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An Angel to Guide Me: How Angels Speak to Us from the Beyond
By Glennyce S. Eckersley. 2009
Glennyce Eckersley is one of our most loved angel experts. In her wonderful new book, An Angel to Guide Me,…
she explains how angels communicate with us through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, as well as the mysterious sixth sense of intuition. Amazing true stories collected from around the world show how many of us have had incredible angelic experiences that appear to have been tailor-made for us, speaking to us individually through the senses in the ways we recognise and understand the best. These stories are illustrated by inspirational exercises, affirmations and quotations, which will help readers to connect with the angels themselves. From 'Visions of Angels' to the 'Touch of Angels' and 'Angels of the Soul', it becomes clear that the angels are indeed all around us, ready to communicate with us through the gateways of our senses whenever we are willing to welcome them into our lives.Somehow: Thoughts on Love
By Anne Lamott. 2024
&“Anne Lamott is my Oprah.&” —Chicago TribuneFrom the bestselling author of Dusk, Night, Dawn and Help, Thanks, Wow, a joyful…
celebration of love&“Love is our only hope,&” Anne Lamott writes in this perceptive new book. &“It is not always the easiest choice, but it is always the right one, the noble path, the way home to safety, no matter how bleak the future looks.&”In Somehow: Thoughts on Love, Lamott explores the transformative power that love has in our lives: how it surprises us, forces us to confront uncomfortable truths, reminds us of our humanity, and guides us forward. &“Love just won't be pinned down,&” she says. &“It is in our very atmosphere&” and lies at the heart of who we are. We are, Lamott says, creatures of love.In each chapter of Somehow, Lamott refracts all the colors of the spectrum. She explores the unexpected love for a partner later in life. The bruised (and bruising) love for a child who disappoints, even frightens. The sustaining love among a group of sinners, for a community in transition, in the wider world. The lessons she underscores are that love enlightens as it educates, comforts as it energizes, sustains as it surprises. Somehow is Anne Lamott&’s twentieth book, and in it she draws from her own life and experience to delineate the intimate and elemental ways that love buttresses us in the face of despair as it galvanizes us to believe that tomorrow will be better than today. Full of the compassion and humanity that have made Lamott beloved by millions of readers, Somehow is classic Anne Lamott: funny, warm, and wise.Embrace your agency, lead change, and fly free—in the business of life and the life of business—with kindness (plus a little math)In…
kindergarten, James Rhee received a toy red helicopter in gratitude for a simple act of generosity—sharing his lunch. Decades later, the lesson from that small gift led him to develop a human-centered framework for business and personal achievement that helped him overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles and find unprecedented success.“red helicopter is a transformative experience. James Rhee's story is a must read for anyone, of any age, who wishes to think, act, and lead with balance, agility, and wisdom." —Jay ShettyRhee was a high school teacher turned private equity investor when he unexpectedly took the helm of Ashley Stewart, an iconic company predominantly employing and serving Black women. Inspired by the values his dying Korean immigrant parents instilled in him, he knew that a radically different—yet familiar—approach was required to lead this twice-bankrupt company from certain liquidation to true transcendence.Is it possible to be successful and kind? To lead with precision and compassion? To honor who we are in all areas of our lives?The entire world bet against him and Ashley, but Rhee trusted his instincts to identify, measure, and leverage the intangible goodwill at the company’s core, a decision which ultimately multiplied its fortunes several times over.Anyone can combine the clarity and imagination we had as children with fundamental business metrics. Anyone can apply this refreshingly intuitive approach to lead change at work and at home. While eloquently sharing a story of personal and professional success, red helicopter presents a comforting yet bold solution to the dissatisfaction and worry we all feel in a chaotic and sometimes terrifying world.The insights and knowledge that Rhee imparts have been accumulated over decades of investing and leading at the highest levels of business. Drawing on this experience, he encourages us to trust the wisdom deep inside each of us so we can learn how to:Create and measure “goodwill,” the ultimate collective goodDiscover agency and the truth about kindness it entailsIdentify the invisible obstacles standing in your wayLead transformational change through small, scalable actsConstruct an accurate “balance sheet” of our assets and liabilitiesReorient our lives, organizations, and the world to reflect the best in usAre you looking for a sustainable balance between life, money, and joy? For yourself and others?Imagine, a clear path forward told as a deeply felt human story. A poignant and uplifting celebration of humanity, red helicopter—a parable for our times is a tale of struggle and triumph, compelling for its honesty and relatability as much as for the instructions we can all use to balance the books of our lives.red helicopter—a parable for our times features approximately 20 original illustrations by Korean artist Heyon Cho.Evil Eye in Christian Orthodox Society: A Journey from Envy to Personhood
