Louisiana Books

This book probes the depths of misery and rises to the heights of joy. I often felt myself in the boats cruising the murky floodwaters looking for signs of life in New Orleans' deserted neighborhoods. The bugs and humidity were real. So was the satisfaction of spotting a desperate animal and the joy of pulling it to safety. And the bone-weariness of the long days and uncomfortable nights.

"Pawprints of Katrina" is a testament to the survival instincts of our animal companions and the compassion of countless humans who value them enough to risk themselves to help the helpless.

I loved reading these great stories of real people who love animals as much as I do. It made me wish that I had been there helping to rescue the animals that need us so much. This is a GREAT book for any animal lover.

I bought this book thinking it would be really validating for me to read about myself, as I was a volunteer who was given some narrative in the book.

However, after beginning to read the book from the beginning, I discovered that I was unable to read more than a few pages at a time without becoming teary-eyed. Cathy did a fabulous job of telling it the way it happened, and I would recommend this book to all. The stories are moving and all true, and will evoke your entire gamut of emotions.

Thank you, Cathy Scott...

Cathy Scott has written an amazing account of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, combined with Clay Myers' moving photographs that documented this tragedy. I was honored to work with Cathy and so many of the other humans and animals in Tylertown that fill the pages of this book. Pawprints of Katrina is a wonderful tribute to the animal victims of the disaster and the people dedicated to saving them.

I just finished reading this awe inspiring book by Cathy Scott, forward by Ali McGraw, and photography by Clay Myers. I was moved to tears. It is an example of what all of us should aspire to. Having compassion and providing assistance in times of need, random acts of kindness, putting others first, caring for those who cannot care for themselves.

Tragedies always bring out the best in others, and this book is a documentary of the very best in humanity. Thank you a thousand times to all who came to the rescue of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, both animal and human. You are the angels on earth.

This is a must read for anyone who has ever loved an animal. Please visit the Best Friends Animal Society website to learn how you can help.

Yay!

Finally the new hardcover edition of this wonderful book is out, and it's only around $20 bucks. Now I can get copies for the whole family. Amazon has them using isbn 0925417556.

Enjoy

A great title and great unofficial advertising on Emeril Live. But it could have been much more diverse. I relize that was not the point of the book. But there had to be some recipes that people comonly made but were not creole. I guess I would have liked one or two exotic recipes.

Although I wasn't raised in Lousiana, I love the food, and I love this book. The home recipes and the family memoirs are too good to put down, in the kitchen or the easy chair. If you only buy one cajun cookbook, buy this one.

My mamma's a Crochet, I am Catholic and my husband and I can each make a roux. I, also, am Cajun, know Marcelle and can attest to the authenticity of the recipes and accompanying stories. Many try to capitalize on the Cajun food craze, but few are the real deal. The only thing better than the recipes in Marcelle's book is enjoying them with she and her husband over dinner from their kitchen.

This book is a compendium of recipes that the author has collected over the years but it is also a book that helps you understand the area around New Orleans. It is a fun read and the recipes are marvelous! I have never met the author of this book but would love to meet some day, preferably over a good pot of gumbo for a lively discussion of the region's most famous past time - good eating!

Rod Gragg is one of my favorite civil war writers and this book is as good as Covered With Glory about the 26th North Carolina.If you have ever been curious about Fort Fisher near Wilmington North Carolina you must read this book, it's terrific.

This book was a Christmas gift for my husband. Since Christmas he has reread this book at least 3 times. I have to make him put it down so he can go to sleep at night. He loves it. I'm glad I got him something he has enjoyed so much for Christmas.

You should see the movie! It will be premiering on UNC-TV November 6, 2005 at 10 PM. Rod Gragg is interviewed throughout, and it is based on his book, of course. He is a great writer, and it turned out to be a wonderful film.

Gragg's book is very easy to read and is filled with great descriptions of the many participants. He describes why Wilmington was so vital to the survival of the Confederacy and why its capture was so important to the Union for a quicker end to the War.

Some of the most interesting characters of the Civil War participated in at least one of the battles. William lamb was 29 years old when he finished building the fort. Young Lamb had a keen interest in military history. As a young boy of twenty in the mid-1850s, Lamb became captivated by a farawy war that was then being waged between Russia, Great Britain, and France. Fisher's design and physical features drew praise from her Federal captors-and more than a few references were made to the Russian fortress of Malakoff (a defensive bastion at Sebastopol that had greatly influenced Lamb's efforts to strengthen Fort Fisher)that was built during that war.

