The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine by John Folse (2004) — the definitive reference on Louisiana cooking, written by Donaldsonville's most famous chef; exhaustive, well-researched, and genuinely useful as both a cookbook and a cultural document.
La Cuisine Créole by Lafcadio Hearn (1885) — the original Creole cookbook, compiled by the journalist and writer who lived in New Orleans in the 1870s and 1880s; historically important and still readable; a document of a cuisine before it became a brand.
The Moviegoer by Walker Percy (1961) — a novel set in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes; Percy grew up in Louisiana and the landscape of the River Road and the bayou country runs through the book; it won the National Book Award and remains one of the finest American novels of its era.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin (1899) — set on the Louisiana Gulf Coast and in New Orleans; Chopin's most famous novel captures the landscape, the heat, and the social world of late-19th-century Louisiana with precision; still the best single piece of literature to read before visiting the region.