By Nikolaos Souvlakis. 2021
Evil eye is a phenomenon observed globally and has to do with the misfortune and calamities that we can cause…
to someone else out of jealousy of their possessions. The book engages with evil eye beliefs in Corfu and investigates the Christian Orthodox influences on the phenomenon and how it affects individuals’ reactions to it. Developing an interdisciplinary dialogue, it offers a fresh view of evil eye as a facilitator of wellbeing rather than a generator of calamities.Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments At Home
By Traci Smith. 2017
A new and expanded version of Seamless Faith, now with more than a dozen new spiritual practices, space to personalize…
it with your own favorite practices and scriptures, and additional resources for parents, kids, grandparents, and communities that care about families! Add family faith moments to your daily routine with little or no prep, and share meaningful spiritual experiences with your children! Traci Smith, a pastor and mother of three, offers ways to discover and develop new spiritual practices as a family, whether you're a new seeker or a lifelong follower. Faithful Families is brimming with more than 50 easy, do-it-yourself ideas for transforming your family’s everyday moments into sacred moments! Faithful Families helps you: connect faith to your family’s everyday life add family faith moments into your daily routine learn new spiritual practices alongside your children teach your children to appreciate religious diversity with time-tested non-Christian and Christian spiritual practices respond to life’s everyday challenges and opportunities with meaningful practices Faithful Families is the perfect gift for: Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles! Baptisms Baby Showers New Families Christian educators and those they serve Preschool Classes GodparentsUnStuck: Rebirth of an American Icon
By Stephanie Stuckey. 2024
Discover the inspiring firsthand account of Stephanie Stuckey&’s rise to CEO upon suddenly acquiring her family&’s beloved yet struggling brand,…
which had become a &“whatever happened to . . . ?&” fading memory for most Americans.Stephanie Stuckey&’s remarkable journey unfolds in UnStuck, a memoir that will inspire and captivate. When she unexpectedly becomes CEO of her family&’s company, Stephanie embarks on a mission to revive both the business and her family&’s legacy. Armed with her grandfather&’s wisdom and fueled by an unbreakable emotional connection, she sets out to turn the company&’s fortunes around.Stuckey&’s, a roadside oasis for generations of travelers along America&’s highways, fell into disrepair after decades of outside ownership. When Stephanie Stuckey, granddaughter of Stuckey&’s founder, is offered the chance to buy the business, she takes it, seeing something that isn&’t apparent in the bleak financial statements: an emotional connection that she and generations of road trippers had with the brand. UnStuck weaves Stephanie&’s compelling narrative with her grandfather&’s rich history. Finding inspiration and insight into both business and life in her grandfather&’s archives, Stephanie leans on her past to craft a strategy for the future, determined to rebuild the struggling company and leave a legacy for generations to come. This story is a celebration of resilience and overcoming seemingly impossible odds—and, ultimately, coming out on top. For female entrepreneurs, unconventional CEOs, family businesses, and road trip enthusiasts, UnStuck offers hope, practical tips on managing tough situations with grit, and an irresistible comeback story promising that second chances are indeed possible.Seeds of Hope: My Journey of Self-Discovery in the Medical Cannabis Business
By Dr Oludare Odumosu, Patrick O'Donnell. 2024
An immigrant's story of leadership, innovation, and humanity in cannabis medicine.Seeds of Hope is an eye-opening memoir of self-discovery and…
entrepreneurship set against a backdrop of the war on drugs. It&’s also a story of the transformative power of medical cannabis and its potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry. Written by Dr. Oludare Odumosu, MPH, PhD, it takes readers on a personal journey as he progresses from &“just say no&” to become one of the leading voices in the global cannabinoid space. Dr. Odumosu explores the history of cannabis and the devastating effects of the War on Drugs on cannabis medicine, addiction, and the minority community. He shares his personal experience in cannabis medicine and entrepreneurship, including fears, frustrations, and triumphs, as he and his team run an ever-changing gauntlet of state and federal rules and regulations.Seeds of Hope is a must-read for anyone interested in the transformative power of medical cannabis, including aspiring entrepreneurs. It&’s also an inspiring memoir that offers hope, insights, and lessons learned on leadership, success, and achieving one&’s dreams.This volume presents the spirituality of John Calvin in three short texts drawn from his Institutes of the Christian Religion.…
