I collect cookbooks. Many of them sit on the shelf, and are used very rarely. However, this cookbook is in a very small minority of books that get used over and over again. I just bought my second copy, as the sprial binding finally gave out on my first copy. The only other cookbooks that I use as often as this one are Joy of Cooking and Fannie Farmer.

I've had my Joy of Cooking since 1962 and it's well-used. I've been given Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, Southern Living Cookbook, many others over the years and they're all good sources. But my copy of Cotton Country Collection purchased about 1980 has been my all-purpose standby ever since. It fell completely apart four years ago and I still kept it in a plastic shoe box so I could refer to it often. Now the pages are dogeared and ruffled and stained so I plan to purchase a new copy and give the old one a well-deserved rest. It is my one indespensable kitchen secret. I can't praise this cookbook enough.

I was first given a copy of "Cotton Country" when we moved to Monroe in 1977 from Chicago. Many recipes were new to us but I was excited about becoming a true 'southerner'. I have since tried many of the recipes and have enjoyed cooking as well as eating them. My cookbook has only a few of the original spirals left due to much useage. It is my favorite cookbook even though I have added many more books to my collection. We have moved several times since living in La., but I continue to reach for the 'Cotton Country Collection" and now that our daughter recently married, she received a copy. Best of the best!

This is a fascinating story actually written by an Alzheimer's patient in the early stages of the disease. Larry was diagnosed at age 54. This came after his getting lost on a trip, driving more than a hundred miles out of the way of the route to his destination before realizing it. Larry tries to see the good in this, writing that he has "more compassion for people, birds, deer, and the like" and he says "If when you read this book you feel a certain sadness...let yourself be sad, but not for me...I have had a good and prosperous life...Most of all, I have had the love of some beautiful people...and I have loved them, too."

I picked up Larry's Book, "Show me the way to go home", quite by chanceat a local book store. I was interested in Alzheimer's disease because my mother died from it a few years ago. I could not put the book down until I had read the last page. I read it again the next day and then again and again. Then I sat down and cried for a week. I found that I had fallen in Love with this handsome, dashing, man. If you have a friend or relative that is afflicted with this disease, you must read Larry's Book. He has achieved the impossible. He has given us an insight into the mind of person afflicted with this terrible disease. After reading his book and looking at his picture on the back cover, I feel that I know him well enough to call him Larry. Thank You, Larry, for your book and God Bless!Kathleen

My mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease at fifty years. I found Larry Rose's account of what was happening to be a wonderful way to relate to her in a way that she was unable to describe to me. This book will be a "hard to put down" account of daily life for those facing similar experiences along the way through this dibilitating illness that robs so much. Larry finds a positive light to shine on purpose in life and to keep on living. He is truly a courageous story that should not be missed. A big five star read with a human approach.

My girlfriend gave me this book when we started dating. It was the first cookbook I ever owned, I had no idea what a gem it was. Since then my mother gave me all her Cajun-Creole books (about 25 in all), books signed by Emeril and Paul Prudhomme, none compare, this is without a doubt my favorite.

Everyone lays claim to 'authentic' Cajun-Creole recipes, recipes need to have this ingredient or that or else they're not Cajun-Creole. If there were such a standard (there isn't), then this book would have to serve as the measure.

My wife often suggests that giving me this book helped convince me to marry her ;-)

This is a wonderful book, filled with tasty, authentic recipes and history. The New Orleans French Loaves are the easiest, tastiest bread I've ever made. This book is a treasure.

No other Cajun recipe book compares to this one. I wanted Grandma's recipes, and now I have 'em! The Jambalaya and Fricassee recipe's are famous at my house.

I love New Orleans and everything about it! My husband and I go there regularly, so when we bought a new house in December, I wanted to really decorate the interior of some of the rooms "New Orleans Style". When searching on Amazon, I found this book with pictures of some homes in NOLA interiors. I found this book to be very helpful as far as decorating and choosing Nawlins' colors for my house. Not to mention the fact that it gives me a "quick fix" for New Orleans when I can't be there in person!

One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist earth-scented New Orleans.

This book has great interior pictures of some glorious New Orleans homes. Unfortunately when I've been there, I didn't have the opportunity to go inside to see the many interior styles. This book gives me the opportunity to see the beauty inside, that I've only been able to view from outside. Great book for those of us who love and appreciate the city!

This is the first Gwen Bristow novel I've ever read. Her historical fiction is wonderful. This is the first of her plantation trilogy, set in what becomes Louisiana, prior to the American Revolution. It follows the Larne and Sheramy families, telling how they carved their empires out of the forests. It's a great love story, a great historical novel, and my favorite of the trilogy.

this book was great! anything of Gwen Bristows is just absolutely heart felt! read Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow. it is a great book taking place during the civil war. i just loved this book. anyone that has a love for the old romantic south will fall in love w/ this triloligy. crystal

Deep Summer is only the first of 3 books to complete the Plantation Trilogy. The book starts out with a family of 4 heading down from New England in the mid 1700's to start a new life in the Deep South. You will follow this family and many other families all the way to the early 1900's. It is amazing to read and imagine how these people felt during all the ups and downs the Plantation life has to offer them, good and bad!! I reccommend this book to everyone who is at all interested in history or just a good ole love story.

"The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town" combines text by Cyril E. Vetter with photographs by Philip Gould. Together, they celebrate the classic houses designed by Town. The book is full of superb photos of both interiors and exteriors. The book ends with a short essay by Andres Duany, in which he declares, "The long, long career of A. Hays Town is like a bridge that brings forth the traditional architecture of Louisiana to the present generation of builders."

Many picturesque elements recur throughout the book: classical statuary, brick floors, exteriors with a look of natural weathering, 2-level exterior galleries, etc. Some particularly memorable images include the following: Hamilton House's interior courtyard overlooked by a second floor balcony; Westerman House's charming lily pond, made from an old sugar kettle; the rustic wood posts on the porch of the Bonnecaze House; the elegant white pillars of the Godchaux House; and more.

My only disappointment is that floor plans for the homes are not included; they would have, in my opinion, given readers a better sense of these houses. Still, if you love great American architecture, I recommend this book.

Town, a South Louisiana native and student of the South, offers a subtle salute to the region's heritage in the 25 homes featured in "The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town." Photographs by Philip Gould capture the subtle design and recurring patterns in Hays' design. The text by Cyril E. Vetter and a tribute by Andres Duany is reverential...It is tempting to pause over Gould's photographs of Town's work, treat them like Ken Burns treats Civil War photographs and follow the lines. An alley of crepe myrtles frames the brick archway entrance to a richly detailed courtyard...A weathered fence serves as foreground detail for a shot of a deep, brick-floored porch...These are elements of Town's style. His residences wear it well.

Brick Floors and Cypress Beams in Louisiana

Today, real architects don't do charm, but long before it fell out of style, A. Hays Town, born in 1903, was building Acadian cottages, Creole villas and Spanish courtyards in his native Louisiana. After retiring from his commercial practice in the 1960's, he designed even more of these houses, which are beloved by Southerners. Now everyone can visit 25 of the 500 he built in "The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town" (Louisiana State University Press; $39.95). The sparse text is by Cyril E. Vetter, and the 200 photographs by Philip Gould prove that good proportion and materials work. White-painted brick walls with red brick floors under high ceilings with cypress beams work even better. This is true regional architecture, handsome and useful.

It's 1814, and America is at war with Britain. Elizabet Holder's father, a ship owner and captain, has been captured by the British. Now, she must go from Boston to New Orleans to live with her aunt and uncle. But, when she arrives, she finds that her uncle has died, leaving stories of a secret map hidden in the house. On top of that, her aunt is away caring for a sick relative and she is expected to work in her aunt's bakery to earn her keep. Before this tale is over, Elizabet is threatened by a mysterious stranger and meets the famous pirate, Jean Lafitte.

This is the first book in the History Mystery series from American Girl. My daughter and I read it together and I know she enjoyed it because she never wanted to stop no matter how late the hour. Don't get me wrong, these stories aren't in the same league with Harry Potter. Someone has described them as "thinly plotted". From an adult perspective, this may be true, but they're not written for adults. For most kids in the 9 to 12 age group, they're just fine. In addition, the young heroines of these stories are great examples for young female readers, and the historical settings and themes provide a learning experience, as well.

All in all, these are good books for kids. This is our second one (although it's actually the first in the series) and my daughter has very much liked both. I highly recommend this book to young readers and their parents. Though, as I wrote above, these books aren't the equal of Harry Potter, but this one is one of the best in this series. Rated at 4+ stars.

