Literary Louisiana: Summer Study
Staying inside during the hottest months will be a lot more interesting with these selections
Dive In
Cocktail Dive Bar: Real Drinks, Fake History & Questionable Advice from
New Orleans’ Twelve Mile Limit
by T. Cole Newton
T. Cole Newton, owner of the classic New Orleans watering hole Twelve Mile Limit, presents this more-than-just-another-cocktail book. It has a guide to classic or soon-to-be classic cocktail creations and features cheeky essays, drink histories, an industry guide and more. Cole brings his years of experience, as well as his current endeavor, Twelve Mile Limit, to his roster of drinks and infusions, with recipes featuring detailed ingredient lists, tips and tricks for the mixologist or craft cocktail enthusiast. It’s the kind of colorful advice and lively stories you get when you belly up to the bar with your favorite neighborhood bartender. Running Press Adult, 256 pages, hardcover, $25.
Leap of Faith
Revival Season
by Monica West
Miriam Horton spent the first 15 years of her life on summer tours of the Deep South with her family, led by her evangelical father. She witnesses revival tents filled with believers looking for healing both of the body and mind. When a violent event shakes Miriam’s belief in her faith and her father, she returns confused and stunned. Adding to the confusion, Miriam is beginning to show signs of her own healing powers, a talent she had been taught to believe was only available in men. Miriam must decide her path, both as a church member and as a young woman, while navigating the delicate relationship with her father and her family. Simon & Schuster, 304 pages, hardcover, $26.
High Seas Adventure
Jean Laffite Revealed: Unraveling One of America’s Longest-Running Mysteries
by Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough
Hero or villain? “Jean Laffite Revealed” digs into the truth behind one of the most colorful characters in Louisiana history. From his time as a privateer and a smuggler to his historic participation in the Battle of New Orleans to his ultimate disappearance, the mother-daughter research team Oliphant and Yarbrough dig deep to discover the truth of the man behind the myths and legends. Dr. Oliphant is an associate profession of English at Pfeiffer University, and Yarbrough is a successful, published artist and photographer. ULL Press, 332 pages, paperback, $20.
Behind the Music
Chapel of Love: The Story of New Orleans Girl Group the Dixie Cups
by Rosa Hawkins and Steve Bergsman
With hits like “Chapel of Love” and the Carnival favorite “Iko Iko,” the Dixie Cups became American pop legends. But behind the music, the New Orleans girl group, made up of sisters Barbara Ann and Rosa Hawkins and their cousin Joan Marie Johnson, fought for equality both in their careers and across the segregated South. In “Chapel of Love,” Rosa Hawkins, along with music journalist Steve Bergsman, tells the inside story of how the three young women navigated abuse, exploitation and musical success. Press of Mississippi 192 pages, hardcover, $25.
Additional book reviews online at louisianalife.com
