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| Poor Man's Provence: Finding Myself in Cajun Louisiana | 
 enlarge | Author: Rheta Grimsley Johnson
Creator: Bailey White
Publisher: NewSouth Books
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy New: $14.89
You Save: $9.06 (38%)
Buy New/Used from $14.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  (3 reviews)
Sales Rank: 255100
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.1
ISBN: 1588382184
Dewey Decimal Number: 917.6340464
EAN: 9781588382184
ASIN: 1588382184
Publication Date: January 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
These days, much is labeled Cajun that is not, and the popularity of the unique culture's food, songs, and dance has been a mixed blessing. Poor Man's Provence helps define what's what through lively characters and stories. The book is both a personal odyssey and good reporting, a travelogue and a memoir, funny and frank.
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| Customer Reviews:
Poor Man's Provence May 27, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Poor Man's Provence: - Having a fair amount of familiarity with the area and people, I'd say Mrs. Grimsley wrote as good of a memoir of this part of Louisiana as any. Whether one is familiar with the area of not, it would be worth reading it ahead of time to get the most of the visit to Cajun Country. From beginning to end I felt like I knew the central figures in this non-fictional memoir, Johnelle & Jennette, and they didn't disapoint. The place is crawling with people like them and it'll please and even surprise them all to know a transplant appreciates them for just being themselves. Whether the writer, Miss Rheta(as locals would call her), intended it or not, she and Don are now a part of Cajun's lives forever and we're all grateful for her memoir and presence.
Sincerity, Humor and Humanity Abound March 6, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Somewhat like the wonderful nonfiction works of Least Heat Moon's "Blue Highways" and Raban's "Passage to Juneau", only better, much better. Like those two travel novels, "Poor Man's Provence", entertains with unique true anecdotes and historical facts about the down home exotic people and places of the Acadiana ("Cajun") Country, Louisiana. Woven into the colorful quilt of her writing, Rheta Grimsley Johnson also gives us wicked irony, Twain like humor and a little subtle, sincere, simple human philosophy. Unlike "Blue Highways" and "Passage to Juneau", "Poor Man's Provence" is not a travelogue, but instead represents ten years of learning and loving the gentle folks of Cajun Louisiana. It's a great book to read if you think that you will ever want to see this part of the American South, and it's still plenty entertaining even if you just want to get to know the natives vicariously. If there is any justice in such things, this must read book should win lots of awards.
Her love shines February 28, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
All ethnic groups have their on distinct qualities and because of this most are completely misunderstood. Cajuns are no exception. I know when I was a kid I wanted be black. I truly didn't understand why then, but over the years thinking back I know it was because of the sense of pride that most of my black friends had. Ms. Johnson has tapped in to the Cajun pride. She conveys with humor and humility the love they have for their land and family, as well for others not of their ethnicity. Her love for them shines brightly. I love this book and highly recommend it to all.
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