Black Robes, White Justice by Bruce Wright

Black Robes, White Justice by Bruce Wright

Louisiana authors have richly added to the literary world, and this scholarly anthology presents the best works of writers from colonial times to the end of the nineteenth century. With contributions from sixty-nine authors, this volume contains selections ranging from history to poetry. Though not all authors were born or raised in Louisiana, all have strong ties to the state.

The book is divided into different styles of writing with sections on historical writing, oratory, essays, fiction, and poetry. Famed nineteenth-century Louisiana historian Charles Gayarrï¿1/2 lends several short historical sketches to the collection. The works of Edward Livingston, John James Audubon, and others round out the essay category, which is separated into controversial and general essays addressing such topics as secession, mythology, and dueling. P. G. T. Beauregard also supplies his thoughts on an officer's duty in a time of war. Novelist Albert Delpit's La Chambre d'Amour, one of several pieces originally in French that have been translated for this book, is included in the works of fiction.

Other famous authors grace this compilation, such as Judah P. Benjamin, Charles Patton Dimitry, and Richard Henry Wilde. A brief biography of the author appears at the beginning of each selection, and some entries include small author portraits. This anthology, with its variety of subjects and styles, is an invaluable resource in the study of early Louisiana literature.