Good books on New Orleans?

Question

What are some good books to read on the history and culture of the city of New Orleans?

I've read all the Anne Rice books and loved them.
Confederacy of Dunces IS on my too read list.
Thnaks for all the help.

Answer 1

Stop trashing New Orleans people!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know there are plenty of good book on New Orleans out there (I can't think of any) but nothing beats visiting it yourself. I am a born and bred New Orleans native. There is plenty of history and culture, as long as you stay out of certain high crime places (Ninth Ward, Gentily) you should be fine. If you plan on visiting be sure to stop at the famous beignet place (I can't remember the name something like cafe au lait). And Acme Oyster House is a must, the seafood is unmatched anywhere.

And try Amazon and your library for New Orleans books.

Answer 2

Frenchmen, Desire, Goodchildren by John Churchill Chase is an excellent book. It explains all the neighborhoods of the city and how they developed and is a very interesting read. Strange True Tales of Louisiana is also an interesting read. I think it was written by George Washington Cable and was researched form news stories from the 1800's. Thye Pirate Lafitte is also a good read. The Last Madame is also good it is a bio about the last working Madame in New Orleans and paints a great picture of the political climate of the city in the 60's.
If you are into historical fiction I really liked Passing Through Slaughter. It is a fictionalized account of the life of trumpeter Buddy Bolton. Some of the street names are wrong but the prose is beautiful and it was written by the guy who wrote the English Patient. New Orleans Mi Amour by Andre Codescru is also noteworthy.
If you would like to watch older films set in the city, I would recommend, Panic in the Streets, Saratoga Trunk, Streetcar Named Desire, The Rose Tatoo, and Kid Creole. I hope this is helpful for you. As a citizen of New Orleans, I am always interested in helping people understand the colorful history of this town and after your research I am sure you are going to understand why it must be preserved. Thanks for your interest.

Answer 3

A Confederacy of Dunces is a very funny, very New Orleans book.

Answer 4

This probably isn't what you're looking for but, I love the way Ann Rice describes New Orleans in the book "The Witching Hour". Oh, how she describes those houses, landscaping, and the people. She really knows her stuff as she is from there in real life. She brings it all to life in that series. Very cool book.

Answer 5

New Orleans Jazz Fest: A Pictorial History.

Answer 6

Depends on what kind of books you like but Jennifer Blake writes historical and contemporary romance novels. She is from Louisiana. She even has some local recipes at the end of some of them.

Shannon Drake aka Heather Graham wrote some really awesome books about vampires. check out her website There were 6 in that particular series. The books she write under heather graham are good too but they are a lot about the times around the civil war.. I just happen to love that time period

Answer 7

It's kind of a broad topic but a jazz take on it is:

Louis Armstrong's New Orleans by Thomas David Brothers.
New York : W.W. Norton, c2006
ISBN: 0393061094 (hardcover)
Contents:
The Tuxedo Brass Band, 1921 -- The Saints -- Larenzo's soul -- Street hustler -- Jail -- Lessons with Oliver -- Ragtime and Buddy Bolden -- "Most of the musicians were Creoles" -- Musicians as men -- "Rough and beautiful" -- Movin' on up -- Melody that changed the world.

For a voodoo perspective:
Voodoo queen : the spirited lives of Marie Laveau by Martha Ward.
Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, c2004. c2004.
ISBN: 1578066298 (alk. paper)
Contents:
Who in heaven or hell, Africa or France, was Marie Leveau? -- Catholic in the morning, voodoo by night -- Working wife, widow, mistress, and voodoo divorce -- Marie Laveau brings the New Orleans Saints to town -- Color schemes and protection policies on St. Ann Street -- Freedom la mode, la Marie -- Life in the cities of the dead -- At the altar of love and luck -- Madame Laveau's prayers, poisons, and political pull -- How John, the Devil, and Mam'zelle Marie hoodooed the media -- A tale of two sisters -- The last queen of the voodoos returns from the dead -- Postscript : events in the lives of the Marie Laveaus -- At the end : recognition and respect.

Answer 8

hrmm... "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" is based and filmed in Savannah, Georgia. Has nothing to do with New Orleans.

Runaway Jury was filmed in New Orleans. Also, John Grisham has a few books with New Orleans as a setting.

Answer 9

write to the chamber of commerce in New Orleans, ask for some history and culture info. I think this will give you the most updated information. See if you can get some Newpapers from New Orleans.

Answer 10

I think that "Confederacy of Dunces" is an awsome book. It's actually fiction, but it's set in New Orleans and captures the place amazingly well. I often think there's more truth, sometimes, in fiction, than in non-fiction...

Answer 11

I would think all the plays by the writer of "Streetcar named Desire" was written by Tennessee Williams, which wrote a lot of plays about and with his hometown, New Orleans. I do not know any books about the history and culture of New Orleans, but, I am familiar with Tennessee Williams plays, however.