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New Orleans novels, and other bits
John Scalzi, on what it means to be poor.
Jesus' General's Republican Jesus on the same topic.
The Constant Gardner -- one of the best movies of the last five years.
And this excellent question:
This whole tragedy has made me want to reread Penelope/Penn Williamson's crime novels, "Mortal Sin" and "wages of sin" which are set in New Orleans. I am sure there are lots more novels that pay homage to the city. Can anyone suggest any good ones to read?Posted by: Jacqui at September 2, 2005 11:13 PM
A quick list of the novels set in New Orleans and the greater Gulf area devastated by Katrina (the ones that come to mind first, in no particular order):
- George Washington Cable's The Grandissimes (and everything else he wrote)
- Karen Palmer's All Saints.
- Anne Rice's The Feast of All Saints
- John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces
- Eileen Dryer's Sinners and Saints
- Kate Chopin's The Awakening
- Michael Ondaatje's Coming through the Slaughter
- James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series, starting with The Neon Rain.
If you have a novel to add to this list, please comment and I'll keep a running tally.
September 3, 2005 06:22 AM
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Comments
Poppy Z. Brite's "Liquor" and "Prime", both excellent novels about restaurant folk in New Orleans. Ms. Brite (http://www.livejournal.com/users/docbrite/) lives in New Orleans, got away just in time, but there's a large possibility that she's lost everything.
Posted by: marrije at September 3, 2005 12:36 PM
Barbara Hambly's Benjamin January series
Posted by: pj thompson at September 3, 2005 03:04 PM
Time to watch "The Big Easy" again.
Then, time to get my calendar, and write KATRINA on the first day of the month, every month, as far into the future as it goes, to remind myself that people are going to need contributions and support, and politicians are going to need to be harassed and reminded and called to account, for many, many months to come.
Posted by: robyn at September 3, 2005 09:33 PM
Anne Rice in today's NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/opinion/04rice.html?ei=5090&en;=ce2f33f8719dba9c&ex;=1283486400&partner;=rssuserland&emc;=rss&pagewanted;=print
Posted by: robyn at September 4, 2005 10:41 AM
An easy read, if outdated: Arthur Hailey's Hotel
Posted by: Sheena Walsh at September 4, 2005 04:25 PM
I was going to suggest the Liquor series as well. It also includes The Value of X, a prequel that came out via a small pres and isn't widely available in stores.
Having spent three books and several short stories with those characters, I feel as if I've been to the Lower Ninth Ward, and the pictures on CNN were a punch to the gut.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 5, 2005 06:31 AM
New Orleans Mayor in NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/02/national/nationalspecial/02TEXT-NAGIN.html
P.S. I came across this link on Laurell K. Hamilton's web site.
Posted by: Desiree at September 5, 2005 09:33 AM
Desiree thanks for that link. That is the saddest thing I have read in a long time. you can feel the desperation in Mayor Nagin's words.
The government has let its people down. I really feel like there is justification in playing Michael Moore' "Shame on you Mr. Bush" speech all over again.
Posted by: Alison at September 6, 2005 05:55 PM
Fat White Vampire Blues by Andrew Fox, and the sequel, Bride of The Fat White Vampire.
Fox was out of state during the hurricane and flooding.
Liquor, Prime, and the short story collection of The Devil You Know by Poppy Z. Brite.
Brite was convinced finally to leave New Orleans by her mother. She and her husband had to leave behind dozens of rescued feral cats they housed. You can follow her Live Journal as "docbrite".
Posted by: Ter Matthies at September 14, 2005 10:44 PM