The First Battle effectively ended the military career of Union General Bejamin Butler, a "Political General" who was a constant headache for both the Lincoln Administration and any Commander to whom he was a subordinate. The Failure to capture the Fort after a sucessful amphiboious landing was the final nail in his coffin and he did not receive another command during the war.

Is there a Confederate defeat outside of Gettysburg and Petersburg that does not have the hand of General Braxton Bragg somewhere behind it? Bragg was in command in Wilmington instead of being cashiered after Missionary Ridge mainly because he was friends with Jeff Davis. Bragg did not send reinforcements to the fort that would have cut off Banks' invaders.

Alfred Terry was in command of the second attempt to storm the fort in January 1865. One of the lesser known of Grant's favorite lieutenants, he is better known as the scapegoat of Custer's Last Stand.

Lt. William B. Cushing USN was a precursor of the Navy SEALS. He had many special forces operations during the war including the sinking of the CSS Albemarle with a mine and doing soundings in a rowboat off Fort Fisher while under fire.

Gragg's book was a page turner for me even though I knew the outcome beforehand and I would reccomend it to Civil War enthusiasts everywhere.

UPDATE: 02/14/2006. NC Educational Television ran a television adaptation of the Book last week featuring a recreation of the two invasions of Ft. Fisher. It really helped bring the book to life.

Fort Fisher, guardian of Wilington, North Carolina, was easily the strongest fort in the entire Confederacy, thanks to the engineering genius Col. William Lamb, who at age 26 was given command of the fort. He quickly determined to make it "a work of such magnitude that it could withstand the heaviest fire of any guns in the American navy." He came very close to succeeding, arming the fort with some of the heaviest cannon in existence, including a powerful 150-pounder Armstrong cannon. However, Col. Lamb was plagued by a serious lack of troops, and his superiour, Gen. Braxton Bragg, was an unreliable moron who refused to believe that Fort Fisher could be taken by any assault.

Of course, there were also infamous morons on the Union side, like Gen. Benjamin Butler, known as "Beast Butler" for his notorious policies during the Union occupation of New Orleans. It was Butler's fault that the first assault of Fort Fisher in late 1864 ended in a near disaster for the Union army, after which he was finally relieved of command. The second Union attack which would take place in Jan. 1865 was to be better planned and had far better officers in command (this time Gen. Terry was to be in overall command). Still, even after days of bombardment from the Union navy, the fort proved to be a tough obstacle for the 10,000+ attacking force, which included over 2,000 sailors and marines.

The sailors and marines attacked one side of Fort Fisher while the thousands of well-armed infantry attacked the other side of the fort. The sailors and marines were bloodily repulsed (one in every five was a casualty) while the infantry slowly fought their way into the fort. Col. Lamb had fewer than 2,000 men but he made the enemy pay dearly for every foot of ground they gained. Finally, six hours after the assault began, the fort finally fell. The Union dead were actually in piles (some estimate as many as 1,710 were killed or wounded in both battles at Fort Fisher) around the fort, and the Confederates also suffered heavy losses, with aprox. 600 killed or wounded during both battles.

Rod Gragg told the story of Fort Fisher in a gripping and entertaining way and he's one of my favorite authors. In fact, his book _The Illustrated Confederate Reader_ was one of my very first Civil War books, bought when I was 8 years old! This book has several great maps and two sections of photos, showing both the main Union and Confederate officers involved in the battle as well as photos of the fort itself. Captain Towle, one of (Union) General Terry's staff officers, perhaps summed up the battle best. "The fort never surrendered to anybody. It was taken by Gen. Terry by force of arms after a long and desperate resistance which did honor to both sides." This book is an absolute must for any Civil War buff!

This is without a doubt my favorite series of books out there. They are from top to bottom the most thought out and intriguing series I have ever read and I am SO glad that they have reprinted them so others can see what I have seen for years...JM is a great artist. I am reviewing this one in the series because it is my favorite. When this book picks up we know that Micky and Cordelia have spent a night of passion together but nothing much has come of it because they live in different worlds Cordelia is a sucessful Dr and heir to mucho money who is not very out to those around her while Micky is a semi-successful, slutty, and out private eye who struggles with the nightly question of whether to pay rent...feed the cat...or drink herself into a stupor. They have to come together to try and solve a series of murders that have Cordelia looking like the prime suspect. Along with their friends (the lawyer..the detective..the political "flunkie") they seek to answer the questions of who did it and why before time runs out. This book is filled with well written and funny dialog (and in a rare turn of events with lesbian fiction GOOD SEX scenes that don't bog down the story). I suggest that you read the Death by the Riverside book first since it is the 1st in this series but make sure once you read it to not forget to pick up this one and enjoy a really spectatular ride!