Many consider Calvin the most influential thinker of the sixteenth century. His ideas flowed from Geneva into northern Europe, to the English-speaking lands of Britain, and through the Puritans to North America. The prolific writings of Calvin across several genres open up many aspects of Christian living, and each one offers an entrée to his spirituality. On the supposition that “spirituality” refers to the way people or groups lead their lives in relation to ultimacy, three texts have been chosen to form the axis for this interpretation of Calvin’s contribution. These texts deal with his theological view of law, a definition of sanctification, and a short treatise on the Christian life. The portrait of Calvin’s spirituality that emerges from these texts and the larger framework of his theology, his ecclesiology, and his career as church leader and civic organizer can be summarized in the following phrase: a practical spirituality of sanctification by participation in society. One cannot find all of that in these texts, but they establish a platform on which the pieces fall into place. The story of his early life and formation, along with several key ideas that characterize the man and his vision, will help to draw a sharper, more distinctive picture of at least this influential aspect of Calvin’s spirituality. It is one that bears direct relevance, with appropriate adjustments, to life today.Reaching Out
By Henri J. Nouwen. 1975
With clarity and depth characteristic of the classics, this spiritual bestseller from the author of The Return of the Prodigal…
Son lays out a perceptive and insightful plan for the spiritual life and achieving the ultimate goal of that life—union with God.&“One of the world&’s greatest spiritual writers.&”—Christianity TodayHenri Nouwen views our spiritual &“ascent&” as evolving in three movements: The first, from loneliness to solitude, focuses on the spiritual life as it relates to the experience of our own selves. The second, from hostility to hospitality, explores our spiritual life as a life for others. The final movement, from illusion to prayer, offers penetrating thoughts on the most mysterious relationship of all: our relationship with God. Throughout, Nouwen emphasizes that the more we understand (and not simply deny) our inner struggles, the more we will be able to embrace a prayerful and genuine life that is also open to others&’ needs. Reaching Out is a rich book to be read, reread, pondered, and shared. It &“does not offer answers or solutions,&” Nouwen cautions, &“but is written in the conviction that the quest for an authentic Christian spirituality is worth the effort and the pain, since in the midst of this quest we can find signs offering hope, courage, and confidence.&”An expertly reported investigation into Twitter&’s messy corporate history—including Elon Musk&’s takeover in 2022, its outsized cultural impact, and its…
significant role in shaping how the world gets its news. Bloomberg journalist Kurt Wagner takes you inside Twitter&’s everchanging headquarters, charting its rise from flippant 140-character posts to one of the world&’s most consequential tech companies. From Jack Dorsey&’s triumphant return as CEO in 2015 to the rise and fall of @RealDonaldTrump to the contentious $44 billion sale to Elon Musk, Battle for the Bird exposes the messy reality and relentless challenges that come with building a global social network. With enthralling minute-by-minute accounts of Musk&’s controversial takeover from insider employees, Battle for the Bird exposes the real-world impact of the South African billionaire&’s new role as owner, and employees&’ growing horror as Dorsey&’s idealistic promises (and the &“Twitter&” name) go up in flames before their eyes. Battle for the Bird is the definite, objective, and substantive account of the fight over the world&’s most influential social media platform. Now, for the first time—through deeply sourced, exclusive interviews—you will discover how the visionary promises of one iconoclast gave way to the darker, yet-to-be-defined motives of another, upending the virtual status quo and impacting the flow of news and information to the masses.The Bronfmans: The Rise and Fall of the House of Seagram
By Nicholas Faith. 2006
For decades, the Bronfman family ruled Seagram's and the liquor industry. This is the story of their meteoric rise and…
