Since 1926, Pelican Publishing Company has been committed to publishing books of quality and permanence that enrich the lives of those who read them.
Though Mardi Gras had been celebrated in New Orleans for many years, the Golden Age of Carnival artistry began in the 1870s, and was marked by shimmering pageants and opulent private balls. These balls were attended by invitation only, and the invitations were as lushly executed as the balls and pageants themselves. Over two hundred invitations, dance cards, and admit cards are assembled here, with the vivid and mysterious artwork drawn from subjects in mythology, history, whimsy, and nature, by artists who often toiled in anonymity. Hardcover.
Perfect for sharing Mardi Gras with friends and family or for inviting them to Carnival, these notecards reproduce invitations of the Golden Age (1870-1930). Selected from the pages of the upcoming volume Mardi Gras Treasures: Invitations of the Golden Age, the images that grace these notecards extend invitations to visit the glorious past of New Orleans, which was ablaze with fantastic, torch-lit processions and opulent tableau balls.
Perfect for sharing Mardi Gras with friends and family or for inviting them to Carnival, these postcards reproduce invitations of the Golden Age (1870-1930). Selected from the pages of the upcoming volume Mardi Gras Treasures: Invitations of the Golden Age, the images that grace these postcards extend invitations to visit the glorious past of New Orleans, which was ablaze with fantastic, torch-lit processions and opulent tableau balls.
Exquisite in design and craftsmanship, Mardi Gras jewelry, offered as favors by krewe members, are cherished gifts, proudly worn year after year by the lucky recipients. As is everything related to Mardi Gras, these specially designed and crafted keepsakes are unique to the celebration and reveal the intricate detail observed in carrying out the annual tradition.
This collection contains stunning examples of royal jewelry of the golden age of Mardi Gras (1870-1930). These high-quality color reproductions are suitable for framing. 16 color postcards. 6 x 4.
New Orleans collectibles, and especially Mardi Gras collectibles, continue to be popular worldwide. This gorgeous volume of vintage Mardi Gras ball invitations, dance cards, and admit cards shows off just what kinds of collectibles are still available. Mardi Gras Treasures offers a wonderful look back on the glories of Carnival art, in a single volume that is itself a collector’s item. This special limited edition of 500 is numbered and signed by the author, presented in a lovely cloth slipcase.
In this pictorial study, the author recounts the history of Carnival in New Orleans, bringing to life in photographs and in text the color, the pulse, and the pageantry that have earned for this annual extravaganza the distinction as “the greatest free show on earth!”
This extravagantly illustrated volume from a well-respected New Orleans expert covers such topics as the place of the old-line krewes in the evolution of Mardi Gras, women’s groups, flambeaux, the Carnival foods, and more. Even with its loyalty to tradition, Carnival in New Orleans has changed dramatically since the 1980s. Terms such as Lundi Gras, Muses, Krewe d’Etat, and Orpheus are now part of the lexicon, while krewe names such as Venus, Mecca, and Freret survive only in trivia conversations and historical records. Fascinating and intimate, this book seamlessly intertwines the past with the present. The rich flavors of New Orleans—cultural and culinary—dance on every page of this handsome book.
Margaret Haughery gave everything she ever had to the orphans and the poor. Despite being unable either to read or write, she possessed an incredible business acumen, which allowed her to donate—including what she bequeathed in her will—more than $500,000 throughout her life. Paperback.
Illustrated with Cassatt’s own work and that of other influential Impressionists, as well as photographs of the artist, this book offers children a glimpse at life during the late 1800s and showcases the colorful vivaciousness of Cassatt’s work. Her beloved portraits of mothers and children are highlighted here, but the book also includes lesser-known work that shows Cassatt’s range of talent. Children will enjoy seeing the warm and loving images of others their age relaxing with pets, enjoying the outdoors, and being held by caring adults.
At McGuire’s Irish Pub the mood is nothing if not fun. McGuire’s boasts its own award-winning wine cellar and microbrewery in addition to its many specialty drinks. The real draw is the food. As anyone lucky enough to have dined at McGuire’s will tell you, the food deserves to be served on a silver platter—or at least eaten with a golden spoon. For five consecutive years, the Pensacola pub has earned the coveted Golden Spoon Award, which denotes it as one of Florida’s top restaurants.
In this enchanting memoir of life in New Orleans from the Civil War to the Great Depression, Grace King records the crises and changes in Crescent City society, as well as her own development as a writer. Here is a portrait of a woman who went through war and its aftermath and later assumed the role of independent woman and breadwinner. As a female pursuing an intellectual career, she broke with the Old South tradition, but as is well chronicled, her major projects, literary and personal, had to do with defending the South. Paperback.
Once upon a time in 1564, Charles IX, the king of France, ruled that the first day of the year would be January 1 instead of April 1. Those who forgot the change and celebrated New Year’s Day on April 1 were ridiculed by having fish thrown at them. In the skilled hands of Peter Welling, this history takes on a hilarious dimension. In the French town of Bakonneggs, there exists a rivalry between the Mayor Melon de Plume, a pig, and a prankster rooster, Michael Le Soufflé. The mayor lacks a sense of humor and is annoyed to be disturbed from his slumber by Michael&rsquos crowing laughter. He issues new laws (including a ban on all feathers), but the town continues, under the rooster’s leadership, to laugh and play. Hardcover.
Mimi told Tante Conette all of the family news as they walked into the house that was warm with the smell of spicy jambalaya. When they had finished their dinner, the family took their pecan pie dessert outside to sit on the porch in the moonlit night. When Mimi asked Uncle Rabbit to tell her all about the Cajun Mardi Gras, he pulled out a pipe and filled it with sweet-smelling perique tobacco. He slowly lighted it, and began—“Mimi, our Mardi Gras goes back further in time than your New Orleans Mardi Gras. . . . It’s totally different, you’ll see.” Hardcover.
Mimi awakens on Fat Tuesday morning and hurries to a breakfast of hot beignets (French doughnuts). At the table, Mimi’s parents explain Mardi Gras traditions such as king cake, and the observances of Ash Wednesday and Lent. Afterwards, dressed in colorful costumes, they depart for a day of Carnival excitement and parade watching.
Eight champion huskies awaken one Christmas Eve night to Santa’s sleigh full of goodies. But they aren’t receiving presents yet. The man in red needs help with one final stop. Nome, Alaska, is last on the list and the heavy snow is not letting up. With Rudolph’s nose out of power, someone else will have to guide this sleigh tonight.
Natalie Vivian Scott was once described by author Sherwood Anderson as “the best newspaperwoman in America.” She became a vital force in the creative salon of intellectuals who gathered in the French Quarter during the 1920s. This was a time that saw the reawakening of this original section of New Orleans life, thanks to the efforts of Scott and her colleagues.
Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Escort and Staff reveals the symbiotic relationship between Forrest and his men, and how their unusual abilities as fighters, thinkers, and leaders made for a team of men who formed a unique brotherhood that lasted long after the war. A testament to their loyalty is the fact that the escort is the only Confederate unit whose numbers were greater when they surrendered than when the unit was organized.