ArtsMemphis
helps nonprofit organizations supporting the arts, environmental education and
conservation in Memphis. They created a publishing division to support this
work, producing two books on the unique culture and traditions of Mississippi
Flyway sportsmen — “First Shooting Light: A Photographic Journal Reveals the
Legacy and Lure of Hunting Clubs in the Mississippi Flyway” and “Wild
Abundance: Ritual, Revelry and Recipes from the South’s Finest Hunting Clubs,”
a coffee table cookbook featuring John Besh and Donald Link, among many other
chefs.
This
year Wild Abundance Publishing has released a gorgeous coffee table book sure
to be the favorite of every duck hunter, “A Million Wings: A Spirited Story of
the Sporting Life Along the Mississippi Flyway” by Susan Schadt,
with photographs by Lisa Buser and a foreword by United States Ryder Cup team
captain Davis Love III.
There
are 12 hunting clubs featured in the book, from Cuivre, Raccoon Ranch and
Dardenne in Missouri, Shelby Lake Farms in Kentucky, several within the Delta
of Mississippi and Arkansas and Avoca and Bayou Club in Louisiana. Each chapter
details each club, its history, members and special attributes, accented by
photos both inside and out of the lodges and of both hunters in action and
pristine nature. The most breathtaking are the ones of the quiet bayou, the
lonely leaf-strewn road and the colorful sunsets through the winter trees. And
of course there are the magnificent photos of the flocks of ducks descending
upon the Mississippi Flyway, hence the book’s name.
“A
Million Wings” provides a fascinating look into the camaraderie and traditions
of duck hunting existing within these historic clubs, from the chefs who
provide the meals to the dogs who accompany hunters in the field. Each provides
its own unique history, from Cuivre’s 1895 bottle of whiskey to Avoca’s origins
as an initiative for free women of color.
“A
Million Wings” and its sister books are available at fine bookstores and
online. For more information and to purchase books from Wild Abundance
Publishing, visit www.wildabundancepublishing.com.
New releases
Need
some ideas for Christmas gifts? Like I always say, books make the perfect gift
and they are usually inexpensive, provide entertainment and promote literacy
all at the same time! And sometimes they even support local writers.
Here
are a few suggestions:
New
Orleans plein air artist Phil Sandusky offers a dreamy collection of his work
in “New Orleans Impressionist Cityscapes,” published by Pelican Publishing. The
book contains 130 paintings of various post-Katrina sites throughout the city
created by the artist from 2006 to 2012, from the Zion Travelers Second Baptist
Church on Laurel Street to traditional homes of New Orleans neighborhoods and
French Quarter corners. Sandusky is also author of “New Orleans en Plein Air”
and “Painting Katrina.”
Was
it truly a miracle that delivered 3-year-old Eli Judice from a life-threatening
medical problem on Easter Sunday of 2011? His dad Chad Judice believes so, and he explains
why in a newly published book titled “Eli’s Reach: On the Value of Human Life
and the Power of Prayer.” The book is the sequel to “Waiting for Eli,”
published by Acadian House Publishing.
David
Wharton has been photographing the 12 states that define the American South
since 1983, with a focus on rural and small town culture. He’s collected 116
duotone photographs from 93 towns, combined with text, to examine small town Southern
culture in “Small Town South,” published by George T. Thompson Publishing. For
a sneak peak slide show that includes a photo from Opelousas, visit http://gftbooks.com/Slideshows/Wharton/whartonTitle.html.
For
the sports fan, “How the SEC Became Goliath” by Ray Glier might be just the
ticket. The league representing Southern football has been dominant in the past
few years, winning six straight national championships.
Margaret
Media is a local publisher of various titles, from books on Creoles to movies
set in New Orleans. You can purchase any of their books at Louisiana bookstores
and at www.margaretmedia.com. New
this year from the publisher are Catholic prayer cards. Dr. Sybil Kein, Creole
historian and author of “Gumbo People,” has translated Hail Mary, Our Father,
The 23rd Psalm and Angel Prayer (a bedtime prayer for children) into Louisiana
French Creole as it was spoken in homes and at church throughout the 19th
century and into the 1970s. A pronunciation guide is included.
Kittie
Howard of South Louisiana has published her second novella, “Rings of Trust,”
the latest book in the Remy’s Bayou Road series. Remy Broussard, first seen in
Howard’s novella, “Remy Broussard’s Christmas,” returns but not as the main
character this time, the author states. You can read more about the author and
her books at her blog, http://kittiehoward.blogspot.com/.
Mayan prophecy
Is
Dec. 21 really the end of the world? Dr. Mark Lentz of the UL-Lafayette
Department of History and Geography will explain the Mayan calendar with an
emphasis on the Dec. 21 prophecy at 6:30 p. m. Monday at North Regional Branch
Library in Carencro and at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17, at South Regional Branch
Library. Teens
will have an opportunity to create a mural depicting their vision of the Mayan prophecies for Dec. 21, with refreshments and supplies provided, at
noon Saturday at the South Regional Library. The film “2012” (PG-13) will also
be shown at 2 p.m. Saturday at South Regional.
Book events
Todd-Michael
St. Pierre will sign copies of “Taste of Treme: Creole, Cajun, and Soul Food
from New Orleans’ Famous Neighborhood of Jazz” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at
Barnes & Noble in Lafayette and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the
Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge, followed by a signing from 3 p.m.
to 6 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble in Metairie. He will also sign copies of
the cookbook and other books from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Serenity Home
& Gifts, 1660 Hwy. 59, Ste. 600, in Mandeville, and from 5 p.m. to 6:30
p.m. Sunday at the Friends of the Cabildo’s 1850 House Museum Store, 523 St.
Ann St. in New Orleans.
The UL Press Holiday Book Sale
will be from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Casa Azul Gifts, 232 Martin
Luther King Drive in Grand Coteau. There will be signed copies of books,
complimentary refreshments and gift wrapping and every title will be discounted
by at least 20 percent off of the regular retail price. All purchases come with
a complimentary tote bag as well.
John
Slaughter will sign “Grand Coteau” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Barnes
& Noble, 2590 CitiPlace Court in Baton Rouge.
The
winners of The Extra Mile’s annual talent show will perform at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday at Barnes & Noble Lafayette.
And
I (Cheré Coen) will be signing “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to
Acadiana” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Acadian Village.
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.
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