Louisiana Anthology Podcast

630. Part 1 of Thomas Patterson joining us to discuss his new book, American Populist: Huey Long of Louisiana. "Thomas E. Patterson’s monumental biography of Huey Long is a profound reevaluation of his life and legacy, recognizing him as an inspirational progressive thinker, populist hero, and radical influence on the New Deal. Long transformed the politics of Louisiana by standing for the interests of citizens whom state officials had historically ignored. He eased suffrage restrictions so that more people could vote, and voters endorsed his program of more robust government services and shifting the tax burden to those better able to pay. In the United States Senate,... he advocated loudly and ceaselessly for the redistribution of wealth, expanding public works, increasing the money supply, insuring bank deposits, paying old-age pensions and veterans’ benefits, delivering a minimum income for families, and funding college and vocational education. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, along with other politicians and pundits, dismissed Long’s proposals as nonsense put forth by a reckless demagogue in search of votes.... Despite several biographies, acclaimed novels, and historical studies in the years since Long’s death, his reputation today is mostly caricature: a spellbinding speaker, a dictator, a populist firebrand who was unprincipled and corrupt. Using previously untapped personal papers of Long and his son Russell, other primary sources, recent scholarship, and his experience as a lawyer, Patterson provides a necessary corrective as he analyzes the contours of Long’s career, deconstructs the elements of his success, undercuts several myths related to his time in office, and explains the circumstances that led to his ultimate downfall. The result is the most comprehensive, balanced, and analytical study of the Kingfish to date." Thomas Patterson founded the Patterson Law Firm in Chicago, which focuses on helping businesses manages crises. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in the Louisiana Anthology. Every Man a King is Huey Long's political autobiography. In it, he describes his youth in the politically progressive Winnfield, and his rise to power in politics. And his politics are more relevant today than ever. “God called, 'Come to my feast.' Then what happened? Rockefeller, Morgan, and their crowd stepped up and took enough for 120 million people and left only enough for 5 million of all the other 125 million to eat. And so many millions must go hungry and without these good things God gave us unless we call on them to put some of it back.”  This week in Louisiana history. June 15, 2015. Blaze Starr, dancer linked to Earl K. Long, dead at 83. This week in New Orleans history. Alfred Bonnabel, Jefferson Parish school director who served on the school board from 1872 through 1918, dedicated a two-room schoolhouse in Bucktown on June 14, 1908. This week in Louisiana. Check out the Andouille Trail. The River Parishes Find locations here.      The Andouille Trail is a unique culinary byway that will introduce you to our contribution to Louisiana cuisine. You'll find producers with wooden smokehouses, recipes that have been handed down for generations, and restaurants serving up andouille in traditional and inventive new ways. Download the info or check out the trail!     Andouille was born in the River Parishes as French and German culinary heritages combined. When you taste our andouille, you are tasting our culinary heritage. Be careful to not call it sausage — because of the coarseness of the ground pork, it's not considered sausage by locals, it's simply andouille. Special seasonings, the coarsesness of the grind, and the very wood added during smoking, make every producer's andouille product a unique culinary offering - you'll want to try them all! Postcards from Louisiana. Phillip Manuel sings with Michael Pellera Trio play at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

629. Chad Adams returns to the podcast to discuss his new novella, Rapacity. “A desolate young girl finds herself trapped in rising floodwaters after her little brother is tragically killed in a hit and run accident during a catastrophic hurricane. As she and her mother fight to overcome their grief and the wrath of the storm, her faceless assailant sits out of harm's way with callous disregard for their struggles.” “Born and raised in Southeast Louisiana, Chad Adams has a love for the outdoors that dates back to early childhood fishing trips with his dad along the state’s beautiful gulf coast. His articles about duck hunting can be found in Louisiana Sportsman” (Amazon). Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. June 7. 1892. Homer Plessy is arrested for taking a seat on a train that was marked "Whites Only." This week in New Orleans history. On Tuesday, June 7, 1983, the B-52's performed aboard the S.S. President steamboat river cruise. The show began at 9 p.m. for a $12.00 admission. This week in Louisiana. The Audubon Zoo 6500 Magazine St. New Orleans, LA 70118 Open Thursday – Monday 10AM – 5PM Last entry at 4:30PM Closed Tuesday & Wednesday (800) 774-7394 Website World-renowned Audubon Zoo is a 58-acre beautifully landscaped setting in historic Uptown New Orleans with award-winning natural habitat exhibits and a wide variety of more than 1,700 striking, rare and endangered animals representing more than 350 species of Africa, Central America, the Louisiana Swamp, and more. This AZA-accredited Top 10 zoo provides an unforgettable and authentic New Orleans experience. Cool Zoo with a lazy river, water soakers and slides is open seasonally. Postcards from Louisiana. Louisiana Book Festival Band. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

