My mother LilyB Staehling Moskal went to the Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now known as the University of
Louisiana at Lafayette, and for years mentioned a theatrical comedy she enjoyed
watching on campus based on a novel titled “The Great Big Doorstep.” What a
surprise to see LSU Press reprinting E.P. O’Donnell’s novel this year.
“The Great Big Doorstep,” published
in 1941, centers on the Crochets, a Cajun family who live in a ramshackle house
on the batture, that slice of land between levee and the Mississippi River. The
Crochets salvage a lovely cypress doorstep from the river and dream of one day
owning a stately plantation to match it. How these colorful characters work
toward this goal makes up the comedic story.
Southern author Eudora Welty praised
O’Donnell’s comic genius, citing his “supreme gift” for dialogue, while Bryan
Giemza’s introduction in the LSU reprint underscores the work’s place in the
tradition of comic Southern novels. Giemza is the author of “Irish
Catholic Writers” and the “Invention of the American South.”
The play adaptation by Frances
Goodrich and Albert Hackett was first staged on Broadway in 1942, starring
Dorothy Gish and Louis Calhern. It was performed at Southwestern Louisiana
Institute in 1949, directed by Phillip Walker, director of dramatics at the
university during that time.
O’Donnell died in 1943.
As we enjoy this classic novel’s
reprint, it might be time to also revisit staging the comedy.
New releases
Baton Rouge food writer Maggie Heyn
Richardson became entranced with the Bayou State’s culinary traditions when she
moved to Baton Rouge to attend graduate school in the 1990s. Since then she has
raised a family on South Louisiana cuisine and writes about a few of the
state’s most interesting traditions in “Hungry for Louisiana: An Omnivore’s
Journey,” published by LSU Press.
“Food occupies a significant part
of the collective consciousness of Louisianans as well as anyone like me who
has lived in the state long enough to absorb its compelling customs,” she
writes in the introduction.
The book contains wonderful essays
on curious Louisiana foodways such as Creole cream cheese, blood sausage and
one of my favorites, New Orleans Snoballs. She tackles our love affair with
crawfish and oysters, tamales from Zwolle and the historical backgrounds to
jambalaya and filé. Of course, there are recipes, for what would a Louisiana
book on food be without one?
Richardson has covered the food and
culture of Louisiana for national outlets as well as numerous regional
publications, and she is a contributor to the 2014 LSU Press book, “The
Louisiana Field Guide.” She lives with her husband and three children in Baton
Rouge.
Richardson will sign copies of “Hungry
for Louisiana: An Omnivore’s Journey” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Alexander’s
Highland Market in Baton Rouge.
Book events
Epiphany Day School and writing
instructors Stephanie Judice and Margaret Simon will be offering a writing camp
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 13-17 for students entering fourth through 12th
grades. For more information, call Simon at 380-4507/margaretsmn@gmail.com or
Judice at 201-6848/judice989@gmail.com.
On Tuesday, the Historic New
Orleans Collection is releasing its latest book, “Henry Howard: Louisiana’s
Architect” by New Orleans‒based architectural photographer Robert S. Brantley,
an illustrated work that explores the life and career of one of the most
prolific southern architects of the 19th century. THNOC will host a book launch
party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Collection, 533 Royal St. in New
Orleans. Brantley will provide a short presentation, followed by a book signing
and cocktail reception. This event is free and open to the public. The book
retails for $60 and is available at The Shop at The Collection, independent
bookstores, and national retailers. An exhibition on Howard’s years in New
Orleans is set to open this fall at THNOC.
The Acadiana Center for the Arts Community at the Center
will present Lyrically Inclined 2.0, featuring Acadiana’s musical, spoken word,
and literary talent from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, as part of June’s ArtWalk
in downtown Lafayette. The music and poetry performances of Lyrically Inclined
normally occur every third Tuesday at Black Café, but moves to ArtWalk for a
special event starring Angie Joelle, Knowledge, Bruised Lotus, James “Traverse”
Blanchard, Smoov Ras, Chelsea Ellison and S.W.A.U.V.E. The event is hosted by
Alex “PoeticSoul” Johnson.
Neal Bertrand will be signing
“Dad's War Photos: Adventures in the South Pacific” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday at the Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge. He will be giving
a presentation and displaying his father's World War II souvenirs.
The 2015 Berries, Bridges and Books
Writers Conference will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Woodland Park
Baptist Church, 1909 J. W. Davis Drive in Hammond. Speakers include Susan D.
Mustafa, co-author of “The Most Dangerous Animal of All: Searching for My
Father and Finding the Zodiac Killer” (with Gary L. Stewart); motivational
speaker, storyteller and author Gwen "Ms. Chocolate" Williams and
Wendy Duhe Woods, president of the Creative Minds Writers and other of several
children’s books, among many more. For more information, visit
http://www.creativemindswritersgroup.com/.
The South Regional Library will
host an “Author’s Alley” book sale and signing with local authors from 1 p.m.
to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 14.
