The Story
A River in a Bottle by Mark Lutenbacher recounts the summer of 1945 as Frank, a one-armed WWII veteran, returns to his ancestral Louisiana farm. With his sister Lillian (Little) and best friend Owny, Frank navigates post-war healing and discovers profound family secrets. Their adventures include observing the mysterious Abe and his bottles of water, uncovering hidden slot machines funding their education, and experiencing farm life. The narrative weaves through childhood innocence, the Great Depression's impact, and lessons on life, love, and human nature taught by figures like Rose and Father Roma, all culminating in revelations about their father's past and the world's great rivers.
About the Author
Mark Lutenbacher, born in 1953 to a Louisiana family with deep Cajun roots, was educated by the Christian Brothers at De La Salle High School in New Orleans and attended Tulane University where he earned a degree in History.
His early career was devoted to the advertising, marketing and public relations industry. In middle age he became a middle school History and Geography teacher, a devotion which ended abruptly as a result of the effects of Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans in 2005.
An accomplished photographer and artist, he has been a summer camp counselor working with 9, 10 and 11 year old campers, a carpenter’s assistant and a long time employee of the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
A River in a Bottle, his first novel, draws its theme from his love of family, children and the historic traditions of life in southeastern Louisiana.