628. Anniversary episode.  It's the 13th anniversary for the Anthology, and the 12th for the Podcast. Ed Branley visits again to discuss our accomplishments and his over the past year. Here are some new additions to our Anthology over recent months: The Axman. Letter to the Times Picayune from a serial killer who was never caught. James Fenimore Cooper. The Prairie. A novel set in the Louisiana Purchase during the territorial days.Dabney. The Industrial Canal. Dorothy Day. Newspaper articles and The Eleventh Virgin. David Ervin. A Frozen Solution. He tells the story of how he created the drive-thru daiquiri stand in Lafayette.  Louise Hicks. “Women and the Code Napoléon.” Huey P. Long. Share Our Wealth pamphlet. H. P. Lovecraft. The Call of Cthulhu. A tale of chilling horror beginning in a Louisiana swamp. Keith Plessy et al. “Grant of Posthumous Clemency to Homer Plessy.”  Emma Southworth. India: The Pearl of Pearl River. A novel set in the antebellum South. Keep coming back for further updates! And thanks for your support. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. May 31, 1964. Last run of Canal Street Streetcar This week in New Orleans history. Tom Benson buys the Saints  May 31, 1985. This week in Louisiana. June 7, 2025 75th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival Railroad Park Ruston, LA 71270 (318) 255-2031 Website     Come discover the homegrown flavors, art, music, and culture of Ruston, LA at the 74th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival featuring 12+ hours of live music, a juried arts market, food vendors, kids’ activities, and more peachy fun in the heart of charming Downtown Ruston.     The Louisiana Peach Festival is a long-standing Ruston tradition dating back to 1951. The festival was created by area peach farmers as a way to promote their industry and the delicious peaches they produced throughout Louisiana and surrounding states. Over the years, the Peach Festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Lincoln Parish and pumped millions back into the local economy. The festival has seen many changes over its 70 years, but through it all, the event has continued to be a source of excitement and pride in the community. In 2021, the  Ruston Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau and Downtown Ruston took over coordination of the event with the goal of continuing the event's legacy as a celebration of Ruston's local talent and delicious peaches. Postcards from Louisiana. Phillip Manuel sings with Michael Pellera Trio play at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans  Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

627. We interview Kelly Jackson, founder of the Cane River Film Festival. Natchitoches has a long and intimate history with American cinema. The Cane River film festival represents the latest chapter in that history. We are as diverse as the community that we represent. Our mission is to showcase, nurture, and support the emerging creative student and independent filmmakers stories about and or filmed in Louisiana. We want to share their films with an audience, seek opportunities for distribution and celebrate their achievement in telling their story that they want to tell. The Cane River film festival is not just a film festival — it's an experience. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. May 24, 1963. Birthday of great Shreveport basket player Joe Dumars the Former NBA guard and 6-time All-Star who helped the Detroit Pistons win back-to-back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990. This week in New Orleans history. On May 24, 2013, City Putt, a 36-hole mini golf complex with two courses opened in City Park.  The Louisiana Course highlights cultural themes and cities from around the state. The New Orleans Course showcases streets and iconic themes from around the city, with signs detailing the city’s historic sites at each hole. This week in Louisiana. El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail TX, LA Trail sites are located across 2,580 miles and 5 states (in the U.S.) and thousands of miles in Mexico. The trail runs from the city of Lafayette to the town of Natchitoches. The trail travels west from there into Texas. It splits into two trails while in the state of Louisiana, and joins again at the border with Texas. Website The Trail is administered by the NPS office located at: National Trails Office Regions 6, 7, & 8 El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail 1100 Old Santa Fe Trail Santa Fe, NM 87505      During the Spanish colonial period in North America, numerous “royal roads” — or caminos reales — tied far-flung regions of the empire to Mexico City. One particular collection of indigenous trails and trade routes became known as El Camino Real de los Tejas, the primary overland route for the Spanish colonization of what is today Texas and northwestern Louisiana. The trail’s name is derived not only from its geographic extent but also from some of its original users. Spaniards referred to a prominent group of Caddo Indians as the Tejas, a word derived from the Caddo term for ‘friend’ or ‘ally.’ Thus, the Spanish province of Tejas, the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas, and the historic trail traversing them owe their name to the Caddo language. Postcards from Louisiana. Albany Navarre. Building Blocks for Financial Literacy (ages 6-18). Louisiana Book Festival. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

