Louisiana Books

I picked this book up thinking I would read far enough to be sure I didn't want to read it. :) Instead, I was riveted. Written in 1896 by a white man deeply committed to Abolition, it is the tale of Dan, a plantation slave who is treated far better than most slaves.

At age 7, Dan is given to the plantation owner's son as a gift, and the two boys carry on through life deeply committed to each other. The book is written in a surprisingly modern style, without the dense narrative so common at that time. Dan is in a hard position--he is allowed to study with his young master, and to better himself. He has a keen mind and is sharper than most of those who own and control him=--yet he remains a slave. At the same time, the field slaves bitterly resent his favored position, and they are eager to see, and even cause, his downfall.

As one reads, one guesses why Dan is so well treated by the plantation owner (not hard to guess, looking back from our era.) The book beautifully depicts the times and the stresses of the era felt by people who truly wanted to be honorable but who did, after all, live in their own time period with their own prejudices and blindnesses. One character in the book sees past the biases of the day and is surprisingly modern and compassionate in his outlook. Interesting--this character (Clem) must reflect the author's own enlightened viewpoint.

One small aspect of the book that interested me was the very high stress laid on oratory at that time. Dan's young master studies to be a lawyer, which, apparently, was largely a matter of being a great orator. That makes sense--after all that time was largely pre-media, and one speech (such as the Gettysburg Address) could have a vast influence before the days of media "spin." Where are the great orators today? :) It was fun to "discover" a new book over 100 years old. I usually read fiction then pitch the copy, but this book I will keep and reread. Plenty to think about here for Civil War buffs.

I'm a French major and read this book for a research paper. I liked it so much that I bought it. It's well written -- no pompous, stuffy academese here -- and highly interesting. Napoloen was able to put into effect the societal changes that turned France from a feudal to a modern society. This book tells this history by examining not only his military career, but also examines the Napoleonic Code of law, his administrative reforms, his fiscal reforms, his relationship with the church, and his effect on the French education system. Did you know it was Napoleon who instituted the "bac" in France? Or that 21 countries in the world, and the State of Louisiana, still use the Napoleonic code in some form? Fascinating man and fascinating period!

...you are doing ANY genealogy research on your family in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana who were Catholic. EVERYONE is there and EVERYTHING is there. Invaluable information and will save you LOADS of research time. Its value is guaranteed nothing less than that.

Following a series of recommended drives throughout the Middle South from west to east, this compact little book provides an excellent listing of sights (including brief descriptions) that a reasonably intelligent reader might enjoy. I read it with highlighter in hand, marking the sights that appealed to me, an approach I recommend to others.

Mr. White appears to be an active bird-watcher (he apparently has written other books on that subject). Readers who share that interest will find this book particularly interesting, since he highlights the best bird-watching spots along the Gulf Coast.

Nancy Camel's book is not another coffee table book with exquisite photographs; it is more - a book to fascinate all ages from elementary school students to senior citizens. The book catches swamp creatures in action, shows their personalities. It could easily be the basis for a science unit. Camel does indeed explore "the Wonder of Cypress Island Preserve" and takes me with her each time I open this magnificient book.

The reason Joy Hakim's "A History of US" series is so perfect for home schooling is that she actively engages her young readers in each volume. Usually in a history textbook like this the author is primarily concerned with presenting a lot of information in a captivating manner. There is some attention paid to the importance of people and events, but it is often left to the teacher in the classroom to make the connections and bring history alive for their students. However, Hakim takes a much more actively role in her textbooks. She is constantly asking her young readers to put themselves in the position of the people she is writing about and does an excellent job of anticipating questions that students would ask while reading about this particular events.

