The newest book showcasing stories from throughout Iberia Parish will be available Sunday at the “New Iberia — What Can’t Be Lost” book launch.
The book is a collection of stories about the people, history and culture of the Iberia Parish and will feature recollections of life in the area from as early as the 1800s, said Cathy Indest, president of the Iberia Cultural Resources Association.
More than 100 stories are included in the book from residents of New Iberia, Loreauville, Avery Island, Weeks Island, Jeanerette and Delcambre, said Lester Gonsoulin Jr.
Gonsoulin, a native of New Iberia, has been involved with the book for about two years by interviewing residents and compiling the stories. He said he compiled a handful of stories, edited the book and most importantly, learned more about his home.
“I learned an awful lot from those interviews,” he said. “A lot of these people were not necessarily wealthy people. A lot of these people were hard workers, and it showed how they were strong to weather that and prosper.”
The book features tales about the buildings along Main Street, St. Peter’s College, prominent families in the community, the Great Depression and its effects on theTeche Area and WorldWar II, Gonsoulin said.
The book,he said,serves as as testament to the people in the parish with a collection of humorous stories. He said the stories are from people of a variety of social classes, races and sexes.
“We’re all a melting pot in the long run,” Gonsoulin said.
Several stories in the book were submitted by families who have kept their family’s memoirs, but a large portion of the book stems from stories transcribed from hours of video footage Dianne Landry has collected, Gonsoulin said.
Landry, 82, said she began documenting history as it happened more than 30 years ago. She said she compiled more than 50 interviews of locals telling their stories of life in the parish and is excited to see them come together in the book.
“I love New Iberia. I think it has such value, beauty and good people,” Landry said. “Anything that will make us gather and appreciate what our forebearers have done is a good thing.”
The book launch will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Veteran’s Memorial Building in City Park in New Iberia. Books will be available for purchase and those who preordered books can pick up their orders.
Authors will be there to autograph books. The event is open to the public.