Books that Highlight Origin and Structure in their Pages
Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine
“Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine” is written by one of the best culinary historians in the country, Dr. Jessica B. Harris. Harris spent decades researching the Americas, Africa and the Caribbean in order to tell the origin story of “American” food. She shifts from writing about the historical origins of food to sharing contemporary recipes she hears about from her friend. In “Braided Heritage,” she shares recipes from Louisiana classics like red beans and rice as well as more international fare like enchiladas suizas. 272 pages, $35
Metates and Other Poems
Catharine Savage Brosman’s “Metates and Other Poems” is deeply set in place, from the deserts out west to grounded in cities like New Orleans. A metate is a grinding stone that indigenous folks traditionally used to grind cacao beans. These poems are steeped in location, in history, the scenes grinding against each other. In the title poem, Brosman opens with “We arrive too soon; the small museum isn’t open yet. / Chairs and a swing invite us to the porch, / as a determined breeze, configuring the trees / in random motions, riffles through my hair / and lifts my collar.” Brosman has published numerous poetry books, and she is currently an emeritus professor at Tulane University. 52 pages, $18.95
Beautiful And Ugly Too
“Beautiful and Ugly Too” is a culmination of a life’s work for Chuck Perkins. An activist, a spoken word poet, a club owner and an essayist born and raised in New Orleans, Chuck Perkins’ “Beautiful and Ugly Too” is a culmination of a life lived engaged in New Orleans. “Beautiful and Ugly Too” has poetry that dives deep into mythology and free verse poetry but also essays that take the reader along for a day in the life of a New Orleanian in different stages in his life. Perkins is a rare writer that truly embraces his physicality and force in his writing. You can feel the football player in him. You can also hear the musicality, which was on display when he read his work at his book launch — when he read the essay about high school, the cheerleaders in the audience immediately broke out into the “cheer” written out in the essay. 180 pages, $19.95
American Populist: Huey Long of Louisiana
Much has been written about Huey Long, but Thomas E. Patterson’s newest biography, “American Populist: Huey Long of Louisiana,” is a definitive text about the infamous Louisiana governor. In a time of great class disparity and vitriol in American politics, this biography exploring the populism and progressiveness of Long shows him in a new light. An attorney and legal expert, Patterson connects the historical importance of Long with current events, including ICE raids, adding context from the present to shed light on the past and possibly, the future. 704 pages, $49.95