I ordered the book "Death by the Riverside" on a whim. After reading it, I knew I was hooked on Mickey Knight. "Deaths of Jocasta" was simply a fabulous story. The author displays an incredible sense of humor, but yet, there were times when I could have cried for Mickey as she struggled through issues and addictions. The mystery held my attention, but the parts that I really enjoyed were the explorations of relationships and friendships within this novel. I would have to say that this book is one of the best I've ever read, and look forward to reading the next two books by this author. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there is a fifth book in progress.

The thirty years old, Barnard educated and underemployed, out lesbian, private investigator, Micky Knight has accepted a job overseeing security for a very exclusive and "festive" annual party hosted by Emma Auerbach. Of an old money New Orleans family, Emma has been a friend and mentor to Mickey for years. Sober and celibate for over six weeks, Micky is beginning to face the demons from which the liquor and sex allowed her to hide for over a decade. Although determined to remain sober, Micky does hope the weekend party brings an end to her loneliness, especially when the good doctor, Cordelia James arrives. Micky lost her heart to Cordelia months ago, during the events of "Death by the Riverside." But Emma's annual gay-la ends abruptly when the body of a young woman is found in the woods on her estate and everyone returns to the city.

At loose ends back in New Orleans, Micky goes to the library to check out some Dorothy Sayers books. "Some of her Lord Peter Wimsey books, not so much for detective ideas, but for dating tips." About which Micky concludes, "via Lord Peter, the method for making a woman fall in love with an offbeat detective was to save her from the gallows by proving her innocent. Somehow that didn't seem to have much bearing on Cordelia and myself." (p55). Of course, Lord Peter is right!

Life is complicated for Micky and company. More bodies show up near Cordelia's clinic. When they turn out to be young women who were patients at the clinic, the police see Cordelia as the prime suspect. Cordelia decides to hire Micky to investigate. Meanwhile an uncharacteristically restless, NOPD Detective Sgt., Joanne, increasingly angered by these events, is spending more time with Micky. Joanne senses Micky has similar ghosts in her past.

With the same tough, first-person voice of the first Micky Knight novel, Redmann directs the fast paced action of "Jocasta." Micky tracks down leads connecting the pasts of several characters with the current events. And the truth turns out to involve a dangerous combination of extremists --who justify murder in the name of life-- and people who crave old-fashioned, hateful revenge. Will Micky be able to take Lord Peter's advice?

Redmann presents serious and painful issues without hiding the pain, becoming pedantic, or losing her sense of humor. Her characters are well rounded, interesting women who deal authentically with their problems. One of the most impressive examples of this is Redmann's handling of child sexual abuse. Accurate and realistic, the depictions of the abuse and its ramifications run a spectrum of forms, parental reactions, and consequences from Micky to Joanne to Cordelia. This thread actually evolves throughout the Micky Knight novels as Micky has the opportunity to grow and heal.

This re-release of "Deaths of Jocasta" by Bella Books is a must for mystery lovers and in this reader's opinion, the covers of "Jocasta" and "Riverside" are the best Bella has produced to date. Ten years have passed since "Jocasta" was originally published. It is pinned to the early 1990s by technology --the lack of cell phones and email via the world wide web-- and Joanne's early adolescence (and rest of the crowd's ages in relation to her) is set prior to the Roe v. Wade decision (1973). However, the issues of the novel are very relevant today and Redmann treats the women struggling to survive them with respect and dignity. "Deaths of Jocasta" does not answer all the mysteries hovering in Micky's background. For that, readers should look for "The Intersection of Law and Desire" and "Lost Daughters," in order. Take Micky Knight home with you and laissez les bons temp rouler!

Kudos to JM Redmann for writing another wonderful installment in the Micky Knight series. "The Deaths of Jocasta" is much more than the case Micky has been hired to investigate. Not only is the reader treated to a well-written mystery and realistic plot, but the dark past of Micky slowly unfolds throughout the book as she gives up alcohol and casual sex. Micky essentially fights her inner battle alone when her closest friends question her ability to remain sober and celibate. She doesn't know if they are friends or foes.