626. Part 2 of our interview with Gabrielle Perry. Gabrielle Angelique Perry, MPH, B.S. is a public health specialist. She's also the founder and executive director of The Thurman Perry Foundation, an award-winning Louisiana-based nonprofit operating nationally with a mission of aiding women and girls impacted by incarceration. Ms. Perry’s organization has awarded tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to currently incarcerated women, formerly incarcerated women, and the daughters of both demographics via her educational program, The Perry Second Chances Scholarship, which is reflective of her experiences as a woman impacted by incarceration who sought to achieve her own education. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. May 17, 1954. Brown v Board of Education, called 'Black Monday' by supporters of segregation. The Supreme Court decision forcing La. to desegregate schools. This week in New Orleans history. On May 17, 1946, the Southern Baptist Convention revised the institutes' charter to enable it to become a seminary, and the name was changed to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Missions and evangelism have remained the core focus of the seminary.  The Seminary started as the Baptist Bible Institute and relocated to a more spaciouse campus during the 1950s to the current location in Gentilly after purchasing a 75-acre pecan orchard and transformed it into what is now a bustling campus over 100 buildings, including academic buildings, faculty and staff housing, and student housing. 306 Beach Ln, Cypremort Point, LA 70538 This week in Louisiana. Cypremort Point State Park 306 Beach Lane Cypremort Point, LA 70538 337-867-4510 1-888-867-4510 cypremort@crt.la.gov Website Site is open daily 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Admission/Entrance Fees $3 per person Free for seniors (62 & older) Free for children (3 & under)     Between Grand Isle and Cameron, Cypremort Point is one of the very few locations near the Gulf of Mexico that can be reached by car. A half-mile stretch of a man-made beach provides a delightful area for relaxing, picnicking and enjoying the water. It also affords an opportunity for fishing, crabbing, water skiing, windsurfing and, of course, sailing.     A boat launch just outside the park's entrance is only a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and fishermen can venture out to fish in the Gulf or Vermilion Bay. Catches of flounder and redfish are not uncommon in the area. For those interested in fishing from the shore, a 100-foot fishing area is located on both the north and south side of the park. The area includes a fish-cleaning station, kayak launch, built-in rod holders and lighting.  Cabin guests also have access to adjacent boat docks and a fish cleaning station.     In addition to excellent sailing and swimming facilities, the 185-acre park also holds a special attraction for nature enthusiasts. Located in the heart of a Louisiana marsh, a boardwalk with outdoor classroom allowing visitors to get an up close view of the abundant wildlife. The quiet observer may happen upon nutria, muskrat, alligator or a number of bird species native to the state. Deer, black bear, rabbits, opossum and red fox also make their home in this area, so stay aware of your surroundings and you may discover more of the natural charm of Cypremort Point. Postcards from Louisiana. Phillip Manuel sings with Michael Pellera Trio play at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans  Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

625. Part 1 of our interview with Gabrielle Perry. Gabrielle Angelique Perry, MPH, B.S., is a public health specialist. She's also the founder and executive director of The Thurman Perry Foundation, an award-winning Louisiana-based nonprofit operating nationally with a mission of aiding women and girls impacted by incarceration. Ms. Perry’s organization has awarded tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to currently incarcerated women, formerly incarcerated women, and the daughters of both demographics via her educational program. The Perry Second Chances Scholarship, which is reflective of her experiences as a woman impacted by incarceration who sought to achieve her own education.  Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. May 10, 1781. Formal surrender of Pensacola to Galvez. This week in New Orleans history. The original Causeway was a two-lane span (now the southbound span), measuring 23.86 miles in length which opened in 1956 at a cost of $30.7 million. A parallel two-lane span, 1/100th of a mile longer than the original, opened on May 10, 1969 at a cost of $26 million. Each span was the longest over-water bridge in the world when completed. This week in Louisiana. Washington Parish Balloon Festival May 30, 2025 - June 01, 2025 100 Main Street Franklinton LA 70438 wpballoonfest@gmail.com Website Join us for a weekend of fun! Hot Air Balloon Glows, tethered rides, flights. Live Music Carnival Food Vendors Craft Vendors Rodeo Postcards from Louisiana. Roz's band plays at Bamboula. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