spectacular fall.The story of the Bronfman family is a fascinating and improbable saga. It is dominated by "Mr. Sam," the single greatest figure in the history of the liquor business, the man who made drinking whiskey respectable in the United States and who in the 1950s and 1960s built Seagram into the first worldwide empire in wine and spirits.After Sam's death in 1971, his oldest son, Edgar, maintained the business, though he was distracted by his matrimonial problems. Nevertheless, in the 1980s he masterminded a major coup when he translated a small investment in oil made by his father into a 25 percent stake in the mighty DuPont company. But in the 1990s, Edgar allowed his second son, Edgar Jr., to indulge his ambition to become a media tycoon. The stake in DuPont was sold, and the money reinvested in Universal, the film and theme-park empire. Edgar Jr. then paid more than $10 billion to buy Polygram Records and thus fulfill his fancy to be king of the world's music business. But at the same time, he remained in charge of the liquor business, which started to stagnate—indeed, to fall apart. Then came the final disaster when the increasingly divided family sold out to Jean-Marie Messier, overreaching empire builder of Vivendi, the French conglomerate. But the story of this amazing family over the past century is about more than booze and business. The Bronfmans is a spectacular account that details the larger-than-life personalities and bitter rivalries that have made the family so famous and, sometimes, so infamous.Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos
By Ed Hardy, Joel Selvin. 2013
The memoir of iconic tattoo artist Ed Hardy from his beginnings in 1960s California, to leading the tattoo renaissance and…
building his name into a hugely lucrative international brand"Ed Hardy" is emblazoned on everything from t-shirts and hats to perfumes and energy drinks. From LA to Japan, his colorful cross-and-bones designs and ribbon-banners have become internationally ubiquitous. But long before the fashion world discovered his iconic designs, the man behind the eponymous brand spearheaded nothing less than a cultural revolution.In Wear Your Dreams, Ed Hardy recounts his genesis as a tattoo artist and leader in the movement to recognize tattooing as a valid and rich art form, through to the ultimate transformation of his career into a multi-billion dollar branding empire. From giving colored pencil tattoos to neighborhood kids at age ten to working with legendary artists like Sailor Jerry to learning at the feet of the masters in Japan, the book explains how this Godfather of Tattoos fomented the explosion of tattoo art and how his influence can be witnessed on everyone, from countless celebs to ink-adorned rockers to butterfly-branded, stroller-pushing moms. With over fifty different product categories, the Ed Hardy brand generates over $700 million in retail sales annually. Vividly packaged with original Ed Hardy artwork and ideal for ink devotees and Ed Hardy aficionados alike, Wear Your Dreams is a never-before-seen look at the tattoo artist who rocked the art world and has left a permanent mark on fashion history.Quench Your Own Thirst: Business Lessons Learned Over a Beer or Two
By Jim Koch. 2016
NATIONAL BESTSELLER and named a 2016 Best Book of the Year by Inc., Business Insider, and ForbesFounder of The Boston…
Beer Company, brewer of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and a key catalyst of the American craft beer revolution, Jim Koch offers his unique perspective when it comes to business, beer, and turning your passion into a successful company or career.“Boston Beer’s Jim Koch offers readers a six-pack of wisdom.” – The Boston GlobePull up a chair and crack open a Sam Adams. It’s time to leave behind business as you know it.Quench Your Own Thirst covers everything from finding your own Yoda to Koch’s theory on how a piece of string can teach you the most important lesson you’ll ever learn about business. Koch also has surprising advice on sales, marketing, hiring, and company culture. His anecdotes, quirky musings, and bits of wisdom go far beyond brewing. A fun, engaging guide for building a career or launching a successful business, Quench Your Own Thirst is the key to the ultimate dream: being successful while doing what you love. So, are you quenching you own thirst – or someone else’s? "Like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, and the other greats, Jim Koch's entrepreneurial journey is motivated by a deep commitment to making superb products and building a unique culture that reinforces innovation and risk-taking. This book tells a compelling story about how he did it. The lessons will be invaluable for anyone starting a business or building a career." —Bill Hambrecht, co-founder or Hambrecht & Quist and chairman of WRHambrecht + CoThe Universe Is Calling: Opening to the Divine Through Prayer
By Eric Butterworth. 1993
“A wonderful book…truly a life-changer.”—Norman Vincent PealeIn his much-beloved classic, The Universe is Calling, Eric Butterworth, Unity minister and acclaimed…
author of Discover the Power Within You, offers a non-theological, non-ritualistic guide to prayer for contemporary seekers of guidance, wholeness, and self-regulation. The call of the universe, Butterworth explains, is the call to, “take charge of your life, to release your imprisoned splendor.” His spiritually liberating wisdom is powerful and inspiring, and it will lead readers to a truer and stronger connection with the divine.Animating the Spirited: Journeys and Transformations
By Tze-yue G. Hu, Masao Yokota and Gyongyi Horvath. 2020
Contributions by Graham Barton, Raz Greenberg, Gyongyi Horvath, Birgitta Hosea, Tze-yue G. Hu, Yin Ker, M. Javad Khajavi, Richard J.…
