From Small Bits of Charcoal: The Life & Works of a Cajun Artist

This is the autobiography of pen-and-ink artist Floyd Sonnier of Lafayette, Louisiana. Written and illustrated by Mr. Sonnier, the book tells the story of growing up as a French-speaking Cajun in south Louisiana in the 1940s and '50s. The book - which took some 10 years to write and 35 years to illustrate - recounts the way life was for him and his family growing up in a culture whose first language was French, whose religion was Catholic, and whose livelihood was the family farm. The combination of intimate first-person stories and detailed drawings of scenes from days gone by creates an insightful, refreshing new view of a colorful era in south Louisiana history. The text is presented in both English and French. This art book contains 124 drawings.