Books make excellent gifts so visit these signings!

            You’ve heard the expression “the gift that gives on giving.” Nothing exemplifies this more than a book. Why not buy that special someone a book for the holidays – and have it personalized! Here are some author signings happening this Saturday and next week:   

            Terri Hoover Dunham will be signing her picture book, “The Legend of Papa Noel: A Cajun Christmas Story” on the following dates and times: From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 29, at The Quilt Corner in Central (Greenwell Springs); from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Pieces of Eight in Lafayette; and from noon to 2 p.m. then Saturday, Dec. 6, at Victoria's Toy Station on Government Street. in Baton Rouge.

            Lafayette author Cheré Coen will sign copies of her latest book, “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Wild Birds Unlimited in Lafayette.

            Authors Stacey Judice, Kathy Higginbotham and Donna Latiolais will discuss and sign their new book “Images of America: Carencro” from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 29, at North Regional Library in Carencro.

            Authors Kid Chef Eliana, Dianne de las Casas, Carolyn Shelton, Regina Charboneau, Poppy Tooker, Ann Benoit, Kit Wohl, Liz Williams, Addie and Jeremy Martin, Deborah Burst, Argyle Wolf-Knapp, Marvin Allen, Nancy Wilson, and more will be signing and giving book talks from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans. Free with museum admission and museum members get a 10 percent discount on purchases. From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. there will be snacks.

            Warren and Mary Perrin, editors of “Acadie Then and Now: A People’s History,” will speak about their new book at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, to Concerned Citizens for Good Government at Alesi’s Pizza House, 4110 Johnston St. in Lafayette. For information, call (337) 233-5832, or email perrin@plddo.com.

            New Orleans award-winning author, journalist, and lecturer George Gurtner will discuss his most recent book, “Cast of Characters,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Nix Library in New Orleans. The book is titled after Gurtner’s column that he wrote for New Orleans magazine for 35 years.

            Christmas at North Regional Library will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 6, in association with the Carencro Country Christmas celebration at the Carencro Community Center next door and the Children’s Christmas Parade. There will be a Jolly Holiday Magnet Craft for ages 5-12 and a holiday card swap for adults.

            Andi Eaton signs “New Orleans Style” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.

            Author’s Alley book sale and signings by area authors will be 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at South Regional Library in Lafayette.

            Addie K. Martin and Jeremy Martin sign copies of “Southeast Louisiana Food: A Seasoned Tradition” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the West Baton Rouge Museum Holiday Open House, 845 N Jefferson Ave. in Port Allen.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “ExploringCajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

UL-Lafayette to host Banned Book Read Out

            Banned Books Week begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday, bringing focus to the censorship of books throughout America. The event began in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. You might remember in the 1984 film, “Footloose,” a group of citizens burning books in front of the library.

            If you think things have cooled off, think again. Since 1982, more than 11,300 books have been challenged, according to the American Library Association, and 307 challenges happened in 2013. Some of the most challenged titles that year included “Captain Underpants,” “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morison and “The Hunger Games.”

            Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of American Publishers, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the National Association of College Stores, the National Coalition Against Censorship, the National Council of Teachers of English, PEN American Center and Project Censored.

            At 3 p.m. Wednesday, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Dupré Library will host its third annual Banned Book Read Out in celebration of Banned Books Week. Students, faculty and community members are invited to read a passage from one of their favorite banned or challenged books outside the Ernest Gaines Center on the third floor of the library. The event is free and open to the public.

 Acadie launch

            Warren A. Perrin and Mary Broussard are launching “Acadie Then and Now: A People’s History,” a collection of 65 articles by 55 authors that showcase Acadians from around the world, at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Vermilionville in Lafayette. The book focuses on the Acadian communities in the United States, France and Canada. All profits from the book will be donated to 22 Acadian museums located in three countries. The book was also co-directed by Phil Comeau, an award-winning filmmaker and author living in Montreal. Prior to his death, Cajun artist George Rodrigue gave permission to use his painting, “Spinning Cotton in Erath (1977),” for the book’s cover. Contributors to the book include Louisiana singer, songwriter, poet and activist Zachary Richard; Cajun folklorist, author and UL-Lafayette professor Dr. Barry Jean Ancelet; Acadian poet, playwright and professor Dr. Herménégilde Chiqsson; and activist and journalist Jean-Marie Nadeau, who catalyzed the inaugural Congrès mondial acadien.

AWP Award

            Acadiana Writing Project Teacher Consultant and Iberia Parish teacher Margaret Simon has been named the recipient of the National Council of Teachers of English’s 2014 Donald H. Graves award for excellence in teaching writing. Simon will receive the award at NCTE’s annual national meeting in November. 

Faulkner’s birthday

            William Faulkner’s birthday is Thursday, but it falls in the middle of the Jewish high holidays so the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society will celebrate the novelist’s birthday at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at 818 St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans. Also, because of the Saints game, the event will include a festive brunch instead of a summer supper, not to mention the fun starts after church services, since it’s a Sunday. Talk about being inclusive! Net proceeds from the event will go to support the non-profit Faulkner Society. For more information, visit http://www.wordsandmusic.org.

Book events

            Michael Marshall will discuss his book “Gallant Creoles: A History of the Donaldsonville Canonniers” at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Jeanerette Museum, 500 E. Main St. in Jeanerette. Composed of Creole and Cajun citizen-soldiers, the Donaldsonville Canonniers were originally organized as a militia company in 1837 and were one of the most active and highly regarded Louisiana units during the American Civil War. The event is more suitable for an adult audience.

For information, visit JeaneretteMuseum.com.

            A film series honoring Ernest Gaines will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the South Regional Library in Lafayette; this week “A Lesson Before Dying” will be shown. Visit ernestgaines.louisiana.edu or facebook.com/ErnestGainesCenter for more information.

            Michael Rubin will be speaking and signing “The Cottoncrest Curse” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Old Governor's Mansion, 502 North Blvd. in Baton Rouge. Light refreshments will be served at 6 p.m. at the event presented by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana. For more information, visit www.fhl.org.

            Delphine Hirasuna will sign “The Art of Gaman” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the World War II Museum in New Orleans. She will offer a presentation at 6 p.m. at the
Stage Door Canteen, following by the signing. During World War II, the 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast were ordered into barbed-wire enclosed internment camps, allowed to bring only what they could carry. “The Art of Gaman” relates how the internees practiced the discipline of gaman enduring the seemingly impossible with patience and dignity by creating objects of beauty and utility out of scrap and found materials. For information, call (504) 528-1944.

            The DwnTown Poetry Krewe will offer an open mic and variety show at 2 p.m. Saturday at 101 Jefferson St., Suite 100, in downtown Lafayette. Poets, musicians, and people of other talents are invited.

            Bad Art Fête, which celebrates the ugly side of art, is ongoing through September at the Lafayette Library. Original art may be submitted (one entry per person) through Oct. 10. Voters will determine the best during voting at ArtWalk from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 11.

            Dennis Ward will read excerpts from his debut novel, “Mademoiselle Gigi” and Bonnie Friedman will screen her documentary “Operation Sussex” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at NUNU Arts and Culture Collective in Arnaudville. For more information on Operation Sussex, visit alliance-productions.net.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.