Southeastern Louisiana University Books

My long-time readers are aware that I am drawn to essayists as unswervingly as I am drawn to essaying. In my online journal (The Soupletter, 1993-2003) I reviewed collections by Diane Ackerman, Annie Dillard, Stephen Jay Gould, Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Lamott, Kurt Vonnegut, E.B. White, Terry Tempest Williams and many others. Each and all are wonderful wordsmiths, and Crowther belongs right up there with the best of them. CATHEDRALS OF KUDZU is largely drawn from the author's regular contributions to The Oxford American a lofty journal, with a regretably small readership. Though Crowther's newspaper column runs regularly in the Independent of Raleigh, and irregularly elsewhere in the alernative press, he deserves a much wider audience. On the other hand, one cannot ignore the fact that writing at his level is aimed a little high for a general readership. Crowther draws on wide knowledge of literature and history, a marvelous vocabulary, a well-honed scepticism, and his enormous good nature, in delineating, skewering, praising and confessing to the sins and glories of his South. His discussion of race relations is the sanest I have seen in print, period. His consideration of the meaning of the Confederacy and its lingering traces is thought provoking and deep, as his consideration of bourbon and hurricanes, evangelists and trees. Well done, I say, well done. A book of southern grace and southern cussedness, showcasing a writer fully deserving of the H.L. Mencken Award he received in 1992, who is still at the top of his form.

A WONDERFUL read! Great for any Southern culture enthusiast! Good source for other Southern books as many references are made in the text. Excellent!!!

This book is really worth your time. Hal Crowther is funny and serious and highly original, even with the South's easy targets, like Elvis or the Southern Belle. Even when Hal Crowther is highly critical, he really gets at the essence of why regionalism is relevant, especially when he's writing about about literature and religion.

I was born, raised and educated through college in Alabama, and I was riveted by Hal Crowther's account of life and culture in the South. I couldn't put it down; my husband kept asking why I was laughing out loud. It covers the gamut of everything Southern--from race relations to dogs to barbeque to Elvis. Crowther is a sympathetic writer, but pulls no punches and is not (in my view) the least bit revisionist about the South's mottled history. You'll enjoy the book more if you've paid homage at the altar of Southern literature--Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Walker Percy. I would recommend it especially to any Southern ex-pats. Fire up your grill, make some iced tea (or pour yourself a bourbon if you're so inclined), put an Elvis CD on the stereo, and kick back.

This book was a fantastic beginning to research on a man largely ignored by American history. I hope this study sparks more work on White. He was a great man, flawed, but with superb strengths of character, facing the final consolidation of Jim Crow in the south, as a member of the demographic community the evil Jim Crow regime targeted. Thanks to the author for removing my ignorance on such a great American.

George Henry White represented North Carolina in Congress from 1897 until 1901. When he left, he became the last man of his race to be elected to Congress during the post-Reconstruction era, leaving a void which would not be filled for nearly 30 years (North Carolina didn't elect another African-American to Congress until 1992). White became, sadly, an historical footnote.

Benjamin Justesen has performed an intense labor of love in resurrecting White's story. Armed with prodigious amounts of careful research - reflected in the copious footnotes sprinkled throughout the text - and his own personal determination to bring this biography to public attention, Justesen has realized his dream of writing George Henry White's life story after becoming acquainted with his subject while working as a reporter in the 1970s.

He brings to life the issues and prejudices of the period, which only serve to magnify the high principles to which White held himself. Believing that education and one's own hard work got one where one wanted to go, White proved his beliefs in a time when Southern public sentiment was gradually moving into its shameful Jim Crow era.

A lawyer, politician, banker, real estate developer, family man and man of faith, George Henry White is a model for anyone today - black or white - who thinks, "I cannot." His life is an example to us all, and his biography a fascinating look at both a man and an era in Southern history.

I know the author of this book, and that is what first interested me in reading it. But I quickly learned there was more to George White than the novelty of being the only African American in Congress (1897-1901). He was a talented, accomplished man--ahead of his time in choosing to combine successful public and private careers with an unusual attention to the less fortunate of his own race. He faced a momentous decision at the turn of the century: accept the new segregation oin the United States, and the disfranchisement that came with it, or condemn both and fight them. he chose the latter, and effectively ended his own political career. But he remains a fascinating man, and one well worth reading about. I recommend you read this book!

At the outset: I'm the author, and of course, I'm partial to my own book. But I'm also immersed in the subject, having spent the last four years of my life bringing George White's story to readers. George White was a fascinating man, but one about whom little is known today: the first African American to serve in Congress in the 20th century (retiring in 1901) and the last of 22 to serve from the South after the Civil War until the 1970s. He was a stalwart Republican, and served alone in the Congress for four years. But he was more than a token--an accomplished teacher, lawyer, prosecutor, developer and banker. He deserves to be studied in depth; my attempt is the baseline, a painstakingly drawn outline, based on a careful study of limited evidence. Judge for yourself--and then place him in his rightful position in our history, as the intriguing, honest, flawed but eminently admirable individual he was. I recommend him--and this book--highly!

