Top Ten NOLA Books
Mar 31st, 2008 by Nola
I have been tagged by Ivy Brown. I am supposed to open the book I am currently reading and turn to page 123. Then find the 5th sentence and post the next 3 sentences.
As usual, this meme doesn’t blow my skirt up. So to compromise, I will instead give my top ten list of favorite books. And because “NOLA” is part of my site’s name, I will limit it to books about, authors from, or books set in New Orleans. Here goes:
- “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole. This is the quintessential NOLA read. If you did not read, or were not assigned to read, this book in college, go buy it now. No, really, I’ll wait… Got it? Good. I picked this up just the other day to re-read (for about the third time). It just gets better each read. I am all of 10 pages in and have laughed aloud numerous times. Toole was masterful at describing New Orleans and its denizens.
- “In the Land of Cocktails” by Ti Adelaie Martin and Lally Brennan. This is a new book that I have now had time to enjoy. You can read more about this book here. The only caveat is that this book will definitely leave you thirsty.
- “Lives of the Saints” by Nancy Lemann. This is a great little find. I read it years ago and still remember Lemann’s description of Claude, who broke the narrator’s heart “into a million pieces on the floor.” Lemann made me seek out several other “Voices of the South” authors. None disappointed.
- “Gumbo Ya-Ya: A Collection of Louisiana Folk Tales.” This is new to my library, but I am enjoying the stories it holds. At this stage in its life (it was originally published in 1945), this book is a must-have reference for anyone serious about Louisiana culture. Plus, it’s got cool hexes and charms you can use to cure what ails ya!
- “Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children: And Other Streets of New Orleans.” Another oldie but goodie. This one gives the history behind the (often-changing) NOLA street names. Like Canal Street was supposed to be an actual canal. Or Berlin Street was changed to General Pershing during World War I because it was “too German.”
- “The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of the Slave Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom in Old New Orleans.” This is truly an amazing read. From the historical aspect of the history of slavery in the South to the immigration of Germans to New Orleans. A true courtroom drama that would not be believed as fiction.
- “French Quarter Fiction: The Newest Stories of America’s Oldest Bohemia.” This is a collection of writers writing in and about the French Quarter. Most are current authors, but some are newly discovered or newly published works of great writers. I generally do not like short stories; I tend to like long stories I can really get absorbed in. But because these are all set in the Quarter, they sort of read like one work–as though you are going from room to room, courtyard to courtyard, to hear stories told. A great summer read.
- “A Streetcar Named Desire. ” I know this is a play, but really, what list of NOLA works would be complete without Tennessee Williams’ classic? And there’s good reason this is a classic. It’s haunting and alive and lusty and depraved, just like NOLA.
- “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin. This was written in 1899 and was scandalous. It deals with issues of race and sexuality and a woman finding herself and the tragedy that ensued. Because it was 1899. And Louisiana.
- “Managing Ignatius: The Lunacy of Lucky Dogs and Life in New Orleans.” I admit that I haven’t yet read this one. It is top on my “to read” list. It was recently discussed on the Twitter tube and it has been one that I want to read. It is written by a man who spent 20 years managing the famous “Lucky Dog company, whose vendors sell wienies out of the seven-foot-long hot dog-shaped carts that can be found on almost any street corner in New Orleans’ French Quarter.”
So get reading! What’s your favorite NOLA book? Or even non-NOLA book? I am always looking for a good book to read!
Not NOLA, but I just finished “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris and found myself to be unapologetically one of those assholes who laughs to themselves while reading on a plane. It’s too funny, though not for the easily offendable (offendible?). I even have a copy if you ever want to read it.
My top ten, not necessarily in EXACT order, and they also include Louisiana in general:
1- Confederacy of Dunces -John Kennedy Toole
2-Southern Fried Divorce – Judy Conner
3-Sandrine’s Letter to Tomorrow – Dedra Johnson
4- Managing Ignatius – Jerry Strahan
5- Side Effects – Patty Friedmann, as well as Secondhand Smoke by the same author
6-Desire Street – Jed Horne
7-The Liquor series by Poppy Z. Brite. Also includes The Value of X and D.U.C.K.
8-New Orleans, Mon Amour – Andrei Codrescu
9-New Orleans – Carol Flake
10-Last of the Red Hot Poppas – Jason Berry
11-Year Zero – NOLAFugees
12-Heart Like Water – Josh Clark
13- Sugarcane Academy – Michael Tisserand
Fine, I went overboard. Just call the last three lagniappe. 8-P
I don’t know if I could only pick 10 top NOLA related book! I love “Confederacy of Dunces” and “Managing Ignatious”- don’t wait! Go read it, it’s really interesting!
Some others:
“Why New Orleans Matters” by Tom PIazza
The two series of books set in NOLA by Julie Smith
The “Liquor” series by Poppy Z. Brite
“Feet on the Street” by Roy Blount Jr.
