When hurricanes are on the way

Sugarcane Academy

By Michael Tisserand A Harvest Original/Harcourt $13

They left. Mike Tisserand, his wife and two children, exercised the better side of caution by evacuating to a friend’s house in Carencro.

There they met up with other New Orleanians from their neighborhood and after watching TV coverage of the flooded city became anxious about schooling for their kids. Thus was born the idea of a one room school, which they succeeded in creating in New Iberia with their own beloved Lusher school teacher, Paul Reynaud, at the helm. For two months, Reynaud inspired his students with field trips and experiments to fuel their imagination.

The students themselves came up with the name, “Sugarcane Academy,” which followed them to New Orleans where the school continued. This heartwarming story of resilience and dedication is truly inspiring.

Heart Like Water

By Joshua Clark Free Press $25

He stayed. Clark, believing he was secure in his Pontalba apartment 40 feet above street level, defied predictions of Category 5 Katrina’s imminent arrival. Luckily, Katrina veered east, arriving as a relatively weak Cat 3 and was greeted with sighs of relief … until the levees broke.

Josh, a successful writer, book publisher, and erudite French Quarterite, armed with an old tape recorder, sloshed through the flood waters in flip flops and shorts, recording remarkable tales of survival.

This gripping memoir unabashedly bares his personal and professional experiences as he describes the horrors of the storm’s aftermath, relieved occasionally by humorous reports of surviving on MREs, generous handouts and beer, lots of beer.

This may be the most entertaining and instructive book yet about Katrina and his urgent plea for immediate action to restore our coast. Let’s hope someone listens.

The Intruders

By Michael Marshall William Morrow $24.95

This is a spooky, mysterious, suspenseful thriller – the kind that keeps you on edge throughout as you wait for the inevitable, unknown, terror to come.

Marshall creates three seemingly unconnected stories, linked eventually by one man. A woman and her son are assassinated by an FBI imposter causing her husband to hide out of sight; a 10-year-old girl goes missing only to turn up later, changed in a dramatic way; and the wife of ex-cop, Jack Whalen, who he thought was in Seattle on a business trip, never checks into her hotel. When he goes searching for her, she appears back home behaving as if nothing was awry. What’s going on here?

You’ll wonder, too, as I did throughout the book, barely able to put it down. When Whalen finally puts it all together, your fears will have just begun.

Send

By David Shipley and Will Schwalbe Knopf $19.95

Sending an e-mail? Wait! Don’t hit that “send” key until you read this book.

For one thing, your letter may go not only to your intended recipient but be forwarded to dozens of others without your knowledge or permission.

Learn how to protect your privacy, the etiquette of e-mailing and many technical tips and tricks to create clear, interesting and safe e-mail. You’ll particularly find helpful “the six essential types of e-mail” and, most importantly, “the email that can land you in jail.” It’s a veritable “Strunk and White” resource that belongs next to every computer.

Diary of a Real Estate Rookie

By Alison Rogers Kaplan $14.95

Buying or selling a house can lead to very expensive mistakes, but the know-how you’ll get from Rogers’ bright and breezy recap of her venture into real estate can not only prevent mishaps, but provide laughs on every other page.

Her four C’s of Real Estate – Cost, Capacity, Condition and Convenience (read neighborhood) – will guide you to making a wise buy.

If you’re selling, on the other hand, her tips and tricks will make your house more attractive to buyers. And, if you’re planning to just stay put, you’ll find many suggestions to make your home more livable.

And if like her, you get the itch to become a Realtor, remember the old industry joke: “No one ever picks real estate as a first career.” Even bona fide Realtors might find this one a useful and delightful read.