture by introducing Parisian French in the classroom via CODOFIL.

Ah yes, CODOFIL, if you aren't aware of them, you'll know quite a bit about them by the end of this book. Bernard hammers them pretty hard(justifiably) for their early actions in trying to "save" the Cajun culture. He also praises them for their actions in the 1990's. What really amazed me about this group in particular is that they merely asked for an apology from the English for exiling the Cajuns to Canada instead of attempting to sucker reparations out of the British government. Kudos to CODOFIL for taking the high road on that one.

Bernard's book isn't entirely bleak. He does mention many of the contributions that Cajuns have made to society. He tells us how many Cajuns served as translators during WWII. He talks about the colorful and crooked Edwin Edwards and how he used his "Cajun Power" to ultimately become governor of Louisiana. We learn about Zachary Richard, an amazing artist and a rebel. Dewey Balfa, Barry Ancelet, and numerous others are introduced to the reader as positive influences on society.

Although I haven't stated it yet, I am a Cajun. I grew up on the fringes of Acadiana in Allen Parish. I was brought up Baptist(I became Catholic in 2000), can't speak enough French(Cajun or Parisian) to save my life, and yet I have come face-to-face with some of the prejudices that Bernard mentions in his book(though not nearly as extreme as those before me). I've been called a "dumb coonass" before, even though I kept a 4.0 GPA throughout high school and graduated with honors from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA with a degree in Mass Communication. I was also referred to as "one of those Frenchmen" when I worked in Beauregard parish for awhile. At a technical training class in Dallas, TX, I was amazed at how I became a sort of spectacle to the rest of the guys in my group. They were amazed that I ate crawfish and could say a few cusswords in French. When we all went out together, I always managed to sit at the "ethnic" end of the table with the black guy, the Navajo guy, the Mexican guy, and the Spanish guy from Texas(He was very aggressive in letting everyone know that he wasn't Mexican). In essence, I was considered a minority by the group as a whole. It's funny how having an "un-American" accent can make one feel like an outsider. I didn't hate anybody for considering me an ethnic. Heck, I enjoyed it because I was the center of attention. I've been barraged by questions about gumbo, accordians, the Rayne Frog Festival, and even pet alligators! In other words, I have stared into the face of commercial Cajunism all over the United States. I've also come into contact with people who try very hard to distance themselves from their heritage in an attempt to seem more intelligent or better than their Cajun roots.

Being a Cajun is something that any man, woman, or child should take pride in. Granted, these days most of us probably listen to Top 40 radio or gangsta rap more than the Balfa Brothers or BeauSoleil, and we can't speak French very well, but we are still Cajun deep inside. I am proud of and love my heritage and this book solidifies that pride and love.

Highly recommended to folks who aren't Cajun and mandatory reading for those who are. This book is important for those of us who don't want to see our heritage die.

In the 1940s, WASP schoolteachers across Louisiana were corporally punishing any students caught speaking Cajun French. Even though Cajun was the first language for most children, it was viewed as an impedement to progress that had to be weeded out of the state. By the 1990s, French natives recruited to teach in LA schools were told not to refer to Parisien French as "proper French," because this might imply that Cajun French was incorrect or wrong.
To explain the shift, Cajun author Shane K. Bernard leads his readers through decades of Cajun history, from WW2 to the present. At one end of his extensive book, LA's uniqueness is dissolving to homogenized America. Child actor Keith Thibedoux, who played Little Ricky on I Love Lucy, was so unaware of his heritage that he could only shrug when asked if he was Cajun. At the other end of the book, LA is in the midst of Francofete, a year-long, state-wide celebrationof French heritage, even as many LA residents were fast losing interest in preserving Cajun culture. "Where Did All the Cajuns Go?" one local newspaper asked.
Bernard examines how Louisiana Cajuns were impacted by national events by the Red Scare, local events like the completion of their state's stretch of Interstate 10, and the exploitation of their culture (Popeye's, for example, has done more to commercialize Cajun food than any other resteraunt). By the end of the book, Bernard's Louisiana readers must look in the mirror to find out where their state's Cajun, culture, and language are disappearing to.

I gave my hair stylist a copy of Kay Moser's "Celebration!" for Christmas because reading that novel totally changed the way I look at life.
I just went to get my hair cut, and my hair stylist said the following things:

"I just want you to know that I think Kay Moser is the best writer I've ever read. I just finished reading 'Celebration!' and I've never read a book that meant so much to me. I could not quit reading it. I read late into the night; I read in the car; my whole family kept saying, 'what's wrong with you? You never read a book!' As I got toward the end, I kept noticing how few pages were left, and I just couldn't stand it. 'I don't want this book to be over!' I kept saying. 'I don't want to leave these characters. I can't stand for this book to end.'"