Will Micky be able to figure who is behind the threatening letters and shocking deaths of women before she becomes a victim herself? Will Micky be able to become lovers with Cordelia without putting her foot in her mouth? Will Danny reconcile her hurt feelings towards Micky for their failed relationship after college? Read this book yourself to find the answers to these and other questions. You certainly won't regret it!

A previous reviewer must have forgotten that some people want to read fiction to be drawn away from the world of reality. Not everyone wants to be entertained by reality and solve world problems. Mickey Knight is exciting, moody, funny, sexy, strong, vulnerable, and TUFF, and the author develops the characters throughout the series. You will care about her and the other characters too. The story is full of action, mystery, romance with steamy romantic sex and just plain sex. Remember, this is the story of a street smart PI, so don't let an occasional bit of not so sexy talk from a sex scene make you miss this great series. It is one of 'THE BEST' written detective series featuring a lesbian. If you only read stories about perfect characters, with "NORMAL" everyday problems,who have perfect sex and during sex never talk the least bit dirty, then maybe you need to SpIcE up your reading with a little Mickey Knight! I say try the book for yourself and walk thru the streets of NEW ORLEANS with Mickey.

Like its companion volume Generals in Blue, Generals in Gray is an important resource for both the Civil War buff and the serious historian (which is not to say that the two can't be one and the same!). In this volume, which was actually written before Generals in Blue, author Ezra Warner has written the biographies and rustled up the photos of all the general officers confirmed by the Confederate Congress, and a handful of those who weren't for one reason or another.

There were 425 men who served as Confederate generals. Nearly one-fourth of them died in the war. Boy generals, men promoted before they reached the age of 30, were plentiful, and nearly half of them were killed on the battlefield. Looking at their photographs, one can scarcely fathom the experiences they endured at such young ages. They look like college lads.

Several of the generals profiled by Warner especially stand out for me. There's William Flank Perry, for example, the philosopher-general, who enlisted as a private in 1862 and was commissioned a brigadier in the war's final months. After the war, he taught philosophy at Ogden College in Kentucky until the turn of the century. There's Alexander Reynolds, who at war's end entered the service of the Khedive of Egypt, and so must've known the tragic Federal General Charles Pomeroy Stone, of Ball's Bluff infamy, who did so as well. There's General John McCausland, who with his huge handlebar moustache and heavy eyebrows looks for all the world like Yosemite Sam of cartoon fame. And there's the boy general Thomas Benton Smith, a youngster whose fate breaks my heart. After he and most of his brigade surrendered during the Battle of Nashville, a Federal colonel tried literally to beat Smith's brains out. His brain exposed, in a coma, Smith was expected to die. But he somehow survived, only to spend the rest of his life, some 48 years, in an insane asylum.

.....but this one sure is. The Civil War is still a current event for many of us. For four long years, both sides were carried by their armies, and led by their Generals. Now, lots of us know about Lee and Jackson, but there were a total of 425 Confederate Generals over the course of the war, and some even I've never heard of. Of these, 299 were serving as General Officers at the end. A total of 77 were killed in battle; the rest died of natural causes, resigned, got fired, etc., etc.

They're ALL here, at least the ones that we can't argue about whether they were really a General. [There are others about whom we can argue, for various reasons--a separate book has come out in recent years...see "More Generals in Gray"]. While Lee has has more biographies than I can count, and many have at least one, for most of these guys, this is all we've got. Here we get pictures, pre and, where appropriate, post war careers, grave sites, and a study of just what the man accomplished [or didn't]. Robert E. Lee gets three and a half pages, but all get a good write-up.

They were a varied lot: six General Lees, six Jacksons, eight each of Smith and Walker. Professional soldiers, lawyers, politicians, even three preachers [Polk and Pendleton, you know; read this and find the third]. Some were heroic, some were drunks, a few were both. Some brilliant, some inept, one or two both. The post war lots of the survivors were as various as the men; poverty and wealth, glory and apostasy, and all points in between. Trivia: Who was the ONLY Confederate General born in Texas? Who was the last living Conferderate General? ONE man answers BOTH questions. [OK, I'll give it to you...Judge Felix Huston Robertson of Waco died April 20, 1928]. The very first American Indian to wear General's stars AND the last General to surrender...he's here, in all his glory.

I can go on all day. The late Ezra Warner, Illinois native and California investment counsellor, published this in 1959...it needs to stay in print forever. While I've had this, and the companion "Generals in Blue", for years, only recently has a trade paperback made it readily available, and affordable. A "thank you" to the publisher, and a huge, everlasting, "THANK YOU" to Mr. Warner.

