684. Lee Farrow.

684.  Today we chat with Lee Farrow about the visit of Count Alexis of Russia to Louisiana. She has written about the 1872 visit of Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanov to Louisiana in her book Alexis in America: A Russian Grand Duke's Tour, 1871–1872.Farrow, a New Orleans native and Tulane University alumna, meticulously separates history from myth regarding the Grand Duke’s arrival in New Orleans during Reconstruction.

683. Theresa McCulla. "Insatiable City."

683. Joining us today is historian and curator Theresa McCulla to discuss her book, Insatiable City: Food and Race in New Orleans. A 2025 James Beard Award nominee and named a Smithsonian Best Book of the Year, Insatiable City uncovers the complex, dual nature of the Crescent City’s legendary culinary culture. McCulla—who has served as a food and drink curator for institutions like the Smithsonian—dives deep into the archives to reveal how the pleasures of New Orleans cuisine have always been deeply intertwined with race, labor, and systems of power, tracing this evolution from 19th-century slavery to 20th-century tourism.

682. Seth Pevey, Part 2

682. Seth Pevey, part 2 of our conversation with Seth Pevey, who writes mystery fiction. Born in Louisiana, Seth spent many years working as a teacher and journalist in Asia before returning to his roots. He now writes fiction and non-fiction from his country home outside of New Orleans, drawing deep inspiration from the local landscape to craft rich, noir-infused Southern Gothic. This is his gritty, New Orleans-based crime fiction series following the ongoing adventures of Felix Herbert and a seasoned police detective named Melançon.
 The Krewe (2018) 
 Roots of Misfortune (2019) 
 The Witness Tree (2019) 
 Casket Girls (2020) 
 Uptown Blues (2021)

681. Seth Pevey, Part 1

681. Part 1 of our conversation with Seth Pevey, who writes mystery fiction. Born in Louisiana, Seth spent many years working as a teacher and journalist in Asia before returning to his roots. He now writes fiction and non-fiction from his country home outside of New Orleans, drawing deep inspiration from the local landscape to craft rich, noir-infused Southern Gothic. This is his gritty, New Orleans-based crime fiction series following the ongoing adventures of Felix Herbert and a seasoned police detective named Melançon.
 The Krewe (2018) 
 Roots of Misfortune (2019) 
 The Witness Tree (2019) 
 Casket Girls (2020) 
 Uptown Blues (2021)