When I asked my hair stylist to comment on what the book had communicated to her, she responded,
"I never thought about everybody having a story that explains why they have become what they've become. I never realized how much choice I have and how much my choices decide my life."

As I handed my stylist a check, her eyes suddenly flooded with tears, and she whispered, "I am that woman in 'Celebration!' I really am Rachel! I need to make some changes in my life. This book hit me so hard; I've got to re-read it. You know, the author was so kind to me in that book. Over and over she took me to the edge, to the point that I thought I would drown, but then she gently pulled me back from the edge. I needed to almost drown in order to finally hear the truth. Thank you for giving me that novel!"

When I got home, I wanted to know more about Kay Moser. I did an online search and found www.kaymoser.com. I'm glad I did! I e-mailed her, and she answered!

I thought this book was wonderful. It really shows all of the right qualities a book should have. I think that anyone that wants to read a good book should grab this off a shelf. It really re-lights that flame for God.

My Mom introduced me to Kay Moser, and I just loved this book. It is such a meaningful and powerful story. I would highly recommend it.

I couldn't put this book down. It's the first novel I've ever read that was both entertaining and healing. It's the story of Rachel, a woman who is terribly successful so she thinks she's worthy. When she loses everything, she feels worthless, but as the novel continues, she learns the true sources of her worth. This book really helped me deal with some issues of worth I have been struggling with. Read this book! You will be entertained and changed for the better. Give this book to your friends! They will thank you.

At first, I read the first 20 pages, and put the book down, thinking it was a just a depressing, domestic abuse book. My uncle told me to try again, as it was not about that at all. He was entirly correct!! It was the first book that I read in 2 nights in my entire life. You will view the world and yourself differently after reading this book. Where is Kay Moser now, and why isn't she writing more books???

Peter Jaffrey is a hunk. But, he's also a killer; isn't he? Margaret is destitute, and worried about her daughter; before, she is even willing to meet her dead husband's family. One day in the home of this family, and you understand that Margaret might be better off worried about destitution! Add to the mystery, a masquerade, Mardi Gras, a family mansion, weird relatives; you really have a marvelous old-time gothic.

This is a very unusual read. It's like taking a trip to the " big easy" with a very entertaining family! Peter, (the crazy one) is under house arrest, when Margaret comes to stay. She, and her daughter might be the cure that Peter needs. The mystery, sexual tension, and the fun of Mardi Gras add to the spice of this great book. It truly is a keeper!

Anne Stuart is amazing! She can take characters and make you love them so much that you never want the story to end. This is one of those stories. And this book is filled with characters who you wish you never had to say goodbye to. Peter is crazy (in love), smart, sexy and witty. Margaret is attracted to Peter despite his reputation for being a 'lady killer'. A fierce tigress trying to keep her wits about her, her daughter safe and herself sane in a house full of nutty relatives, she is a character you can wholeheartedly root for. The Mardi Gras scenes are enough to make you wish you were there. This remains my favorite of Anne Stuart's many wonderful stories, for the humor, the mystery and most especially for the romance between Peter and his Marguerite! A definite keeper!

This books has it all. Southern atmosphere, a dysfunctional family, lots of secrets... Oh, yeah, and a hero suspected of being an insane killer. Now is that Gothic or what?

One thing that makes this stand apart from many of the old Gothics is that the heroine is strong. She has to be to put up with this family. Also, there are sensual love scenes.

My only regret was that this wasn't one of Anne Stuart's longer romances. The mystery would have been even stronger then.

I gave this a B+ review at All About Romance.

Who wouldn't love Peter Jaffrey, sexy, handsome, and sensitive and "crazy" about Margaret Jaffrey. Peter, under house arrest for a murder he didn't commit, is so vulnerable you can't help but love him. Margaret, battered widow, homeless, single mom sees the potential in her late husbands sweet but sad cousin. My heart was with Margaret every step of the way, particularly at the voodoo madam's grave sight where, with all her life is lacking, she uses her one wish to ask for Peter's sanity. Peter in turn risks all, even his life, to be with the women he loves. The sexual tension between these two is only the beginning. This is not your run of the mill romance. With convoluted plot and serious obstacles to overcome, you can't help but pray these two make it. Anne Stuart is a master who knows how to create empathy with her hero's and heroines (in spite of their dark secrets).

This is a terrific historical book without getting so factual that it gets boring. It keeps you interest in every chapter.

I bought this to learn more about my family's heritage.

Seems as though I already KNEW a lot that this book didn't even touch on.