This book is a must for any Civil War buff. Learn the good, bad and the ugly about all general officers of the army of the CSA. I keep this book, and its companion, Generals in Blue, handy when I am reading historical accounts of battles of the Civil War. How often, while you are reading, have you yearned to get additional information on a particular general? These books are perfect to provide more information, when you want it.

Warner does an excellent job in giving short biographies on all 425 Confederate generals, including a picture of each general. An excellent reference guide and a must have for your Civil War library.

I remember first reading Generals in Gray as a teenager and have often referred back to the book over the years.

Warner gives a synopsis of each general , usually containing the following information:

1. Birthplace and birthdate.
2. Pre-Civil War life.
3. Battles served in, promotions, woundings, death (if applicable).
4. Postwar career (if he survived the war).
5. Death and place burial.
6. Brief mention of the general's competency (or lack thereof).
7. Relationships with other generals (superior, subordinate).

I have often found the book to be extremely helpful when reading a book on a particular Civil War battle. Doing so helps me to better understand the general when studying a particular battle.

Whether you have a serious interest in the Civil War or a novice, I highly recommend the book as an excellent reference!

I would not hesitate to recommend this book to a 10-year-old. It was a straightforward-enough story, and children are not known for their discrimination. That said, as a librarian who reads a great deal of children's literature, I was very underwhelmed. The characters were wooden and fairly two-dimensional, the story competent but clunky, and I saw every single plot 'twist' coming.

Instead, I would highly recommend Vivian Vande Velde's ghost stories, Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn, The House With a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs, The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix (more fantasy than ghost story) and King in the Window by Adam Gopnik.

Death affects people in many different ways. Children also have a range of emotions when a loved one is facing a serious illness such as cancer. I still remember one of my former students drawing pictures of a large cross next to his mother right after she died. That was his way of coping. In the book GIVING UP THE GHOST, Sheri Sinykin weaves in the emotions of a young girl who's mother is in remission from cancer, going to help a great-aunt who is dying, and the ghost of a young girl. All these elements work to make a very compelling story.



Thirteen-year-old Davina is scared of many things. One of her biggest fears is that her mother's cancer will return.

That summer Davina and her parents go to help her elderly Aunt Mari with in-care home hospice care. This only increases Davina's fears. And to make matters worse is Emilie, the ghost of a 19th century young Creole girl who lives in her great-aunt's deserted plantation. Emilie wants Davia to be her friend. But Davina finds Emilie to be spoiled and unpredictable. While her aunt's health deteriorates, they both grow closer. Aunt Mari tells stories of sudden ends and regrets. Also she tells Davina she needs to help Emilie in order to release her spirit from Belle Foret.

I love how the author deals with death in this story. Especially with how a teen would feel about ovarian cancer. I felt the emotions of Davina were very realistic. Another thing I liked was how Davina wasn't afraid to be with her aunt even when she knew she'd die. Together they helped each other face their fears. Davina also learns a valuable lesson from Emilie, one that sets both of them free.

This story addresses a paranormal theme in a whole different light. I loved the premise of a haunted Louisiana plantation with secrets. I recommend this book to those who are looking for a paranormal story with a twist. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Davia, a thirteen-year-old girl, is haunted by Emilie, a tortured,
mean-spirited ghost. Davia tries to piece together the circumstances
surrounding Emilie's death while also comforting her beloved Aunt
Mari who is dying. Davia and her aunt hope to release
Emilie's spirit, but they must do so before Aunt Mari passes into the next world. Davia
discovers that Emilie had hopes of becoming a doctor. Emilie's
nineteenth century parents, however, had other plans for her. How did she escape her fate?

"Giving Up the Ghost" is an appealing ghost story as well as a
realistic account of the emotional trauma of watching a loved one
die. Having gone through the death of my mother recently, it was especially relevant for me. Others will also find themselves thinking about some of life's most difficult questions.

Sheri Sinykin has written a very important book--the book I wish I'd been given to read when, as a young adult, I experienced for the first time the death of a grandparent. On the surface, "Giving Up the Ghost" works just fine as a ghost story, and young readers will appreciate it as such. On a deeper level, however, it explores the fundamental questions all kids are confronted with when faced with the loss of a loved one: How do people die? What should I expect if I'm helping to care for someone who is terminally ill? What happens after someone dies? Although never didactic, the book provides some solid information. And finally, protagonist Davia and her family will impart reassurance to Sinykin's readers: that it's OK to ask questions, it's OK to be afraid, it's OK to let someone go, it's OK to forgive yourself and others. I found myself thinking about this book long after turning the last page.