624.  Part 2 of Ed Branley's return to the porch to talk about the 200th anniversary of  the Marquis de Lafayette's visit to America in 1825. Fifty years after the Revolutionary War, Lafayette returned for a triumphant tour of the United States. Nowhere was he more welcome than in his visit to Louisiana. Ed is a volunteer docent at the Cabildo Museum in Jackson Square, and the Museum has a fantastic eshibit commemorating the occasion.      "Bienvenue Lafayette. Thu, April 10, 2025 - Sun, January 18, 2026. Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Visit to Louisiana. Lafayette's tour was marked by public celebrations, music, and the creation of commemorative items, making him a precursor to modern celebrity. One notable stop was his five-day visit to New Orleans in April 1825, where city officials spared no expense, spending the equivalent of $450,000 to transform the Cabildo into lavish accommodations for Lafayette, symbolizing the city's growing significance in the United States.     "To commemorate the bicentennial of Lafayette's tour, the Louisiana State Museum presents Bienvenue Lafayette from April 10, 2025, to January 18, 2026, opening on the exact 200th anniversary of his arrival in New Orleans. The exhibition features artifacts, documents, and works of art from local and national collections, and offers visitors insight into Lafayette's legacy as a champion of liberty, democracy, and the abolition of slavery. This exhibition deepens the public's understanding of Lafayette's impact on both the United States and France and highlights New Orleans' role in the broader historical narrative" (Cabildo). Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. May 3, 1699. After exploring Miss. River, Iberville returns to France This week in New Orleans history. May 3, 1978 had been designated as "Sun Day" — a day set aside, in the United States, to bring attention to the potential uses and advantages of solar energy.  In New Orleans, ten and on-half inches of rain fell on the metropolitan area; eight and two-tenths inches fell between 7:45 and noon, which was double the amount which could be pumped from the streets.   Much of the city and metro-area experienced two to five feet of standing water my mid-afternoon. Property damage was extensive. This week in Louisiana. Cruisin Cajun Country May 15-17, 2025 400 Spanish Towne Blvd. New Iberia LA 70560 (337) 277-7221 Classic and muscle cars cruise into the HOT side of Louisiana's Cajun Country to experience the areas hottest attractions, award winning Main Street historic district, food, live music, gaming and burn out contest. Postcards from Louisiana. Phillip Manuel sings with Michael Pellera Trio play at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

623. Part 1 of Ed Branley's return to the porch to talk about the 200th anniversary of  the Marquis de Lafayette's visit to America in 1825. Fifty years after the Revolutionary War, Lafayette returned for a triumphant tour of the United States. Nowhere was he more welcome than in his visit to Louisiana. Ed is a volunteer docent at the Cabildo Museum in Jackson Square, and the Museum has a fantastic eshibit commemorating the occasion.      "Bienvenue Lafayette. Thu, April 10, 2025 - Sun, January 18, 2026. Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Visit to Louisiana. Lafayette's tour was marked by public celebrations, music, and the creation of commemorative items, making him a precursor to modern celebrity. One notable stop was his five-day visit to New Orleans in April 1825, where city officials spared no expense, spending the equivalent of $450,000 to transform the Cabildo into lavish accommodations for Lafayette, symbolizing the city's growing significance in the United States.    "To commemorate the bicentennial of Lafayette's tour, the Louisiana State Museum presents Bienvenue Lafayette from April 10, 2025, to January 18, 2026, opening on the exact 200th anniversary of his arrival in New Orleans. The exhibition features artifacts, documents, and works of art from local and national collections, and offers visitors insight into Lafayette's legacy as a champion of liberty, democracy, and the abolition of slavery. This exhibition deepens the public's understanding of Lafayette's impact on both the United States and France and highlights New Orleans' role in the broader historical narrative" (Cabildo). Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. April 26, 1777. Galvez siezes 11 richly laden English ships on the Mississippi River. This week in New Orleans history. U. S. Naval Air Station Dedicated April 26, 1958. World War I flying ace Alvin Andrew Callender was born in New Orleans on the 4th of July, 1893, graduated from Tulane with a degree in architecture. He was deployed to France and assigned to 32 Squadron, equipped with SE-5As. Shortly after his second victory he was shot down by an enemy fighter on 10 June, but survived unhurt. He was shot down again and died near Ghislain, France, on October 30, 1918, of his injuries. He was awarded with eight aerial victories, his last being achieved on 24 September 1918. After the World War II era Naval Air Station on the Lakefront (now the University of New Orleans campus) closed in 1957, the United States Naval Air Station in Belle Chasse, which includes the original Alvin Callender Field, was dedicated on April 26, 1958. This week in Louisiana. Morehouse May Madness Street Festival May 3, 2025 100 E. Madison Ave. Bastrop, LA 71221 (318) 282-2985 morehousemaymadness@yahoo.com Website Morehouse May Madness is a street festival celebrating Morehouse Parish with the focus being on historic downtown Bastrop, LA. The festival features an art exhibit, a motorcycle exhibit, a classic car exhibit, awesome music, a kid zone, farmers market activities, music, and juried merchant and food vendors. All of these activities are located in downtown Bastrop with no gate fee. The Art Exhibit is filled with quilts, pottery, and paintings. All types of motorcycles will be exhibited. The popular Classic Car Exhibit is for cars that are 1995 or older. At the Farmers Market there will be music and fresh produce. Three inflatables, a Bastrop Fire Truck, the Bastrop Police Dept., and games will be included in the Kids Zone. MMM will have two stages. Food vendors will offer a wide range of food.   Postcards from Louisiana. Rev. Paris Poole talks about his book, Understanding the Book of Revelation at the Louisiana Book Festival. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