Volume 4 in this series deals with "The New Nation 1789-1850," which is the longest period of time covered in a single volume after the first two, which covered epochs from the first arrival of humans in North America to the entrenchment of the British in America. Hakim begins with the nation getting started with the inauguration of George Washington as the first President and ends with the Compromise of 1850, the watershed event that forestalled the coming of Civil War for another decade. However, the next volume in the series, "Liberty For All? 1820-1860" clearly overlaps with this one big time. This volume deals with the War of 1812 and the Seminole Wars while "Liberty For All?" covers the Mexican American War. The best way to describe the basic distinction between the two volumes is that this one looks at the country as a political experiment while the other deals with the expansion of the nation.

"The New Nation" is basically divided into four sections. The first (Chapters 1-9) deals with the Federalist administrations of George Washington and John Adams, including a look at the key principle of judicial review. The second (Chapters 10-20) deals with the nation from the presidency of Thomas Jefferson to that of Andrew Jackson, which involves both the Indian question and the War of 1812 (a.k.a. the Revolutionary War Part II). The third section (Chapters 21-26) contrasts American ingenuity with the treatment of the Indians. The final section (Chapters 27-36) addresses the slavery issue and the rise of the Abolitionists, ending with the great debate in which Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster gave their final great speeches (I have a background in rhetoric so this is one of my favorite parts of American history).

Hakim's focus is on how the principles of the revolution embodied in Constitution had to be enacted in practice. She underscores that at this point in American history the idea of "people," (as in "we the People") does not mean what it means today. If you are not an adult, white, free, male, property owners, then you are not really a citizen (and it is not until the Gettysburg Address that Lincoln makes the idea that "all men are created equal" part of the national consciousness). Anyhow, I agree with the impulse to have some overlap between the two volumes bridging the Revolution and the Civil War and to provide a clearer focus on the political and social elements by dealing with them this way.

If you plan to visit New Orleans (the Big Easy) be sure to consult your Fodor's Guide BEFORE you go. You'll know where to stay, where to eat, and how to enjoy your trip the best. Take the tours and visit the Jazz Clubs...and definitely eat the best food in the world.

Great book at fraction of original price. Really helped me out on my trip. Very informative.

This book is a great little book of images of a time long gone in New Orleans. I love this whole series.

In 1960, noted photographer William Claxton and German musicologist Joachim Berendt travelled the United States to document the American Art Form. The massive coffee table book "JazzLife" was published by Taschen and available in a regular edition which lists for $200 or a deluxe edition with prints and an audio CD for over $1000. It is a 700 page book and weighs over 17 pounds. Did I say coffee table book, the book itself might serve as a coffee table. Ok enough for the poor attempts at humor.

From "JazzLife," Taschen has published the portion devoted to the New Orleans, "New Orleans 1960," which is a more manageable 191 pages and has pertinent text portions to explain their trip across the United States and their experiences in the Crescent City and also Angola Penitentiary. It is dedicated to the many souls who lost their lives and the survivors who are rebuilding the city.

The selling point for this are the stunning photos of Claxton, who is probably best known for his iconic images of James Dean and Chet Baker. There are many striking images here, mostly of traditional jazz performers including the Eureka Brass Band, the Tuxedo Brass Band, the marvelous clarinet player George Lewis (and one of a marvelous one of Lewis' wife and Lewis 100 + year old mother), Nick LaRocca (who they recall was still claiming to have invented jazz), drummer Paul Barbarin, blues singer Lizzie Miles, trombonist Jim Robinson, Lewis Keppard and so many others. There are a couple images of a picnic in Slidell where Snooks Eaglin and band are seen playing on a truck bed, as well as a marvelous image of the Melvin Lastie Quintet (which included at the time drummer Charles ' Honeyboy' Otis), one of the few representations of modern jazz that they captured. A series of images here also follow a funeral to the cemetery and then back witnessing the second line exploding on the way back. The section on Angola includes marvelous images of Hoagman Maxey and Roosevelt Charles.

Text is presented in English, French and German and certainly helps the appreciation of the marvelous images. Certainly this will appeal to lovers of traditional jazz and the Cresent City.