Leskosky, Yuk Lan Ng, Giryung Park, Eileen Anastasia Reynolds, Akiko Sugawa-Shimada, Koji Yamamura, Masao Yokota, and Millie Young Getting in touch with a spiritual side is a craving many are unable to express or voice, but readers and viewers seek out this desired connection to something greater through animation, cinema, anime, and art. Animating the Spirited: Journeys and Transformations includes a range of explorations of the meanings of the spirited and spiritual in the diverse, dynamic, and polarized creative environment of the twenty-first century. While animation is at the heart of the book, such related subjects as fine art, comics, children's literature, folklore, religion, and philosophy enrich the discoveries. These interdisciplinary discussions range from theory to practice, within the framework of an ever-changing media landscape. Working on different continents and coming from varying cultural backgrounds, these diverse scholars, artists, curators, and educators demonstrate the insights of the spirited. Authors also size up new dimensions of mental health and related expressions of human living and interactions. While the book recognizes and acknowledges the particularities of the spirited across cultures, it also highlights its universality, demonstrating how it is being studied, researched, comprehended, expressed, and consumed in various parts of the world.Mississippi Entrepreneurs
By Polly Dement. 2014
The stories in Mississippi Entrepreneurs collectively draw attention to the tenacious and courageous journeys of Mississippi men and women who…
risk fortune and futures to create successful enterprises. Most tell “how they did it” uniquely and in their own words, bringing to life their entrepreneurial spirits. Family members and former colleagues pick up the storyline for legendary entrepreneurs who have passed on, recalling vividly the characteristics that set them apart from the competition. Usually a passion for creation inspired these go-getters—whether casting red-hot liquid steel into industrial products (Fred Wile, Meridian); constructing buildings (Roy Anderson III, Gulfport; Bill Yates Jr., Philadelphia; and William Yates III, Biloxi); making agricultural products grow (Janice and Allen Eubanks, Lucedale; and Mike Sanders, Cleveland); delivering and installing furniture (Johnnie Terry, Jackson); using technology to improve systems (John Palmer and Joel Bomgar, and Toni and Bill Cooley, Jackson; and Billy and Linda Howard, Laurel); expanding food operations (Dr. S. L. Sethi, Jackson; and Don Newcomb, Oxford); or sharing the sheer love of music (Hartley Peavey, Meridian), food (Robert St. John, Hattiesburg), art (Erin Hayne and Nuno Gonçalves Ferreira, Jackson), or books (John Evans, Jackson; and Richard Howorth, Oxford). Social and cultural entrepreneurs made their marks as well, including those focused on social justice (Martha Bergmark, Jackson); access to health care (Aaron Shirley, Jackson); and public education (Jack Reed, Tupelo). Few if any books have focused exclusively on this aspect of the state's history. Altogether the stories, accompanied by seventy black-and-white photographs, illustrate common traits, including plentiful vision, fierce drive, willingness to take risks and change for a better way, the ability to innovate, solve problems, and turn luck (both good and bad) to advantage. Most of these entrepreneurs generously share the rewards of their hard work and ingenuity with their communities.Lucky Dogs: From Bourbon Street to Beijing and Beyond
By Jerry E. Strahan. 2016
When walking the French Quarter and watching a Lucky Dog salesman set up that colorful cart and call out to…
entice customers, don't you wonder how such a business works? As a knowing review in Rolling Stone stated, "People have always loved the cart and harbored a mysterious need to ride it. Revelers have been known to climb on top of the rolling wienies, screaming 'Yippee kaya!' as vendors stoically push them back to the barn at 4 a.m." Since 1947 the red and yellow carts have trumpeted good fortune and sustenance.Jerry E. Strahan recounts the wild adventures of the Bourbon Street wienie salesmen but also takes readers well beyond New Orleans. In fact, he takes them halfway around the world, where this unique pushcart business maneuvered its way through the bureaucratic red tape of a communist country to become a licensed corporation in the People's Republic of China.In China, two points quickly became apparent to Strahan. First, 99 percent of the Chinese population had no idea what a Lucky Dog cart represented. One elderly passerby declared it to be a missile. Second, the success or failure of any joint venture in the Asian nation is directly proportional to the political clout of that company's local partner.Lucky Dogs also recounts how the business and its vendors survived Hurricane Katrina. Miraculously, it reopened only six months after the storm in a city where more than 80 percent of the landmass had been flooded and where less than 40 percent of the population had returned. To reestablish itself in what many described as Third World conditions, the company had to transform its operation.This work mixes business history, autobiography, survival story, and an insider's look at the bizarre lives of some of Bourbon Street's most quirky characters--the dauntless Lucky Dog vendors. Both humorous and tragic, though it may read like fiction, it is, for better or worse, all fact.Eyes of an Eagle: Jean-Pierre Cenac, Patriarch: An Illustrated History of Early Houma-Terrebonne
