LSU Press publishes the works of a host of talented authors. Each month, we take a moment to recognize the impact these authors and their works are having on communities nearby and around the world.
Scholarly
Not one, not two, but four LSU Press titles were included in the volume 46 of Historical Geography. Read a few excerpts below:
Surveying the Early Republic: The Journal of Andrew Ellicott, U.S. Boundary Commissioner in the Old Southwest, 1796-1800, the Robert Bush-edited collection of journals by boundary commissioner Andrew Ellicott, was reviewed by Andrew Milson. “The student of historical geography who reads [Bush’s book],” says Milson, “will come away with a new appreciation for the perilous politics that were at play in the drawing of a seemingly benign border.” Read the full review here.
Louisiana Coastal Atlas: Resources, Economies, and Demographics by Scott E. Hemmerling
Reviewer Taylor E. Mack, in addition to saying the book “has so many interesting maps,” expounds that the applications of the book’s lessons extend far beyond Louisiana’s coast: “While this atlas focuses on South Louisiana, it contains relevant lessons for policy makers and residents of at- risk coastal zones under threat of rising sea levels, and reminds us to include the human element in any assessment of coastal land loss.”
Lincoln’s Mercenaries: Economic Motivation among Union Soldiers during the Civil War by William Marvel was recently reviewed by Jim Zibro for H-CivWar. “Lincoln’s Mercenaries is a very important book,” says Zibro. “It fills a gaping void in the literature and challenges previously held assumptions about Civil War soldiers.”
The beautiful cover of Marketing the Blue and Gray: Newspaper Advertising and the American Civil War, written by Lawrence A. Kreiser, Jr. and designed by Mandy Scallan, was featured in Spine Magazine’s “University Press Cover Round-Up.” Author Jordan Wannemacher says, “This is a perfect modern take on vintage signage elements and typography for a design that fits the time period o the book.” You can see it, along with the other acclaimed book covers, here.
“The Man Who Punched Jefferson Davis,” says Meg Groeling, “is an essential contribution to a growing amount of resources concerning the mentality and actions of southern men and women before the Civil War.” You can read her entire review of Ben Wynne’s book at Civil War Book Review.
Kim Marie Vaz’s The “Baby Dolls:” Breaking the Race and Gender Barriers of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Tradition graced the pages of the June print edition of Bust Magazine. Read the digital version of the article for an in-depth look at New Orleans’ famous Baby Dolls dancers.
Trade
George Singleton’s short story collection Staff Picks continues to pick up praise, this time from Alabama Public Radio’s own Don Noble: “With Singleton, the narrators and set-ups are so bizarre, to savor them fully, take one a day and let the cleverness and absurdity sink in.”
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