The Blood of the Baroness: Micaëla de Pontalba

The Garden District Book Shop is thrilled to announce that Dr. Rory O'Neill Schmitt and Dr. Rosary O'Neill are returning to the shop on June 2 to celebrate the release of their new book -The Blood of the Baroness: Micaëla de Pontalba – Shot, Betrayed, and Unbreakable.

Micaëla Almonester de Pontalba's life presents itself not only as a sequence of extraordinary facts and mysteries, but also as a canvas for the study of history, societies, and the telling of new stories. Her descendants never stopped considering her as a central figure in the family, whose shadow is cast to this day. While her legend, made of conflict, blood, energy, and passion is understandably intriguing to those who know of it, we remain surprised by the sustained interest in its retellings oversea, in her, and our, cherished New Orleans. Our home in Mont-l'Évêque' stands as the setting for the most tragic event of her life, the murder attempt she suffered at the hand of her father-in-law in 1834, and to this day, contains archives and knowledge about her available to those who are curious about it.

Dr. Rory O'Neill Schmitt and Dr. Rosary O'Neill were certainly curious as they crafted this book and honored our home with not just two visits, but many queries that were fresh ways to question Micaëla's life. Their dedication to explore her human side, to portray her as not just an archetype, but as a rich personality, and to consider the numerous mysteries and unknowns as opportunities to give a new interpretation of the character is something I fully support and encourage. I'm certain readers of this book, whether already familiar or not with Micaëla's story, will see why as they immerse themselves in this dramatic take on a woman better known for her legacy and legend than for her complexity. She was, after all, only human. Remembering this honors her story which, when told, forms yet another bridge between France and New Orleans, her two homes. For that, and more, it is worth telling and discovering.