In 1814, after her father is captured by the British, eleven-year-old Elisabet Holder must leave Boston to live with her aunt and uncle in New Orleans. When she arrives, she learns her uncle is dead, her aunt has gone to Baton Rogue, and she is expected to work in her aunt's bakery like a servant. When Elisabet learns of a treasure her uncle hid before he died, she decides to search for it so she can ransom her father. But that's only the beginning of the story. THE SMUGGLER'S TREASURE is an exciting combination of mystery, adventure, and history. I immensely enjoyed it and look forward to future books in the HISTORY MYSTERIES series.

At first I was a little skeptic about this book; I thought it was slow in the beginning. But as soon as I got farther and farther into it, I realized it was really cool. It's informative and suspenseful. It's also unique... you barely read books where the main character works in a bakery!

Elisabet Holder's father is kidnapped by the British in the war of 1812. Because she has no other family members, she has to move to New Orleans and live with her Aunt and Uncle. When she arrives, she finds mystery... there's talk of pirates, smugglers, and treasure. If she finds it she could buy her father's freedom... will she find it before anyone else does? Will she be hurt or even killed in the process?

The Smuggler's Treasure is like a great invitation to the History Mysteries... after you read this you're compelled to read the others! I plan to collect the whole series (there are six more I need). The main characters of the stories are so clever and brave, you can really look up to them. It is nice that the authors make the girls seem realistic (with strengths and weaknesses) and not stuffy and perfect. Read them!

How does it feel to be the first to lead the way to new beginnings in history?

6-year-old Ruby Bridges was the first black child to enroll in a white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana. On November 14, 1960 Ruby walked into the school with her mother and four U.S. Marshals. The other families pulled their white children out of the school. So Ruby was left alone with her teacher, Mrs. Henry, inside their big classroom. This was the beginning of school integration.

How must this little first grader feel with so many adults yelling horrible things at her? One woman even threatened to poison her. People held a small coffin with a black doll inside to scare her. People threatened her neighborhood ' and her father lost his job. This is brave little Ruby's astounding story.

(p. 20) When we left school that first day, the crowd outside was even bigger and louder than it had been in the morning. I guess the police couldn't keep them behind the barricades. It seemed to take us a long time to get to the marshals' car.
Groups of high school boys, joining the protestors, paraded up and down the street and sang new verses to old hymns. Their favorite was 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' in which they changed the chorus to 'Glory, glory, segregation, the South will rise again.' Many of the boys carried signs and said awful things, but most of all I remember seeing a black doll in a coffin, which frightened me more than anything else.
After the first day, I was glad to get home. That afternoon, I taught a friend the chant I had learned: 'Two, four, six, eight, we don't want to integrate.' My friend and I didn't know what the words meant, but we would jump rope to it every day after school.

Would the chaos ever end? Would the other children return to school?

This book was great; it was about Ruby Briggs experience being one of the first colored children to integrate the elementary schools in the south. It gives a wonderful perspective about how this young girl viewed racism. It also shows the reader that she did not completely understand why some many people were mean to her. It is an extreme eye opener to how strong racism was in the south, at one point it talks about grown women throwing and yelling at Ruby.

This book was great; it was about Ruby Briggs experience being one of the first colored children to integrate the elementary schools in the south. It gives a wonderful perspective about how this young girl viewed racism. It also shows the reader that she did not completely understand why some many people were mean to her. It is an extreme eye opener to how strong racism was in the south, at one point it talks about grown women throwing and yelling at Ruby.

Among the many churches and juke joints, Yolanda grew up in a deeply religious home amid poverty, family violence, and dreams deferred. Raised by women, who endured much heartache, Yolanda watched and questioned their strengths, which in turn allowed her to seek out her dreams; this is the memoir of Yolanda Young. On Our Way to Beautiful, paints a poignant picture of her childhood in Shreveport, Louisiana.

At a very young age she witnessed the shooting of her mother by her father and struggled to understand her mother's forgiveness. Through her great grandmother, Big Momma, Yolanda was able to at least come to terms with the hand she was dealt. Big Momma, along with her grandmother Honeymoon and her mother, provided a strong spiritual base for Yolanda and the entire family. We are given detailed information about this large family and its extended members and how they helped shape Yolanda. While the woman appear to be strong willed, the men come in an assortment of personalities and strengths from God fearing, athletic to almost timid and naïve. They too lived off of the wisdom of the women in this family.