Nearly every family has an eccentric member who seems odd to the rest of the clan. However, not many of us will be called to their bedside as a nursemaid when the individual is dying. That's what happened to Mr. and Mrs. Peters and their daughter Davia when they decided to care for Mrs. Peters' great-aunt Mari. Arriving in the humid, summer heat of a former southern plantation, Davia is surprised to find her relative living in a converted barn. Aunt Mari refuses to live in the big, haunted mansion on the vast estate. With her list of fears in hand, Davia and her family, including a self-righteous cat named GG, take up residence at Belle Foret.

Not only is the family expected to cater to the whims of an old woman who cannot be pleased, Davia is also expected to befriend Emilie, the ghost who haunts the grounds where she lived and died more than a hundred years before. Aunt Mari cannot "give up the ghost" and cross over in peace until Emilie does. However, the ghost has a secret that must come out in order to cross over and find peace in the afterlife. "Save me!" Davia must uncover the secret from the prankster spirit and help her forgive herself--a very tall order for two teenaged souls.

Davia is only fourteen, but mature for her age. She is not only dealing with the imminent death of her newly acquainted relative and the needs of a teenaged ghost, she is also coping with the aftermath of her mother's cancer treatment. Is her mom really in remission or is there something her parents aren't telling her? This book delves into the emotions of this brave, young girl and gives an example of how to deal with death by facing reality head on.

Sheri Sinykin did an excellent job with telling this story from Davia's point of view. Her writing style is top-notch. I was engaged from the first page and could not put this book down. I hated to see the end because I had fallen in love with every character--even old Aunt Mari and the cat that decided to become her best friend.

If you are facing the death of a loved one or are assisting with the care of an aging family member, Giving up the Ghost is a must-read. Although the book is geared toward a teen reader, any adult can appreciate its solid foundation and grown up treatment of a topic that most people fear.

This book review written by Yvonne Perry www.yvonneperry.net

The Patriots are a football team that plays for a Christian school John Curtis. Members of the founder's family, his five children and grandchildren make up part of the faculty members at the school. They aren't just a school; they are more like a family. They have taken football members into their homes for extended periods of time.

The Patriots have a great team due largely to their head coach J.T. Curtis, son of John Curtis. "Hurricane Season," the story, takes place in August 2005. The Patriots are preparing to play their first pre-season game, which they do, and it's a shut out in their favor. Unfortunately, hurricane Katrina is coming through the state. Katrina will drastically change John Curtis School and students' lives dramatically. Readers glimpse the struggles shared by each family during and after the storm.

J.T. is determined to get his football team back together for some normalcy. While many of the players have been relocated, J.T. realizes that getting the guys back on the field will be a big help to them mentally.

Neal Thompson has written a very good book that should be read by everyone. A true story, while reading you feel as if you're actually there in New Orleans and very much apart of the school, their family and face all of their triumphs. After finishing "Hurricane Season" I went to the website just to get information on the school and the players.

Reviewed by: Carmen
Also agree with the one reviewer who says that if you enjoy Friday Night Lights.

"Hurricane Season" is a true story about triumph through hardship for a private Christian school's football team in New Orleans overcoming the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. This book takes a personal look at the devastation that Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita caused within six weeks. It's about a High School football coach's and his players' commitment to their school and team in midst of chaos and turmoil. It's about how football can pull a community together. I particularly liked reading how the coach motivated his players and how he taught them to be men. It was heartwarming to see how much the coach loved his players and cared about their personal lives and not just how they played football.

Another aspect that really touched me was J.T.'s close relationship and admiration for his father. His father built the school and was a big part of the football team. After the father died, J.T. still thinks of him often and wishes he could still run things past him. He feels a real sense of responsibility to make his dad proud and run the school well.

The ending of the book is very moving and emotional when the team finally gets to play football after it looked like they wouldn't even have a season. As I read about the games, it felt like I was right there in the stands watching and cheering for them. This book started out slow and was pretty sad, but is definitely worth reading to get an inside look at what the people of New Orleans went through during Katrina and how a football team really jelled. It certainly made my few problems look totally insignificant in comparison.

Karen Zemek, author of My Funny Dad, Harry

This was a gift for my husband. He loves it! It is about more than just football. It has heart.

I can't say enough good things about this book!! This book is remarkable!! It tells the story about how people dealt with Hurrican Katrina and the aftermath and a remarkable man, J. T. Curtis, Head football coach and principal of the John Curtis Christian School. How he and his family brought together a school and the football team is an unbelievable story. Their story will make you cry, laugh and cheer!! I really enjoyed this book A LOT!!!

