As
the Civil War concludes, two women — a mother and her daughter-in-law — living
in poverty near the Cameron coastline of Louisiana do anything possible to
survive, including murdering soldiers on both sides in order to trade their wares
for food. But when an old friend named Buford, a deserter of the Confederacy
arrives, a thorn is thrown into the mix. Lust brings the younger woman and
Buford together, much to the chagrin of the older woman.
This
unlikely threesome makes up the story of “Hagridden,” featuring the
fascinating new voice of Samuel Snoek-Brown. Buford is the best friend of the
older woman’s son and when he brings news of the son’s death, he also casts his
eyes upon the son’s widow. The younger woman finds solace in Buford’s bed but
the older woman will have none of it.
Meanwhile,
a battle-happy Confederate lieutenant is determined to bring Buford to justice,
despite the war’s ending. Embracing the lure of the wolf he performs battle
with an animalistic bent and chases Buford dressed in wolf clothing.
Throughout
the tale, the older woman insists the rougarou will hunt down those who lust,
trying to scare the younger woman into staying.
“What
we do we do to survive and they ain’t no sin in that,” the older woman tells her.
“But lust? Whoo girl, you got to look out for that they lust. Worst sin
they is. Sinners what lusted after the flesh in this world, they turn to
animals in the next. Crawl around on all fours rutting like dogs and the
brimstone burning off they knees, the skin of they palms. Some say the
rougarous is lusters coughed up from Hell to walk the earth.”
The
book mirrors war’s effects that turn humans into animals, either on the
battlefield and through starvation and want, and showcases what people will do in
order to survive.
“Samuel
Snoek-Brown writes the kind of prose I like best — muscular but spare, lovely
but harsh,” wrote Tom Franklin, New York Times bestselling author of “Crooked
Letter, Crooked Letter.” “This is a novel to read, a writer to watch. Highly,
highly recommended.”
Snoek-Brown
grew up in Texas and now lives in Portland, Ore., but visited relatives in
southwest Louisiana, according to his bio. This book resulted in his receiving
a 2013 Oregon Literary Fellowship.
Haiku as teacher
Vic
Hummert has spent his life as a chaplain, starting with Maryknoll, a Catholic
missionary society, and most recently as chaplain of the Lafayette Parish
Correctional Center. Throughout his lifetime he has advocated for peace and
environmental justice.
Hummert
is also a lover of haiku, a three-line form of poetry that originated in Japan
that honors the natural world. It’s the ideal form of expression for a man
concerned over the fate of the earth. In that vein, Hummert has published
numerous books of haiku, complemented by his political beliefs and photographs.
His
last book was “Earth is Our Teacher,” a softly spoken but powerful voice
against fossil fuels, which Hummert believes is adding to global warming. It’s
not the most popular stance for a state built on oil and gas, he explained.
“A
good friend recently told me, ‘Vic, you have enemies in this city,’” Hummert
related about living in Lafayette. “I responded, ‘The hatred is in their
hearts; I do not have one enemy in the world.’”
Hummert
has just published “Our Sacred Ocean,” combining scientific data with anecdotes
about how plastics are killing the oceans.
Hummert’s
books are available at Amazon.com. For more information, visit
www.vichummert.org.
Book events
Louisiana author and historian Carola Lillie Hartley has published two books on historic Opelousas, “Opelousas Firsts” and “Opelousas Tales.” Opelousas is the third oldest town in Louisiana and both books feature history and stories. Hartley is a Louisiana native and has worked in community and tourism development. She will be signing books from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at the book’s printer, Bodemuller’s, at 123 S. Main St. in downtown Opelousas. For more information, contact Bodemuller’s at 942-5712, 234-5002 or email
carolahartley@aol.com or visit the author’s website at
www.opelousastales.com.
Tim Federle will discuss and sign two cocktail books, “Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twists” and “Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist,” at 6 p.m. Saturday at Octavia Books in New Orleans.
What’s at the
Library?
The
New Year starts new programming at the Lafayette Public Library. Pick up a copy
of “Book Talk” at any library branch or visit LafayettePublicLibrary.org for
details.
Here
are two events to whet your appetite.
Local
health enthusiast Elle Veg with offer an introduction to vegetarian cooking,
eating and meal planning with “Eat Vegetarian with Elle Veg!” at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday at South Regional Library. Registration required.
For
those looking to read and talk about books, join the organizational meetings at
2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday for the North Regional Library Organizational Book
Club at the North Regional Library.
The
Lafayette Public Library System is teaming up with area public schools and
other local partners to encourage Lafayette to read and discuss the same book
in a program called Lafayette Reads Together.
The
inaugural program will focus on the New York Times bestseller “A Long Walk to
Water” by Linda Sue Park, a survivor’s tale inspired by the real story of one
of the Lost Boys of Sudan, who not only saved himself, but improved the quality
of life for many. Every public school seventh grader in Lafayette Parish will
read the book and discuss it in class. School curricula will also include
lessons surrounding the themes of the book, as well as the history and culture
of South Sudan.
