For decades, master raconteur Jim Bradshaw has regaled Louisiana readers with the witty, wistful, and weird in his weekly column, C’est Vrai. Collected here for the first time are stories of politics, poetry, music, criminals, eccentrics, soldiers, business, show biz, sports, and more, all from the heart of Cajun Country. History, mystery, and humor combine in this eminently readable collection from one of Louisiana’s greatest storytellers.
A fistfight with Huey P. Long, how the name Breaux got its x, a bootlegging priest—these anecdotes and more are told with a deft touch and a light heart. Bradshaw’s charming take on all things Louisiana is a quirky romp through colorful characters and strange sights, showcasing the rich history and culture for which Acadiana is known.
About the Author
Journalist Jim Bradshaw has won numerous awards for his spot news reporting, feature writing, editorial commentary, and investigative reporting in his more than fifty years of reporting. He earned his degree in English and journalism from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a minor in history and has since pursued his twin passions of journalism and history. Bradshaw has been recognized as one of South Louisiana’s Living Legends by the Acadian Museum, awarded the Prix de Louisiane for his writing on Cajun culture by the Council for Development of French in Louisiana, and honored by the Phi Alpha Theta national history honor society for “conspicuous attainment and scholarship in the field of history.” Bradshaw and his wife live in Washington, Louisiana, where they are renovating a 150-year-old house.
Cajuns and Other Characters
True Stories from South Louisiana
By Jim Bradshaw
HISTORY / United States / State & Local / South
HISTORY / Essays
HUMOR / Form / Essays
224 pp. 5 x 8
26 photos/illus. Glossary Biblio. Index
ISBN: 9781455621972 pb