Gerard Zemek
Husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

Hurricane season is an excellent complement to Douglas Brinkley's " The Great Deluge." While Brinkley provides an excellent analytical and scholarly account of Hurricane Katrina that should set the standard for many years; Hurricane Season captures the powerful emotional dimensions. Though grounded in the story of a high school football team, it transcends normal sportswriting by speaking to the bigger panorama of life, suffering, loss, and inspiring tales of recovery and fortitude.
With so many aspirations and dreams hanging in the balance, the J.T. Curtis School and football team regroup after enduring catastrophe and devastation and become a beacon of hope and solace for many of the victims.
Replete with an abundance of anecdotes and personal accounts, Thompson weaves their stories into a gripping narrative that will find appeal among readers of all genres. This is a stirring and fast paced treatment of those perilous days that is both wrenching and redeeming.

If Nights Could Talk is a good memoir. Marsha Recknagel describes her past and present with honesty and humor.

I could not put this book down. Not only does the story keep you on the edge of your seat, but the author tells it with such grace and eloquence.

I respect the opinion of the reviewer who said that Recknagel's book was not his or her "cup of tea," but I don't understand how one could criticize Recknagel for belaboring her own suffering. This book is a brilliant and poignant account of one woman's struggle to create/recreate a family, and the suffering that she endures while accomplishing this anchor the memoir in reality. I felt, contrary to the other reviewer, that Recknagel was amazingly self-aware of her own insecurties, vulnerabilties, and subjectivity. Would the story have been better if Recknagel left out the gritty and painful details? Surely not. There's a reason why this book has been as highly recommended as it has: it presents a realistic struggle-- with all of its complications.

I found the book captivating. I know the courage Marsha must have to write these Memoirs. I am so proud to have known the little girl and now the adult woman. Her sister Gail should be praised for rescuing Jamie.I could not close the book until the last page.
I ran the full spectrum of emotions-- loved the book. The telling of the story carries you forward with the need to know more. I hated for the story to end. I am so proud of you Marsha......And Gail, she knows why.

I had the wonderful pleasure of having Marsha for my creative writing instructor several semesters ago when she first sent this book off for publishing. I have been in great anticipation of it since then and it did not let me down! Having known Marsha personally and some of her story, her word was every bit as moving and powerful in her written accounts and packs even more of a punch at her readings of this book. A tearjerker for sure, it will inspire you to read to the last page when at last you sigh and have to put it down, ready to rest.

This is a very well written and researched book. The story flowed from one generation to the next and I did not want it to end. If southern historical novels are your forte, I think you will be more than satisfied! It will join my list of books to reread!!

What an incredible story! The four generations in Isle of Canes have touched me in a way I can't forget. Mills has a true gift for creating characters whose skin you can crawl right into and feel their pain and joy.

I highly recommend this book to those who have any interest in genealogy, history or just enjoy reading the saga of a family. Excellent reading. Very enjoyable. Difficult to put down.

Isle of Canes has been called a cross between Gone with the Wind and
Roots. It's a grand epic to rival both, but it goes far beyond GWTW's
moonlight-and-magnolia image of the South and it explores complexities of
slave life that Roots' ignored. The sexual tension of Isle is more akin to
Monticello's Thomas and Sally than to Tara's Scarlett and Rhett, and the
masters who occupy the "big house" were once slaves themselves. Mills
explores raw and painful sides of America's past, but she has done it with
a grace and style and rhythm and emotion that held me spellbound.

A magnificent work. Mills, America's preeminent genealogist, has evolved into a passionate and successful writer of historical fiction. The Isle of Canes deals with the little told story of the Creoles of Louisiana. Mills shares the story of a family, the Metoyers, people of color, as successive generations live and prosper in the unique environment of Spanish and French Louisiana. We see and feel the changes in their lives as the impact of the Civil War comes to the Isle. The story richly weaves the tensions of slavery, multiracial families, and economic upheaval in the antebellum South. This novel is of enduring importance, and will come to be part of the classic literature describing Southern history. If you enjoy a compelling, and entertaining story, based on real families and events, and if you like to be more than entertained i.e. learn something about our history, you will thoroughly enjoy this novel.

This book is wonderful, it contains a 3 series story in one book.