Still is a worthwhile reference. I was torn between giving it 3 or 4 stars. It isn't a 5 star book as it could use some help with flow and there is a lot of salient points that just wasn't included. However a lot of information is presented here...to give substance to the fact that Creole is a culture, a heritage. That alone gives it merit.

Creole provides an invaluable history of Louisiana's Creole people, examining the ethnic roots of the Creoles and their mixed descent, analyzing their history and contributions, and helping define their ethnic heritage. From the use of Creole in language and literature to popular individuals of color, this provides a fine coverage.

I am delighted to find that my academic peers of creole decent have endeavored to put together our past in such a marvelous way. I have spent many hours in the New Orleans Public Library and have visited the Armistead Center but have never had the time to sit down and put all the information together so that I could start to compare the fact to the stories that were passed on to me about my ancestors. Being light skinned black with a french maiden name, I am often questioned as to my family background. My grandmother and mother's stories and my own experiences often amaze people as to how rich my background is. Now I have a book to pass on to my children as well as stories of my past. In an age of reams of wirtings about the diversity of America, I now have a book to pass on to them about my own diverse past - my creole legacy. Thank you Sybil Kein and company!

This book of essays is absolutely the best resource on the Creole heritage of Louisiana. The history is priceless and my hat goes off to Dr. Kein for compiling such a group of scholars and historians who have covered every aspect of the subject. I have many books and have done much research since the late eighties as part of my research on African American history. This book has been a long time in coming. I thank Anthony Barthelemy for his essay "Light, Bright, Damn Near White" which answered my questions of the infamous Susie Guillory case, the woman who "discovered" she was considered "Colored" when she went to get a passport in the 80s. I always wondered what they true story was and now I know. I enjoued learning about Marcus Chritian through violet Harrington Byan's essay exposing his research on Creoles. All of the essays are worth reading and referring to again and again. Composers of color of Nineteenth-Century New Orleans was an eye-opener. I had heard about them but found very little information until this. The essay by Joan Martin on placage answered alot of questions for me of why and will be helpful for my friend who is writing a thesis on Creole women and the institution of placage. Oh, and Sybil Kein's "The Use of Louisiana Creole in Southern Literature" was worth the whole book. This essay brought home full circle of my studies of some of the writers who have written about literature, race, and passing. I could go on and on. Creole Poets, their professions and trades, the food connection. It is all wonderful. I count this book as one of my best investments for 2000 with the wealth of knowledge in it. This should be in the library of every American historian, black, white, or other.

This is an excellent book, a long awaited and much needed factual account of a group of courageous men whose activism had major impact on the movement. Hill has produced a wealth of documentation to prove the history he has brought to the fore.
This account does tribute to those brave and unsung (heretofore)
heroes who refused to further degrade themselves and thier communities by turning the other cheek! Must reading.

This book kept me up reading all night. I had in the past heard that their had been a group that pre dated The Black Panther Party, and were operating in the deep south. However there was not much information on this clandestine group. Well there is now. This is the book. My chest burst with pride as the tears fell down my cheeks. If you read nothing else this year please read this book if you want to know what our people were really doing during the "movement". The media had been lying to us about our role in our own history! This book is about us!

excellent coverage of a little-known but very important part of the civil rights movement. if you're tired of the conventional view of the crm with everyone on their knees praying, this book is for you.

An important corrective to the nonviolence theme that domninates most histories of the Civil Rights Movement. The Deacons were mostly home grown Black Veterans from working class neighborhoods in small southern towns like Bogalusa and Jonesboro Louisianna. When the Klan and Police beat on civil rights workers and local protestors the Deacons fought back. In July 1965 when a mob of whites attacked a group of civil rights, mostly children, marchers in Bogalusa a Deacon shot a Klan member sending him to hospital. This incident had a profound impact on the response to Black demands for equal rights in Lousianna. Finally, the White Establishment began to make changes that led to a better life for Louisianna's Blacks. Professor Hill's(History, Tulane Univesity) book is full of such incidents and proves that the Deaon's impact on the souhtern Civil Rights struggle must not be overlooked.

you have to speak the language of the wolf." - Henry Austin, Deacons for Defense

This is truly a lost history of the civil rights movement that author Lance Hill has found under the layers upon layers of mainstream narratives which conveniently dictate false truths that - when repeated enough - become larger than life.

Following the organized self-defense philosophy espoused by Robert F. Williams in Monroe, N.C., a small group of men in Jonesboro, Louisiana, founded an organization that had great influence in the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s. The success the Deacons had in defeating the KKK and other haters on the streets by standing up, moving forward and staring them down with guns loaded brought a new sense of empowerment in demanding that justice truly be served today.