Through vivid imagery, we are able to witness Yolanda and her classmates' integration into a junior high school on the other side of town; how Yolanda tries to make the best of the situation and her attempts to fit in. Her mother...."Let me get this straight, you don't have a pot to...in or a window to throw it out of, but you want to put a forty-two-dollar shirt on your back?" "Don't try to dress like you've arrived until you do." "The novelty of being "in" was short-lived, especially after I discovered that being "in" didn't make you equal." I truly loved the wisdom that these women provided to a young Yolanda and by their grace and through the grace of God, this young woman was on her way. .

With a very lyrical prose, On Our Way to Beautiful is peppered with metaphors and similes that will force you to stop and savor their meanings. This is a touching, engaging and somewhat humorous account of one young girl's Southern life. When I finished I was forced to ask myself how Yolanda succeeded in her endeavors. I now know the answers to that question...

Reading this book was like taking a trip down Memory Lane. Ms Young tells her story of growing up in Louisiana. She learns life lessons at the feet of her great grandmother, Big Momma, at the table with her grandmother, Honeymoon, and through encounters with her own mother. The author takes each lesson learned and tells a related story that pertains to her childhood. We watch as Yolanda grows up and makes some mistakes such as buying $500 worth of designer clothes to fit in with her classmates. She learns about following her dreams and not letting dreams die. She learns the value of family as she sees her family stick together through all kinds of adversities.

Often times when a not so famous person write their memoirs, I wonder why they think their story needs to be told. In this memoir, I think the author gives just enough information to make a person look back and reflect on their life and see how life lessons help shape who they are as adults. This book brought a lot of memories as I can relate to many of the same experiences in one way or another. I can remember Sunday evenings in Bible Training Union, going skating after church on Sundays, singing in the youth choir. The difficulty of trying to fit in with the other children at school, and still trying to maintain your strong Christian values and upbringing. Most of all I can remember conversations with my grandmothers and mother that I credit for shaping my life.

This is a wonderful quick enjoyable read and highly recommended!

Jeanette Wallington
APOOO BookClub

The book is an EXCELLENT read! It is insightful, humorous, and courageous. Yolanda does a wonderful job of accurately and vividly depicting the book's setting (Stoner Hill, Shreveport). Being a homegirl, I would know. I could relate to the strong family ties (being privy to three maternal generations) and the awkwardness of being a gifted black child in a predominantly white school.

I was particularly drawn by a specific incidence in the book, the "press 'n perm" thing. I also had one. My long, thick hair had been one of the things I liked about myself also and was identified by it. But all of it came out!! I looked like a plucked chicken!! And my grandmother and great-grandmother also made the same type of comments as did Yolanda's "Big Momma." Similar to the author, I think at that time I really began to overcompensate in my thinking and intelligence arena, because I had lost the one tangible characteristic that helped set me apart.

Yolanda does a courageous job of revealing the type insecurities we face, not only as youngsters, but as adults. The book has something for everyone!!!

This is a romantic book. I have read it cover to cover and it brought up wonderful memories of the brief time I have spent in New Orleans and vicinity. So far, I have made only one dish (White Bean Soup) so far and it was very bad. I found the directions confusing, which may have contributed to the failure. I also suspect they got the recipe from some colorful Cajun type sitting under a live oak smoking something funny. However,in spite of my nasty comments, I will make good use of this book as a source of ideas to adapt my tried and true dishes. As an example, I will adapt the bean soup recipe in an attempt to replicate a memorable bean soup I had in Tupelo, Missippi many years ago.

This not a cookbook for inexperienced cooks

This is the best of the best New Orleans cookbooks. I bought my first copy in 1975. It is stained and falling apart and I will not part with it. The recipes are authentic,well written, easily understood and they all come out delicious. I have given copies of the book to each of my children and now my friends want copies, too. I can't recommend this book highly enough. the navy bean soup and the shrimp creole recipes are family favorites, along with the chicken gumbo, soaked salad...I could go on and on. if you like Creole food you can't go wrong with this book.

This is my favorite New Orleans cookbook. It contains all of the definitive creole and cajun recipes. I have been cooking from this book for over twenty years. My dishes made from these recipes are good enough to allow me (and anyone else) to pass as a native New Orleanian.

This book is an original. It was first compiled in 1975 -- before the Cajun cuisine became a national fad. In our family recipes are generally referred to as "THE", implying that no mere imitation or substitute will do. What! this in not "THE" potato salad! Are you bringing "THE" gumbo? Rima & Richard Collin have created "THE" New Orleans Cookbook.