By Christopher Everette Cenac Sr.. 2011
Selected Book for the Louisiana Bicentennial Celebration, 2012In the year 1860, Jean-Pierre Cenac sailed from the sophisticated French city of…
Bordeaux to begin his new life in the city with the second busiest port of debarkation in the U.S. Two years before, he had descended the Pyrenees to Bordeaux from his home village of Barbazan-Debat, a terrain in direct contrast to the flatlands of Louisiana. He arrived in 1860, just when the U.S. Civil War began with the secession of the Southern states, and in New Orleans, just where there would be placed a prime military target as the war developed.Neither Creole nor Acadian, Pierre took his chances in the rural parish of Terrebonne on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Pierre's resolute nature, unflagging work ethic, steadfast determination, and farsighted vision earned him a place of respect he could never have imagined when he left his native country. How he forged his place in this new landscape echoes the life journeys of countless immigrants--yet remains uniquely his own. His story and his family's story exemplify the experiences of many nineteenth century immigrants to Louisiana and the experiences of their twentieth century descendants.Botánicas: Sacred Spaces of Healing and Devotion in Urban America
By Joseph M. Murphy. 2015
Botánicas is an exploration in text and photographs of spiritual shops found in Latino neighborhoods throughout the United States. Readers…
discover these marvelous spaces and their alternative spiritualties that help patrons cope with the grind and challenges of city life. Botánicas provide access to an array of invisible powers and sell the ingredients to construct symbolic solutions to their patrons' problems. The stores are bright and baroque, and the powers they invoke come from religious traditions in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the native Americas. In Botánicas, Joseph M. Murphy offers a cultural history of the devotions on display and a reflection on the efficacy of their powers to heal. Readers will come to see that the goods and devotions of botánicas give their patrons--mostly Latino, often immigrants--pathways for empowerment and transformation.The name botánicas comes from the "botanicals" for sale, herbs and plants with healing powers. The pharmacopeia of botánicas can be vast, and owners may know hundreds of remedies for treating problems of health, wealth, and love. Botánicas vend herbs for upset stomach, herbs for finding a job, and herbs for wooing back a wayward spouse. Supplementing these medicinal and magical plants, botánicas sell candles, holy statues, and tools for devotion to an array of spiritual powers--Catholic saints, African gods, indigenous spirits, and Asian divinities. Each spirit has its own ritual of petition, and botánica owners can discern the proper offerings and prayers to help the supplicant.Murphy explains the religions of the botánica with subtlety and sensitivity. He gives readers a deep sense of the contexts of the stores and a sophisticated analysis of the religious traditions that suffuse them. Visually fascinating, culturally rich, and religiously profound, Botánicas is a window into a world of beauty and power.The House That Sugarcane Built: The Louisiana Burguières
By Donna McGee Onebane. 2014
The House That Sugarcane Built tells the saga of Jules M. Burguières Sr. and five generations of Louisianans who, after…
the Civil War, established a sugar empire that has survived into the present. When twenty-seven-year-old Parisian immigrant Eugène D. Burguières landed at the Port of New Orleans in 1831, one of the oldest Louisiana dynasties began. Seen through the lens of one family, this book traces the Burguières from seventeenth-century France, to nineteenth- century New Orleans and rural south Louisiana and into the twenty-first century. It is also a rich portrait of an American region that has retained its vibrant French culture. As the sweeping narrative of the clan unfolds, so does the story of their family-owned sugar business, the J. M. Burguières Company, as it plays a pivotal role in the expansion of the sugar industry in Louisiana, Florida, and Cuba. The French Burguières were visionaries who knew the value of land and its bountiful resources. The fertile soil along the bayous and wetlands of south Louisiana bestowed on them an abundance of sugarcane above its surface, and salt, oil, and gas beneath. Ever in pursuit of land, the Burguières expanded their holdings to include the vast swamps of the Florida Everglades; then, in 2004, they turned their sights to cattle ranches on the great frontier of west Texas. Finally, integral to the story are the complex dynamics and tensions inherent in this family-owned company, revealing both failures and victories in its history of more than 135 years. The J. M. Burguières Company's survival has depended upon each generation safeguarding and nourishing a legacy for the next.