That’s what Five Days at Memorial attempts to do. There is a Hemingway Museum in Piggott, Arkansas. The notion that New Orleans is one of the “most written about” cities in America is true, but it’s a testament to our enthralling cultural alcoves rather than a lack of originality on behalf of scores of writers. During the five days after Hurricane Katrina hit, the remaining employees, patients, family members, and pets who had taken shelter in Memorial Hospital all grappled with being stranded in the city–and eventually, horrible choices were made. be keeping that 15-foot tall stack of books from toppling over on top of you, right? The best books on The Music of New Orleans recommended by Keith Spera. I had no clue that there are so many books about, and set in, New Orleans. I must say the last thing I ever look out for when I travel are book shops as I always bring along a book with me for the flight and lounging time. The Tin Roof Blowdown: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke. If you’ve never used it before, consider picking up a free trial before heading down to New Orleans! John Kennedy O’Toole was a wonderful writer who took his own life. We have a special focus on travel in Europe (especially in our beloved Italy) and travel in our home country of the USA, but we feature destinations across the world! 36 books — 41 voters. Inventing New Orleans: Writings of Lafcadio Hearn (Paperback) Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) prowled the streets of New Orleans from 1877 to 1888 before moving on to a new life and global fame as a chronicler of Japan. All of these books are renowned or remembered for a reason–and with a place like New Orleans, multiple perspectives are a necessary precursor to any type of understanding. Second, I personally find the storm interesting, so those books had a tendency to catch my eye. It has been about 10 years since I’ve tried, though, so it’s probably time to give The Sun Also Rises another chance! I often feel like my love of books doesn’t get enough attention on this blog. As a professor of writing, I recently taught a course about representations of New Orleans, and it was incredible to see the different ways in which this city has been depicted through words and images—some of those texts made it to this list. Order them on Amazon, visit one of our incredible local bookstores, and call up your book club: these are five nonfiction books to pick up ASAP. New Orleans has an impressive literary tradition, spawning countless top-notch writers and serving as the colorful setting for classic novels like The Moviegoer by Walker Percy and A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, as well as Tennessee Williams' play A … This is New Orleans we’re talking about, after all, so despite the fact that William Faulkner died far away in Mississippi, New Orleanians still claim that he haunts the place, groping unsuspecting women as they browse the books. Set in a home that William Faulkner once lived in, this is a bookstore that brings to mind elegance: the store is beautiful, the books are beautiful, the original Tennessee Williams writings on the wall are beautiful… and it’s haunted. Piggott is located in the north east corner of Arkansas. After interviewing various residents who experienced the storm in different neighborhoods and under a range of conditions, Neufeld brings an investigative reporter’s sensibility to a seismic moment in this city’s history. Colorful characters, peeks inside various subcultures, and time spent in the 1960’s, New Orleans style–that’s what Rheinhardt, the main character of Hall of Mirrors, finds waiting for him when he rolls up to the Big Easy. This capacious work captures more than the particulars of a place or a state of mind. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines. An Assistant Professor of Writing, Christopher reads and writes for work and pleasure. A Confederacy of Dunces (1980), John Kennedy Toole. So, while some of these I have finished myself, others are still on my to-be-read list–but I don’t hesitate to recommend any of them for people wanting to get to know New Orleans. <3, You guys are quite the cool nerds! when: thurs.nov.12 time: 6 pm where: Franklin Adams, a long-time Tulane professor and one of this region’s most renowned artists, illustrated the book, and his images provide a memorable accompaniment to Starr’s words. This nonfiction book takes a deep dive into both Marie Laveaus, a mother-daughter duo around whom gossip, rumors, and legend gathered in 19th-century New Orleans. Poppy Z Brite’s books. Hi, we’re Kate and Jeremy Storm! The first book in the series, A Free Man of Color, showcases murder at the Mardi Gras as a notorious octoroon courtesan is strangled. A pretty bookshop with puppies! Sep. 13, 2018. interwoven stories, vastly diverse characters that all draw you in in their own way, a story that spans decades… and the kicker? Dan Baum’s Nine Lives: Mystery, Magic, Death, and Life in New Orleans (2010) is the story of the city and its denizens between Hurricane Betsy, which transformed New Orleans in the 1960s, and the devastation of Katrina in 2005. Today, I want to share some of the literary aspects of New Orleans: from the best books about New Orleans to the best New Orleans bookstores to add to your itinerary, here’s how to release your inner bookworm in New Orleans! Nonfiction: news, interviews and reviews from NPR Books. Thanks very much! New Orleans Reading List: The Best Books About New Orleans, Nerdy New Orleans Bookstores to Add to Your Itinerary, Nine Lives: Mystery, Magic, Death, and Life in New Orleans, Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital, The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square, Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table, What to Pack for Colombia: Ultimate Colombia Packing List, 10 Things We’ve Learned About Love As A Full-Time Travel Couple, Magical Valladolid, Mexico: Things to Do + Travel Guide, 25 of the Best National Parks in the USA (Beautiful + Diverse! I recently started purchasing books while traveling as souvenirs so will definitely keep this post in mind when I travel to New Orleans. Poppy Z Brite “gets New Orleans,” said neighbourhooduk. Though William Faulkner didn’t stay in New Orleans long–he spent less than a year living there in the mid-1920’s–his professional writing career kick-started while in the city, and New Orleans loves to claim him as one of their own. That is a really impressive list of books, bookstores, and authors you have got there. This is New Orleans through food: through red beans and rice and po’boys and far, far more. That is such a huge list and I would definitely love to visit New Orleans to follow in the footsteps of many famous authors. Truman Capote’s first novel is classic Southern Gothic literature–and what better place for that than New Orleans? (Photo: Nathan Williams). One of Kate’s novels (At Fault) is also set in New Orleans. A bit of a departure from the admittedly heavy books above, Interview with a Vampire is classic New Orleans: beginning in (a clearly fictionalized, as most of the characters are vampires) 18th century New Orleans, with bounces forward in time to the modern era, the city itself comes alive as the background of the exploits of blood-drinking and night-walking Louis, Lestat, and Claudia. Sounds interesting! Five Reasons You Need to Read ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ Right Now, Seven Reasons to ‘Read Interview with the Vampire’ Right Now. It’s hilarious. Over this, the author’s have provided the location, time period, and commentary about a particular seminal contributor to New Orleans musical history: “Professor Longhair’s (1918—1980) left hand wows at Tipitina’s,” or “James Singleton (1955—) pushes boundaries on his upright at Snug Harbor.”. 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