Nice surprise this morning to find my new novel mentioned by the editors of the Baton Rouge/New Orleans Advocate newspaper. Thanks, Advocate.
Our Views: Louisiana’s night skies
Just in time for the summer reading season, New Orleans novelist George Bishop’s new book, “The Night of the Comet,” offers a nice reminder of what it was like to look at the night sky before light pollution made star-gazing so difficult in many cities.
Bishop’s novel, set in the fictional Louisiana town of Terrebonne in 1973, uses the arrival of the Comet Kohoutek as the backdrop for a family story that’s about many things, including the connection between fathers and sons.
At its heart is 14-year-old Alan Broussard Jr., who gets a telescope for his birthday. The novel opens in Baton Rouge in 2000, as Alan does some stargazing near Perkins Road and thinks back to his times with his father.
Light pollution from street lamps and homes makes the night sky more difficult to see.
We hope that the night sky becomes more visible in communities across south Louisiana.
In the meantime, Bishop’s novel is a testament to what we’re missing.
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