Sharon Arms Doucet brings three "trickster tales from the Louisiana bayou" to life in this marvelous collection of Cajun, Creole folklore. Meet Compere Bouki. "...He owned a farming field full of Delta soil so rich that if you planted a penny at sunrise, you could pick a dollar before sundown. But as for smarts, he must have been hiding behind the barn door when they were passed out." And meet his friend, prankster, Compere Lapin. "...He could find more ways to get out of work than there are fleas on a possum. But Lapin, him, he'd got an extra helping of smarts." Bring this dynamic duo together, and you have the makings of engaging and entertaining stories that are sure to tickle the funnybone as Lapin cleverly outwits Bouki over and over again with his tricks and pranks. Ms Doucet's witty text is sprinkled with French expressions and Bayou colloquialisms and phrases. Illustrator, Scott Cook's intricate and expressive artwork is filled with energy, humor, and lots of eye-catching detail. Together word and art paint a captivating portrait that just begs to be read aloud and shared. With a glossary of words and terms, at the beginning, to help get you started, Lapin Plays Possum is storytelling at its very best, and is sure to be a folktale crowd pleaser that shouldn't be missed.

Sharon Arms Doucet brings three "trickster tales from the Louisiana bayou" to life in this marvelous collection of Cajun, Creole folklore. Meet Compere Bouki. "...He owned a farming field full of Delta soil so rich that if you planted a penny at sunrise, you could pick a dollar before sundown. But as for smarts, he must have been hiding behind the barn door when they were passed out." And meet his friend, prankster, Compere Lapin. "...He could find more ways to get out of work than there are fleas on a possum. But Lapin, him, he'd got an extra helping of smarts." Bring this dynamic duo together, and you have the makings of engaging and entertaining stories that are sure to tickle the funnybone as Lapin cleverly outwits Bouki over and over again with his tricks and pranks. Ms Doucet's witty text is sprinkled with French expressions and Bayou colloquialisms and phrases. Illustrator, Scott Cook's intricate and expressive artwork is filled with energy, humor, and lots of eye-catching detail. Together word and art paint a captivating portrait that just begs to be read aloud and shared. With a glossary of words and terms, at the beginning, to help get you started, Lapin Plays Possum is storytelling at its very best, and is sure to be a folktale crowd pleaser that shouldn't be missed.

Sharon Arms Doucet brings three "trickster tales from the Louisiana bayou" to life in this marvelous collection of Cajun, Creole folklore. Meet Compere Bouki. "...He owned a farming field full of Delta soil so rich that if you planted a penny at sunrise, you could pick a dollar before sundown. But as for smarts, he must have been hiding behind the barn door when they were passed out." And meet his friend, prankster, Compere Lapin. "...He could find more ways to get out of work than there are fleas on a possum. But Lapin, him, he'd got an extra helping of smarts." Bring this dynamic duo together, and you have the makings of engaging and entertaining stories that are sure to tickle the funnybone as Lapin cleverly outwits Bouki over and over again with his tricks and pranks. Ms Doucet's witty text is sprinkled with French expressions and Bayou colloquialisms and phrases. Illustrator, Scott Cook's intricate and expressive artwork is filled with energy, humor, and lots of eye-catching detail. Together word and art paint a captivating portrait that just begs to be read aloud and shared. With a glossary of words and terms, at the beginning, to help get you started, Lapin Plays Possum is storytelling at its very best, and is sure to be a folktale crowd pleaser that shouldn't be missed.

Sharon Arms Doucet brings three "trickster tales from the Louisiana bayou" to life in this marvelous collection of Cajun, Creole folklore. Meet Compere Bouki. "...He owned a farming field full of Delta soil so rich that if you planted a penny at sunrise, you could pick a dollar before sundown. But as for smarts, he must have been hiding behind the barn door when they were passed out." And meet his friend, prankster, Compere Lapin. "...He could find more ways to get out of work than there are fleas on a possum. But Lapin, him, he'd got an extra helping of smarts." Bring this dynamic duo together, and you have the makings of engaging and entertaining stories that are sure to tickle the funnybone as Lapin cleverly outwits Bouki over and over again with his tricks and pranks. Ms Doucet's witty text is sprinkled with French expressions and Bayou colloquialisms and phrases. Illustrator, Scott Cook's intricate and expressive artwork is filled with energy, humor, and lots of eye-catching detail. Together word and art paint a captivating portrait that just begs to be read aloud and shared. With a glossary of words and terms, at the beginning, to help get you started, Lapin Plays Possum is storytelling at its very best, and is sure to be a folktale crowd pleaser that shouldn't be missed.