Beautiful photos, good text, but awkward size (doesn't fit on book shelf)

In my opinion this coffee table book is the one by which all others should be judged. Gleason is one fine professional photographer who needs to expand into yet more regions on this same subject of old plantation homes

This is book contains the best bird photographs I have seen. The photographer has some of the most unusual shots of birds. The pictures capture the birds in there normal activities. The text was well written especially keeping the order by seasons. Great job I hope to see more books by these authors.

A remarkable clear and concise description of Southern coastal birds by seasons of the year. This unique classification will allow even the novice to identify and enjoy migratory birds. Fontenot and Miller's work will enable the entire community of bird watchers to share appreciation of this National treasure. Two species that come to mind are the common blue bird and the rare sand hill crane which we enjoy in the Northern Summer.

The photography is a tour de Force in the Audubon tradition and the bird and habitat description could have only been done by a seasoned birder with years of on site experience. As a bonus Birds of the Gulf Coast is a coffee table quality book. epa

Poverty Point in Louisiana is the grand-daddy of all Indian mounds in the US. Built in the shape of a amphitheater on a low ridge overlooking the swamps of the Mississippi River, Poverty Point is 3,500 years old. Author Gibson, an archaelogist, gives us a vivid, speculative picture of the people who built Poverty Point

You can skip the first two chapters which cover the history of theories about Poverty Point. Chapter Three begins the description of the place. Gibson goes through chapters about who lived at Poverty Point, their economy, politics, religion, equipment, and how they built the massive earthworks -- which consist of six concentric half-moon rings spread over a square kilometer of ground -- an enormous undertaking. It wasn't the first mound built in the United States -- but it was far larger than any previous structures.

The Poverty Point people, in Gibson's view, were pre-agricultural hunters and gatherers which makes their achievement even more remarkable. They lacked stones, so rocks for spearheads and other tools were imported from hundreds of miles away. What did they exchange for the rocks? Gibson doesn't know. That's an unanswered question. What did they eat? Gibson says mainly fish from the lakes and bayous nearly surrounding the place. Was Poverty Point only a ceremonial site? If not how many people lived there? Gibson calls it a residential site but doesn't believe it was large enough to be called a city.

This book blends archaelogical findings with ethnology, common sense and, frankly, guesswork -- but guesses by an expert on the subject. As the oldest major Indian ruin in the United States, Poverty Point has a mystical significance similar in my mind to Stonehenge.

Smallchief

Hi, I have an old edition,published by the Ten Speed Press of Berkeley,CA of this book. I was curious to see if it was still in print and was happy to see that it has been re-published by UNC.
It is a great book about my favorite food additive,the one,the only,
McIlhenny Co. Tabasco Sauce. I don't know how I could eat food without Tab'! That plus even hotter sauces like Blair's Jersey Death Sauce and the other standby Tapatio.(Trappey's is also featured in this book.)
Yum!
The book also has lots of info about New Iberia and S. Louisiana/Acadiana and the Cajun culture that I never knew about.
Up here in the Pacific NW,about the only Cajun we get is Zydeco music and Cajun-styled food. I did not know hardly any of the history of Acadiana and it's people. After reading the book,Acadiana is on my list to visit.
Even though it has changed a lot from the good ol' days of genuine Cajun living. I hope there are still echoes of that detectable to a visitor.
Anyone who loves chilis and their history and Capsicum Frutescens (Tabasco pepper) in particular and want to learn about the Cajun way of life would be happy with this book.

If you think "Southern Living" is just your mother's favorite magazine, read this book by the couple of crazy guys who started it. Logue and McCalla's hilarious back-and-forth is just one of the many attractions of this terrific story. Their irreverence about one of the New South's beloved institutions is refreshing, and their insights into the magazine business are like a short course in publishing smarts. A great read!

William Kauffman Scarborough of the University of Southern Mississippi is a scholar of consumate skill. His research into the heart of the Southern Plantation Society provides the history student with a keen insight into what made the masters of Dixie tick. Drawing on a wealth of primary sources, Scarborough is able to paint the best picture to date of the power and influence the leaders of the Old South wielded over their region. Scarborough delves fearlessly into their lust for wealth, their roles in the secession crises, their relations with their slaves and one another, and their reaction to the South's defeat in the Civil War. The psychology of the South's cotton culture is explored in great detail as Scarborough peels back the layers of the onion and clears the fog that literature (Gone With the Wind, Absalom Absalom) has surounded the great planters with, giving the reader a truly human look at the Antebellum South's Premiere men. An excellent book for anyone interested in Southern History.

