The University of Louisiana at
Lafayette Press has produced two new books, one a coffee table tome
highlighting the Main Street communities of Louisiana and the other a look at
lesser-known storms that recently devastated the southwest region of our state.
Anne
Butler of St. Francisville authored “Main Streets of Louisiana,” a guidebook to
the cities and towns that are part of the nationwide Main Street program, with
photos by Henry Cancienne of Lockport. (The two collaborated in 2010 on
“Louisiana Highway One,” another UL Press book.) Communities spotlighted in
this book cover the entire state, from Abbeville to Winnsboro and everything in
between, with histories of the towns, their entrance into the program and the
success they have received since with the resurrection of their downtowns.
The
book is illustrated with photographs by Times-Picayune photographers and the
foreword was written by James Carville.
Thibodeaux’s
book hits bookstores shelves June 5.
Accolades
The
UL Center for Louisiana Studies has been named this year’s recipient of the
Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ Chair Award for Institutional Support
for its contributions in research, publication, preservation and outreach
projects that have expanded both an academic and popular understanding of
Louisiana culture and history. Since its founding in 1973, the Center’s work has
included the Archives of Cajun and Creole Folklore and the University of
Louisiana at Lafayette Press, as well as collaborations with entities such as
the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail, the Atchafalaya Trace Commission, the Festivals
Acadiens et Creole and the Festival International de Louisiane through its
Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Among UL Press publications are the 2010
LEH Book of the Year, “Bienville’s Dilemma” by Richard Campanella and
this year’s LEH award winner, “Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans,”
by Freddi Williams Evans.
“Higher
Ground,” a novel by James Nolan, also published by the UL Press, has received
the 2012 Independent Publishers Book Award Gold Medal in Southern Fiction
(IPPY) as well as the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards winner in Regional
Fiction. It was also named a 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist in
the First Novel category.
April
Grey, head of cataloging at Dupré Library on the UL-Lafayette campus, is one of
two librarians being honored with the Annual Conference Professional
Development Attendance Award sponsored by the American Library Association
(ALA) New Members Round Table. Grey will receive a ticket to the International
Librarians Reception at ALA’s 2012 Annual Conference June 21-26 in Anaheim,
Calif.
Lesley
Crawford Costner’s children’s book, “Goodnight Acadiana,” was chosen to
represent the state of Louisiana at the 2012 National Book Festival in
Washington, D.C. The national event chooses a Louisiana book every year to
represent the state.
Book news
Carolyn
Keith is writing a book on Charlene Richard, known as the “Little Cajun Saint,”
and is looking for stories of healings or miracles through Richard’s
intercessions. If you would like to share your story with Keith, write to
Carolyn Keith, 1924 Charlene Hwy., Eunice, LA 70535, call (337) 684-6848
or (337) 305-0576 or email carolynthib@yahoo.com.
Book events
Wiley
Cash signs “A Land More Kind Than Home” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, at Barnes &
Noble, 5707 Johnston St. in Lafayette.
Casa
Azul Gifts in Grand Coteau will host a poetry reading by Jocelyn Young and
Zayne Turner from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 31, concluding with an open mic in
which writers and musicians are welcome to participate. Turner is the
author of “Memory of My Mouth,” a chapbook forthcoming from Dancing Girl Press
and the founding executive director of Forward Arts, Inc., a youth arts
non-profit based in Louisiana, which houses the WordPlay Teen Writing Project.
Young holds a degree in psychology from Southern University, is a member of the
Baton Rouge Poetry Alliance and competed nationally with the 2010 Baton Rouge
Slam Team.
The
Lafayette Parish Library Summer Reading Program kickoff celebration will be
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 1, at the South Regional Library in Lafayette. Al
Simmons’ one-man musical comedy show will headline a day of free performances,
crafts, Zoo Zoom, a fun jump and more. In addition, the Northside High Drill
Squad will perform their “Stepping” percussive dance routines comprised of
spoken words, footsteps and hand claps. For more information, call (337)
981-1028. Registration for the Summer Reading Program is from now until July 21
for ages birth to 8th grade.
The
South St. Landry Community Library began its Summer Reading Program yesterday
with registration and will offer programs throughout the summer until July 21.
For information, visit www.southstlandrylibrary.com.
James
W. Miller signs “Where the Water Kept Rising” from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 31,
at the Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans. Also at the store this week is
Amy Elizabeth Smith signing “All Roads Lead to Austen” at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 2.
Cheré Coen is the author
of “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of
“Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She
teaches writing at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at
chere@louisianabooknews.com.
