Being a descendant of Cajun blood, I'm always looking for any and every resource available to learn about my people. Carl A. Brasseaux has done an excellent job at attempting to give myself and other readers an introspective look at the life of the Acadians living in southern Louisiana before, during, and after the Civil War. Unfortunately, very little is known about this colorful and oft misunderstood cultural group during this time. Therefore, Brasseaux had to rely heavily on records, tables, charts, etc. that range from loosely reliable census reports to agricultural records. Considering what Brasseaux had to work with, I believe that he did an excellent job of organizing this information and putting it into a readable text.
After reading the book, I've realized that my cultural group was not only looked down upon during the modern era covered in Shane K. Bernard's "The Cajuns: Americanization of a People," but we were also outcasts during the time covered in Brasseaux's book. In short, the life and times of the Cajun people have often been scarred by oppression, hate, and an unhealthy ignorance of the culture that has lead many to believe we are all dumb, lazy idiots whose only goal in life is to have a good time with as little physical labor as possible.
Brasseaux's book, being primarily based on numbers, often gets weighed down by the records and charts that can sometimes lose the reader. Other than that, this book is worth the time to read. It isn't a very happy read, but it is full of information and an exhaustive list of references that lead the reader to further study.
Also, after reading this book, anyone with an ounce of Cajun blood in them will likely have a sour taste in their mouth for one A.W. Waud. You'll have to read the book to know what I'm talking about.