Robert Outland III tackles a subject that until now, had only been covered in "fits and starts." The gum naval stores industry of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal states spanned more than 200 years. Yet today, it is little known by those outside the now fading generation that witnessed its last years of backwoods prominence. Outland does an outstanding job of explaining production methods and uses of naval stores. Also, the many times wretched life of the turpentine worker is discussed at length. Often a stepchild in discussions of the South's great timber industry, naval stores finally get a fair, thorough treatment by a worthy historian.

Whenever I read historical books I like to research the author. Coincidently, I got an opporunity to hear Mr. Fuller talk, and I was quite disappointed. His persperctives are very biased and, though not a literary discredit, his personality is offensive due to his blatant arrogance! In fact, I would not be surprised if the "helpful" reviews were the author promoting what may be his only publication. It would not be so bad except for the fact that he seems to feel his opinion is the be-all and end-all, just because he holds a PhD. Well, DR. Fuller, so do many of us as well!

As a Southern Baptist minister, I have always struggled with the racist heritage and issue of slavery in my church's history. I was quite pleased when the church apologized for slavery about five years ago. A fellow pastor bought this biography of Basil Manly and recommended it to me. I enjoyed it very much because it went to the very heart of that critical period when the Southern Baptist Convention was created by men like Manly. When my friend told me that someone had (criticized) Dr. Fuller on Amazon.com, I rushed to join him in defending the author of this splendid book. It is not a book I would recommend to just anyone, but it is a very insightful biography that will be of use to many Southern Baptists as well as those who want to learn about the religious history of the South and the role the churches played in the Civil War. I learned so much about my own church's history from reading this book. And I was privileged to hear Dr. Fuller speak last year. He was very humble and gracious and, unlike many professors, he was able to connect to an audience of non-academics with a wonderful sense of humor and down-to-earth approach that won the hearts and minds of those listening to him. He was very balanced and fair in his assessments and I would encourage those reading this site to (...) buy this book. You'll find it well-written and useful. (...)

I usually don't write reviews of the books I read, but I thought I should come to Mr. Fuller's defense after seeing what a previous reviewer wrote. I, too, had the privilege of hearing the author speak, but my impression was that he was a very sincere and humble man who was genuinely interested in the study of history. He was humorous and self-deprecating, not arrogant. He was also very knowledgeable about the subject. This is a readable book by an academic. It is not a novel. It is not for everyone. I am a pastor of a church and I found this to be a sympathetic and balanced biography of a Baptist minister who has been neglected by historians. It was clear to me that Mr. Fuller did not agree with Manly on many issues--such as slavery--but he treated his subject with respect. And he treated Evangelical Christianity with respect, which is far too rare among academics. I think the other reviewer's personal attack is unfounded and should be ignored. Even if it is true, it says nothing about the quality of this book, which will be valuable for historians and for many others interested in the Civil War, the South, and the history of Baptists in America. And, from what I know, this is not Mr. Fuller's only publication and I'm looking forward to reading his future books as well as recommending this biography to my fellow pastors.

This is an excellent biography of a nearly forgotten Southern Baptist minister. Basil Manly did a lot to bring about the Civil War and I wonder if the result of the war had been different if we all wouldn't know his name? Fortunately, the Confederacy lost, but, unfortunately, we've forgotten Basil Manly and so many other important figures who helped create Southern culture and society. I first learned about this book when I heard the author speak at a conference. I was very impressed by Fuller's intelligence, humor, and humble attitude. He was very down-to-earth and I engaged him in a long conversation on not only the subject of his talk but this book and religion in the Old South. He was genuinely interested in the issues involved and, while obviously well-versed in the field, he respected my point of view. His talk, on an unrelated subject, showed him to be very balanced and open-minded. This biography is also well-balanced and open-minded, although it is clear that Fuller was a sympathetic biographer. That actually makes me respect him more, because it is often difficult to be sympathetic to someone with whom we disagree. Clearly, Fuller does not agree with Manly, but he gave him his due and placed him firmly in the context of the Old South instead of judging him from our present. This was a very readable book that answered some questions and raised more for further study and reading. I highly recommend it.

This is a good biography of an important Baptist preacher. Fuller does a fine job of presenting the story of a working minister. This book will be interesting to historians and ministers who want to study how religion interacted with culture and society. I thought the best parts of the book were those that showed how Basil Manly, a white slaveowner, dealt with slaves, both his own and those in his church. I also liked the way Fuller weaved the political and social tensions of the South into the biography. I was disappointed that there was not more coverage of the Civil War itself, but I liked the book and thought it was a good biography of an important preacher who helped bring about the Civil War.