Hill explains how he became aware of the Deacons and then began his quest to research the history. Initially founded to protect civil rights workers, the Deacons' influence in the Deep South grew with a regional organizing campaign in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, along with chapters being founded in several Northern cities.

The success and expansion of the program brought interest from the FBI, coverage by an oftentimes adverse media and linkage - oftenetimes quite temporary - with a number of revolutionary organizations.

But through the comparatively brief time the Deacons operated - about four years - Hill successfully argues that the organization forced the federal government to aggressively enforce the 1964 Civil Rights Act and was the bridge to the Black Power movement that emerged later in the decade.

The Deacons' legacy continues, as former members have strongly stated over the years that the group has never actually gone away. And, as Hill writes, "Finally, there is something inspiring in a story of people who stood up to injustice when everyone around them was afraid. That is a fable that will always serve us well."

The Deacons for Defense lives in the souls of those who do their part on a daily basis to bring real justice to this country.

I have been a Chef for 16 years. It's rare when a book excites me as much as Dominique's has. He demonstrates a fresh new approach to Classical French Cooking Techniques. The Tropical flavors that he interweaves with French influences are totally unique and exciting. The book is a must have for serious culinarians as well as the home cook.

...I decided to buy this book in order to recreate that experience,so i tried the cured salmon,(the eggplant is to die for)the chicken mousse was sublime.The book gives you so much information on how to learn the basics and gives you the confidence to cook like a chef.This book is a must for all food lovers.

i was very facinated by this young chef talent and passion about food . i tried the tuna and pineapple ,the crab roll then got a bit more adventurous and tried the sugarcane sweetbread .all were really really good . i just wish that my latitude was as good his latitude!

When I visit New Orleans, Dominique's Restaurant is my favorite, so I was excited to see he had put out a cookbook. I found many of my favorites from his menu in the book which was great. It is obvious Dominique is an extraordinarily talented chef who has traveled the globe and his cuisine reflects it. His use of Asian ingredients and light approach to French food is indeed refreshing...especially coming out of a city like New Orleans. If you can't make it to his restaurant, pick up his cookbook and try your hand at his recipes. You will love the unique taste of the dishes. Here is a chef who treats food with respect and elevates it to an art form...something lacking in many of the showman T.V. chefs of today.

What a fabulous find--fusion food finally hits New Orleans. This is like no other New Orleans cookbook in my library. If you love ginger, lemon grass and healthy cuisine, you'll love cooking from this book. Not for the beginner as many of the recipes require lot's of prep. and familiarity with cooking techniques. If you are planning a dinner party or a special dinner for two, add this to your library--you won't regret it. Even if you don't cook, the pictures are beautiful and will make you want to cook so you can enjoy this amazing food.

I bought several books before this one and I basically wasted my money! Finally I am able to identify the odes that I have photographed in the field. This is a must have for anyone interested in dragonflies and damselflies!

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.

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 a wonderful history of Avery Island which includes many wonderful recipes. You cannot go wrong with this cookbook!!!!

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 is the only cookbook I've ever actually sat down and read. I learned so much about cooking that I was inspired to try some of these recipes. They're a little bit challenging but I think the average home cook can make these recipes work in their own kitchens. My family loves the ones I've made. If you are a semi-serious cook, or a professional chef, this is one book you can't pass up for your library!

John Folse is a great representative of South Louisiana Cajun Cooking and loves the history of the area. He relates the melting pot of the many nationalities that contributed to the culinary richness of South Louisiana cooking. This is an excellent book to learn all about all kinds of "roux", recipes and techniques of Cajun cooks. It's a fun book!

For anyone who loves the magic of the south especially the festivities behind louisianas Marty Gras would love to get a nibble if not more from this book. It is a very straightforward and beautifully prepared recipe book that will take you through years of shopping and parties with friends and families.Enjoy!

I am a Creole who grew up thinking everybody ate gumbo at least once a week. Using this cook book is like having my momma looking over my shoulder telling me how to make all her favorite dishes. I have purchased at least a dozen of these books for gifts to family and friends.

Chef John Folse's THE EVOLUTION OF CAJUN AND CREOLE CUISINE is an absolute must for any kitchen, whether it is home to a well-seasoned chef or a ripe, budding cook. Folse's description of the seven nations that settled Louisiana, the intermarriage of their cultures and cuisine and the recipes found between the covers of this book culminate in a "mouth-watering" explosion of down-home, Louisiana flavor.

The recipe format was easy to follow and ingredients were easy to find in most any supermarket. From cooking the roux to garnishing the final dish, EVOLUTION turns the simplest meals into culinary masterpieces.