What do you think?
Rate this book
We Are Acadians: Nous Sommes Acadiens
A fine-art pictorial essay of Louisiana's Cajuns. Farmers, fishermen, oil workers, and practitioners of a world-famous cuisine exemplify the Cajuns as they were and as they are in modern Louisiana. The book captures the many faces of the timeless Cajun-witty, wise, tolerant, hardworking, and fun-loving-to depict a people who have turned a heritage of hardship into a philosophy of faith and optimism.
- GenresHistory
96 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1976
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 13, 2019
March 1, 2019
A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of the book: We Are Acadians (Nous Sommes Acadiens) by Myron Tassin
This book was loaned to me by the Author who is currently residing at Somerby Adult Living facility, with his lovely wife Shirley, in Santa Rosa Beach Florida. After reading this delightful book of recollections of Arcadian Louisiana, I purchased this book from Amazon in Hard cover. I was keenly interested in the Arcadian culture, especially after reading his other book “Why Me Lord”, a memoir of the author growing up in Louisiana.
This book “We Are Acadians” was some what different as it was a pictorial essay of Acadians life in Louisiana, but equally enjoyable as it was aimed at the eye and the ear through striking photos and interspersed with French language poetry. The photographs provided a visual glimpse of the settings and some of the characters of this rich culture which brought the French language to the United states but also a rich and favorable cuisine which has reached many corners in the civilized world.
I can't help to identify with this culture as my wife is French Canadian and has many distant relatives living in Louisiana after the diaspora of many those people by the English to Louisiana. They settled into the area and developed their own unique culture and, to a degree their own French idioms. Their culture, I believe mirrors to a degree the culture of my wife I experienced in Canada. The French descendants there, mirrored the Arcadian culture, as I see it, by giving proof to a hard working and enterprising people who also enjoyed the value of food. I recognized the characters of both people through their similar visages and their adherence to the Roman Catholic faith. In fact, on the inside covers of the book they list all the names of those Acadians in Louisiana and I recognized my wife's maiden name, to wit, Laflamme she also recognized among the other names the surnames of her grand parents and great grandparents as well of many of her friends.
While this book may not be of interested to a lot of people, I found it most interesting because of my own personal connection and because of my love of history and the history of different cultures.
For me this book was a delight and I recommend it to any lover of History and people. The Photos are both thought provoking and inviting into understanding a people better than the typical stereo typical things we hear about “Cajun” people. The poetry was enjoyable, even in translation but I had the added benefit of a dissection from my French speaking wife.
I totally enjoyed the book and now have the opportunity to have my copy autographed by the author, as I did with “Why Me Lord” book.
I gave this book Five Stars out of Five and recommend it to all readers interested in the Arcadian culture.
A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of the book: We Are Acadians (Nous Sommes Acadiens) by Myron Tassin
This book was loaned to me by the Author who is currently residing at Somerby Adult Living facility, with his lovely wife Shirley, in Santa Rosa Beach Florida. After reading this delightful book of recollections of Arcadian Louisiana, I purchased this book from Amazon in Hard cover. I was keenly interested in the Arcadian culture, especially after reading his other book “Why Me Lord”, a memoir of the author growing up in Louisiana.
This book “We Are Acadians” was some what different as it was a pictorial essay of Acadians life in Louisiana, but equally enjoyable as it was aimed at the eye and the ear through striking photos and interspersed with French language poetry. The photographs provided a visual glimpse of the settings and some of the characters of this rich culture which brought the French language to the United states but also a rich and favorable cuisine which has reached many corners in the civilized world.
I can't help to identify with this culture as my wife is French Canadian and has many distant relatives living in Louisiana after the diaspora of many those people by the English to Louisiana. They settled into the area and developed their own unique culture and, to a degree their own French idioms. Their culture, I believe mirrors to a degree the culture of my wife I experienced in Canada. The French descendants there, mirrored the Arcadian culture, as I see it, by giving proof to a hard working and enterprising people who also enjoyed the value of food. I recognized the characters of both people through their similar visages and their adherence to the Roman Catholic faith. In fact, on the inside covers of the book they list all the names of those Acadians in Louisiana and I recognized my wife's maiden name, to wit, Laflamme she also recognized among the other names the surnames of her grand parents and great grandparents as well of many of her friends.
While this book may not be of interested to a lot of people, I found it most interesting because of my own personal connection and because of my love of history and the history of different cultures.
For me this book was a delight and I recommend it to any lover of History and people. The Photos are both thought provoking and inviting into understanding a people better than the typical stereo typical things we hear about “Cajun” people. The poetry was enjoyable, even in translation but I had the added benefit of a dissection from my French speaking wife.
I totally enjoyed the book and now have the opportunity to have my copy autographed by the author, as I did with “Why Me Lord” book.
I gave this book Five Stars out of Five and recommend it to all readers interested in the Arcadian culture.
June 23, 2019
A re-read of a book that was sent to me back in the early 1980s by my New Orleans penfriend. I had recently seen the movie Southern Comfort and became fascinated by the Cajuns, so she sent this to me. It’s a black and white photographic collection the author gathered together in the 30s/40s with captions and quotes. A lovely little book I don’t think I’ll ever part with.
April 29, 2025
A very wonderful photography book by Fonville Winans with a wonderful forward by Glen Pitre.
Written by Myron Tassin that shows in words a pictures the lives of the Louisiana Acadiansm or Cajuns, if you will.
Short and sweet and certainly worth the read and what ever you do read the Epilogue full of Cajun humor.
Written by Myron Tassin that shows in words a pictures the lives of the Louisiana Acadiansm or Cajuns, if you will.
Short and sweet and certainly worth the read and what ever you do read the Epilogue full of Cajun humor.
July 28, 2020
This short book on the Louisiana cajun culture is noteworthy for the photography of Fonville Winans.
January 12, 2015
Stilted prose matched to the priceless photos of Fonville Winans; sometimes the text doesn't match the pictures. Disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews