An Acadian's Journey

About the Book

The writer’s delight in his Acadian, or Cajun identity and awareness is displayed through much of this long account of his 80 years.  He takes the reader from the early childhood beginnings where, he writes, the 20^th Century was already chugging along quite energetically; only a few miles from the bucolic, benighted back bayou of Louisiana, where his family and social group were living close to the l9th century.  They had a long way to go from the simplicity of the world of his childhood to the already very urban America of the time. But Cajun America, due largely to the upheaval of World War II, did become a part of the picture of pluralistic U.S Society, fortunately while retaining many of its more endearing peculiarities and cultural traits.

Bruce Broussard takes his reader on a time journey over the last 80% of the 20^th Century.  The more significant events, some we may have forgotten; the catastrophic Mississippi River Flood of 1927, the Great Depression of the late 20s and the 30s.  The Second World War, the Korean Conflict and their impact on his and his family’s life.  He skillfully allows us to see some of the color, adventure and life that marked his passage through these world milestones, his life and work as a psychologist, a scientist and a teacher.

About the Author

Irvin George Broussard grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana during the Great Depression.  Born in 1920, he just missed the final months of the world wide influenza pandemic.  An interesting time to be born.  His first language was the patois French now called Cajun. The Louisiana  Legislature had just passed a law forbidding the use of that language in the public schools and so English became by law his first language.  He has remained bilingual.

Near the beginning of WWII he left college to join the U.S.Army.  He chose the Medical Department and was assigned to the China Burma India Theater of Operations where he spent two and a half years until 1945. Remaining in the reserved after the War, he was called back to active service for over two years during the Korean Conflict.  He retired from military service with the rank of Lt.Col.

Bruce, as he prefers to be called, spent most of his productive life as a psychologist.  He had four children with his first wife, now deceases.  He lives at present with his second wife Lone, who is a Unitarian minister, in Phoenix, Arizona.