Susan Larson sit down with Judy Walker to discuss cookbooks, part one of four. Two classics from the newspaper: Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans , edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker The Times-Picayune Creole Cookbook is a classic.

This week on The Reading Life: Wayne Wiegand, co-author with Shirley Wiegand, of “The Desegregation of Public Libraries in the Jim Crow South: Civil Rights and Local Activism.” We’ll also hear from novelist Silas House, whose new book is “Southernmost.” Audio extra: Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week: Barbara Ewell and Teresa Toulouse discuss and sign their co-edited book of essays, “Sweet Spots—In-Between Spaces in New Orleans,” Sunday June 17, at 3:30 p.m. at Garden District

This week on The Reading Life: Susan talks with Teresa Toulouse and Barbara Ewell, co-editors of “Sweet Spots: In-Between Spaces in New Orleans," which includes essays by such notable writers as Carrie Bernhard, Scott Bernhard, Marilyn R. Brown, Richard Campanella, John P. Clark, Joel Dinerstein, Pableaux Johnson, John P. Klingman, Angel Adams Parham, Bruce Boyd Raeburn, Ruth Salvaggio, Christopher Schaberg, and Beth Willinger . ” We’ll also hear from novelist Caleb Johnson about his enchanting,

This week on The Reading Life : Start your summer off with some poetry, featuring former state poet laureate Peter Cooley, author of “World Without Finishing," a nd poet Valentine Pierce, author of “Up Decatur.” Audio Extra: Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week: Susan Eaddy signs her baby book, “Poppy’s Best Babies, “Sunday, June 3 at 2 p.m. at Octavia Books. The Graphic Novel Book Club discusses “Paper Girls, v. 4,” by Brian K. Vaughan and “Sandman, v. 1,” by Neil Gaiman, Monday,

This week on The Reading Life: Susan talks with historian Craig L. Symonds, author of “World War II at Sea: A Global History,” who will be making a visit to the National World War II Museum. Megan Holt of One Book One New Orleans, talks about what's coming up in the citywide reading initiative; this year the selection is "New Orleans: A Food Biography," by Elizabeth Williams. Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week: Mary DeMocker discusses and signs “The Parent’s Guide to Climate

This week on The Reading Life: Susan talks with Victor Harris, Rachel Breunlin, and Jeffrey Ehrenreich , creators of the beautiful book, “Fire in the Hole: The Spirit Work of Fi-Yi-Yi and the Mandingo Warriors.” Audio Extra: Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week: Emilie “Lee” Leumas, director of Archives and Records for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, discusses the history of the Ursulines Monday, May 21, at 7 p.m. at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie .

This week on The Reading Life: Susan talks with book artists Jessica Peterson and Yuka Petz about the upcoming opening of the Artist Book Collection at Paper Machine, 6330 St. Claude. It's a wonderful collection of rare and gorgeous books that opens to the public May 19 from 1-3:30.

This week on The Reading Life: Jon Michael Varese, whose gorgeous debut novel is “The Spirit Photographer," a nd Renee Hodges, author of “Saving Bobby: Heroes and Heroin in One Small Community.”

This week on The Reading Life: Susan talks with Rick Bragg, whose new memoir and cookbook is "The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma’s Table.” Delicious! And WWL news anchor Sheba Turk previews her new memoir," Off Air: My Journey to the Anchor Desk.”

This week on The Reading Life: Historian Erin Greenwald talks about the Tricentennial exhibit and book, “New Orleans, The Founding Era.” We’ll also hear from poets Brett Evans and Christopher Shipman about their new collaborative work, “Keats Is Not the Problem.”