Author Visit with Anne Brett: "The Disease: One Man's Journey Through a Life of Leprosy"

The leper colony just upriver at Carville, Louisiana served as the continental United States' national Leprosarium for more than 100 years and hosted patients from 20 countries. Hear the heartrending personal account of a family confined and torn apart by the social stigmas surrounding this misunderstood disease - and the triumphs that came along with building a fulfilling life while in quarantine - from the daughter of one of a resident patient. Local author Anne Harmon will share photos and personal accounts detailing the experiences of her father, Johnny P. Harmon, and other resident patients who resided in Carville. 

More about the book: When Johnny P. Harmon is 24 years old, he contracts leprosy and is sent to the Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana. He initially thinks being confined to Carville's prison-like facility would amount to a death sentence. Instead, he becomes an advocate for the patients, creates a successful photography business and falls in love. What might have been a catastrophic diagnosis for most people, Johnny treats as a mere inconvenience. For more information, visit https://www.amazon.com/Disease-Mans-Journey-Through-Leprosy/dp/1543991351