Tony Dunbar’s books set in NOLA
“Return to Mardi Gras” by Richard Sherman
“Mardi Gras the Way it Was” by Robet Tallant
“Fabulous New Orleans” by Lyle Saxton
“Blue Dog Saloon” by James p. Callahan and T. Stanley Bradley
and all the ones liprap noted that I forgot.
I did two book lists back in December for the Daily Kos community, sort of Christmas buyers guide lists.
Non-Fiction: http://www.ebranley.com/2008/03/new-orleans-book-basics-nonfic.html
and Fiction:
http://www.ebranley.com/2008/03/top-ten-booklist-fiction.html
I wish I had suggestions, but I’ve always been looking for good New Orleans books to read so your post just helped a lot.
I just finished reading “Eat, Pray, Love” and it wasn’t too bad. Another recent favorite (and was really amazing) was “Middlesex.”
Nola! You know this is getting too weird how our lives keep merging with our posts! Your number one is on my list of – which book should I read? – that I posted today! AND! I just sent this NOLA author to a friend today to read. I don’t think that this is very well known, but I loved it! An Ohio girl moves to NOLA to go to art school and spends a year as a stripper to earn money. Not as trashy as you might imagine but great insight into the stripper world. And true! Did I already tell you about this one? Anyway, it is “Pretty is a just a face I make” by Ellen Mae Smith.
You’ve left out the Lafcadio Hearn, which I’m counting as read. Otherwise, I’ve only read 1, 5, 6 and some of 4. Need to read 10.
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What a great list! I’m a terrible reader. I haven’t read A Street Car Named Desire
I picked it up since so many bloggers keep raving about it.
I am just staring to read Water For Elephants
Ed, your lists just made my Amazon wish list explode! I think I could read ONLY books about or set in NOLA for the rest of the year and still not be caught up on all the ones I want to read.
Thanks for the list! Confederacy of Dunces is my absolute favorite novel. I’ve bought so many copies to give out to friends I should probably be earning a commission. I went to visit Ignatius statue when I was there in Feb. I read Managing Ignatius, too, but nothing else on your list.
I’m almost through Gumbo Pages. I’m really enjoying it; I wonder what someone who lives in NOLA would think about the outsider’s perpective of the food culture.
Oops I meant Gumbo Tales
I would second Gumbo Ya Ya. A displaced NOLA resident gave us a copy. We’ve enjoyed reading it. I’ve not been here long enough to have my own list.
Not New Orleans books but good ones:
1. Suite Francaise
2. Five quarters of the orange (lots of food in this book…it makes me hungry every time I reread it)
3. The Woman in White (Written in the 1800′s it was one of the first ‘suspense’ novels).
I just finished reading Song for My Fathers by Tom Sacton (Scanton) crud I just forgot and LOVED it. I picked up “In the Land of Cocktails” the other day and came thisclose to buying it…but it wasn’t in the budget just then. I need to read more NOLA books…my friend has a bunch of interesting ones on Storyville and whatnot that I am working my way through.
New Orleans must read:
Dinner at Antoine’s (Francis Parkinson Keyes)
Food lovers & Southerner’s must read(s):
Prince of Tides (Pat Conoy)
Beach Music (Pat Conroy)
Cooking for Mr. Latte (Amanda Hesser)
Mr. Latte is a total chick lit book, however it is a perfect light read for any foodie out there
I just got my very own copy of In the Land of Cocktails…it is snuggled in the bookshelf inbetween a Tom Fitzsimmons and the cookbook of Galatoires. Mmmmm.
Streetcar is one of my favourite works ever, and it absolutely captures New Orleans.
A Confederacy of Dunces sounds interesting to me, I’m going to have a look for it.
Irish sounding Author too!
Thanks for humoring me, Nola! I’m not a big fan of memes myself, but I do like to read.
I’m gonna have to check out French Quarter Fiction, per your recommendation!
Cheers,
Ivy
I loved “A Confederacy of Dunces.” I bought it on vacation once from the budget table… now it is one of my all time favorites. The back-story on Toole is amazing, and very sad.
I forgot to add to the recommendations Intimate Enemies about the Baroness Pontalba and Degas in New Orleans, which is pretty self-explanatory.
It’s not a book, but I think Evangeline is a must.
The Awakening has been permanently knocked off my list. I actually liked the book, but it was required reading for a lit class I took in college. I took the class only because it rounded out my English minor. Anyway, we were assigned the book to read and be ready to discuss for a certain date. Since it was college, I had far more important things to do than actual assignments, so I found myself with a virtually unread book the night before it was due. I stayed up most of the night reading so that I’d be able to discuss it. When I got to class the next morning, nobody had finished it but me, so the prof decided to give more time to finish. I dropped the class as soon as I found out I didn’t acutally need it!
[...] wrote a post back in early 2008 listing my top ten favorite NOLA reads. Since that time, I’ve read more NOLA books, some excellent, some forgettable. So I thought [...]