This week on The Reading Life: Melissa Daggett, the author of an illuminating new book , Spiritualism in 19 th Century New Orleans: The History of Henry Louis Rey . Alison Alsup and Tom Andes talk about the New Orleans Writers Workshop offerings, and Rodger Kamenetz, author of The History of Last Night's Dream , invites us to a dream workshop sponsored by the School for Contemplative Living.

This week on The Reading Life: Mississippi writers who will be at the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival in March! Michael Farris Smith talks about his terrific second novel, "Desperation Road," one of the best spring books so far, and Mary Miller gives us the lowdown on her unforgettable short story collection, "Always Happy Hour." Writer and yoga instructor AC Lambeth invites you to a reading/discussion series of the Indian classic, "The Ramayana," at Wild Lotus Yoga Studio.

Carnival time is one of the most interesting times of the year in New Orleans. But, carnival is also celebrated in other countries. This Continuum presents Renaissance music of Italian carnivals and particularly the Florentine Carnival. Songs and dances with a particular Italian sound abound in this program. Recordings used are: A Florentine Carnival (London Pro Musica) - IMP PCD 825, and Italian Renaissance Carnival Songs (Josquin Ensemble Wien) - Christophorus CD 74538.

This week on The Reading Life: New Orleanian Susan Bernofsky, whose most recent work is the translation of "Memoirs of a Polar Bear," by Yoko Tawada. She directs the literary translation program at the Columbia University School of the Arts and is is one of the leading translators of German language literature. We'll also hear from poet Stacey Balkun, whose new collection is "The Lost City Museum." **Lagniappe Audio**

This week on The Reading Life: Pamela Arceneaux of the Historic New Orleans Collection, whose new book is Guidebooks to Sin: The Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans, a nd novelist Susan Rivers, making her debut with The Second Mrs. Hockaday.

This week on The Reading Life: Artist Alex Beard, author of A Brush with Nature: Abstract Realism and the Painting of Life. Colleen Mooney, author of Rescued by a Kiss and Dead and Breakfast, talks about her efforts to form a New Orleans chapter of the mystery writers' and readers' organization, Sisters in Crime. And Susan has a report from the recent Writers Resist reading. **Lagniappe Audio** Writers Resist, New Orleans: Program, January 15, 2017 Opening remarks from Jami Attenberg &

This week on The Reading Life: One of Louisiana's finest fiction writers and teachers, now a professor emeritus at Southeastern Louisiana University, Tim Gautreaux. His smart, funny collection, Signals: New and Selected Stories, will having you falling in love with his distinctive Louisiana sensibility all over again.

This week on The Reading Life: Poet Jerry Ward, whose new book is Fractal Song. We’ll also hear from novelists Jami Attenberg and Adrian Van Young about the Writers Resist event coming up January 15 , with great New Orleans writers reading from the work of such inspiring figures as James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Allen Ginsberg, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week on The Reading Life: Tyler Bridges, co-author with Jeremy Alford, takes us into the writing of "Long Shot: A Soldier, A Senator, A Serious Sin, An Epic Louisiana Election," about the race between John Bel Edwards and David Vitter. Will Schwalbe, author of " The End of Your Life Book Club ," is back with another celebration of reading, "Books for Living." **Lagniappe Audio**

This week on The Reading Life: British jazz scholar Alyn Shipton and Music Inside Out's Gwen Thompkins talk about "Danny Barker: A Life in Jazz," a beautifulnew edition of this classic from the Historic New Orleans Collection. And Susan looks back at the literary year.