‘The Big Read’ And Big Boy’s Story is Told

Fahrenheit 451

By Ray Bradbury

Delray Books, $6.99 or Free with the Big Read

Guy Montag is a fireman who doesn’t put out fires; he starts them, burning books wherever they are found and most often, the houses where the books are found.

Guy is happy in his job until he meets a strange, 16-year-old girl who relates stories her uncle told her of a time when people were actually encouraged to read and discuss books. When he’s discovered hiding several books in his house, he’s forced to run, eventually meeting and joining others who are memorizing books in anticipation of the day when they can again be printed and read.

Even after 50 years, this book still delivers frightening possibilities.

Editor’s Note: To participate in The Big Read, contact Houma Regional Arts (985.870.8130). You’ll receive a free copy of Fahrenheit 451, a reader’s guide and a compact disk featuring an introduction to the book by the author.

Big Boy

By George Becnel

Author House, $19.99

Whether you were a regular, or just an occasional diner at Bubba’s II in Thibodaux, you’re certain to have left there with a big smile courtesy of “Big Boy,” as owner Norm Swanner was known. And big he was; 400 pounds with an extra big heart and a barrelful of jokes.

Becnel, a former newspaper sportswriter, pens this biography of Swanner from his personal knowledge and that of the many, many friends who relate hilarious tales of Swanner’s exploits. Norm was so well liked that Mike Smith, his landlord and former owner of the restaurant, gave it to him rent-free for the first six months to get him started. And when Big Boy did start making money, he raised his own rent.

This is an inspiring story of an exceptional man who, when he died at only age 56, left behind a legion of friends and a legacy of goodwill.

Silent Thunder

By Iris and Roy Johansen

St. Martin’s Press, $24.95

When Uncle Sam buys a decommissioned Russian nuclear submarine called Silent Thunder for exhibition in a maritime museum, it must first be thoroughly inspected for hazards. That job is handed to marine architect, Hannah Bryson and her brother, Connor. But after Connor discovers a cryptic message behind a panel, a mysterious explosion kills him.

Hannah, convinced it is no accident, begins a search for the perpetrator despite warnings from federal agents to give it up. More dangers await Hannah as she attempts to decode the hidden message and is caught in the crossfire of two rival Russian agents.

Bestselling author Johansen and her award winning son have combined their talents to deliver a fascinating thriller of international intrigue.

Face of Betrayal

By Lis Wiehl

Thomas Nelson, $24.99

Wiehl, who you probably know for her matching wits with the acerbic Bill O’Reilly on cable TV, now shows she can also create realistic fiction based on her experience as a lawyer and prosecutor.

A teenage Senate page, home for the holidays, takes the family dog for a walk and she never returns. Soon, three gal friends – a TV reporter, a Federal prosecutor and an FBI agent – self-dubbed “The Triple Threat Club,” discover the teen was having an affair with a U.S. senator, making him their number-one suspect.

Inspired admittedly by the disappearance and murder of Chandra Levy, the plot twists and turns in April Henry’s narrative delivering a doubly surprising ending. It’s fast paced and over too soon. Fans will be glad to know it’s the first in a planned series.

The Louisiana Seafood Bible/Shrimp

By Jerald and Glenda Horst

Pelican Publishing, $25

Shrimp takes center stage this month just as the season begins. Jerald Horst, a professor of fisheries at LSU for more than 30 years, shares his knowledge in this exhaustive study of the more than 2,000 of the species, including a look at the biology, history, industry and cooking of shrimp. His wife, Glenda, joins him in presenting 77 mouth-watering recipes tested and proven in their kitchen.

This series on Louisiana seafood is a delight and we wait anxiously for the next volume.