622. Part 2 of our conversation with Elisa Speranza about her novel, The Italian Prisoner. "1943. New Orleans. Rose Marino lives with her Sicilian immigrant parents and helps in the family grocery store. Her older brother and sister both joined the Army, and Rose prays for their safety as World War II rages overseas.When the parish priest organizes a goodwill mission to visit Italian prisoners of war at a nearby military base, Rose and her vivacious best friend, Marie, join the group. There, Rose falls for Sal, a handsome and intelligent POW. Italy has switched sides in the war, so the POWs are allowed out to socialize, giving Rose and Sal a chance to grow closer.      "Elisa M. Speranza is the granddaughter of Irish and Italian immigrants, raised Catholic, and educated by nuns. She's been a writer and book nerd all her life. Her first paid job was in the children's room of her town's public library, and she was a journalist early in her career before spending thirty-plus years in the water and critical infrastructure business. The Italian Prisoner is her first novel. A native Bostonian and die-hard member of Red Sox Nation, Ms. Speranza moved to New Orleans in 2002. She is committed to celebrating and honoring the city's fragile and fascinating culture, environment, and history. She lives with Jon Kardon in New Orleans and Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Learn more at www.elisamariesperanza.com." Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. April 19, 1682. La Salle took formal possession of the Louisiana Territory for France This week in New Orleans history. On April 19, 1966, the Algiers Regional Branch library opened.  It was was the first of three regional branches built during the 1960s and 1970s. This week in Louisiana. La Fête du Monde Lockport Food Festival Apr 25-27, 2025 4484 Highway 1 Raceland, LA 70301 (985) 532-6640 Website This three day festival is known as the swamp pop extravaganza of Louisiana's Cajun Bayou. Located at the pavilion and green space behind Louisiana's Cajun Bayou Visitor Center, it features live music, dancing, delicious Cajun food, games and carnival rides for all ages! Postcards from Louisiana. Roz's band plays at Bamboula. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

621. Part 1 of our interview with Elisa M. Speranza, author of The Italian Prisoner. "1943. New Orleans. Rose Marino lives with her Sicilian immigrant parents and helps in the family grocery store. Her older brother and sister both joined the Army, and Rose prays for their safety as World War II rages overseas.When the parish priest organizes a goodwill mission to visit Italian prisoners of war at a nearby military base, Rose and her vivacious best friend, Marie, join the group. There, Rose falls for Sal, a handsome and intelligent POW. Italy has switched sides in the war, so the POWs are allowed out to socialize, giving Rose and Sal a chance to grow closer.      "Elisa M. Speranza is the granddaughter of Irish and Italian immigrants, raised Catholic, and educated by nuns. She's been a writer and book nerd all her life. Her first paid job was in the children's room of her town's public library, and she was a journalist early in her career before spending thirty-plus years in the water and critical infrastructure business. The Italian Prisoner is her first novel. A native Bostonian and die-hard member of Red Sox Nation, Ms. Speranza moved to New Orleans in 2002. She is committed to celebrating and honoring the city's fragile and fascinating culture, environment, and history. She lives with Jon Kardon in New Orleans and Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Learn more at www.elisamariesperanza.com." (Google Books) Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 221 years. Order your copy today! This week in Louisiana history. April 12, 1861. Louisiana Gen. PGT Beauregard ordered first shots on Ft. Sumter to begin Civil War. This week in New Orleans history. Major League Baseball pitcher Edward Francis Lafitte was born at 319 Bourbon Street on April 7, 1886. This week in Louisiana. Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) April 13-16 2025 7913 Champa Ave. Broussard LA 70518 (337) 378-9469 louisianalaonewyear@gmail.com Website Lanexang Village celebrates the Lao New Year every Easter weekend with a three-day festival that includes live music, a beauty pageant, parades, sand castle building, kids activities, and several vendors selling clothes, jewelry, music and food from Southeast Asia. $50 VIP all-access passes are available and includes reserved parking, food, a free guided tour, access to VIP parade lounge and to the Tea-time performance banquet. Postcards from Louisiana. Phillip Manuel sings with Michael Pellera Trio play at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook.