The World That Made New Orleans

[ShaSha]

So, I finally finished reading this book (author = Ned Sublette) and I gotta say that I really didn't know much about NO's history.

I was particularly ignorant of the Spanish influence - duh! Anyhoo, I read an advanced copy, but it is scheduled to be released in January '08. Sublette begins in 1492 and winds up in the mid-1850's.

Though it could serve as a textbook, some of it read quickly, like a trashy novel. ;) If they would only teach history the way that it happened, people (school kids in particular) would not dread it so much.

From Iberville (and his celebration of Mardi Gras with the Houma Indians) and Bienville's Canadian influence to Natchitoches (pronounced nakatish - who knew?) to Philippe II, Duc D'Orleans...

"Orleans's father, known to all as Monsieur, had been frequently humiliated by his brother the king, and derived great pleasure from shocking the court. Monsieur was flamingly homosexual, appearing in public on one occasion in decolletage and earrings to dance the minuet with his beautiful lover, Philippe de Lorraine-Armagnac."

The caption for a pic of Phil II reads: "Philippe II, Duc D'Orleans, Regent of France, debauched amateur composer, gourmet, and festive night owl, for whom New Orleans was named and for whose family Bourbon Street was named."

The stories of the all-night parties Philippe II would throw are a crack up...especially when compared to NO today. The apple clearly fell across the ocean, but not far from the tree.

If you see it and are at all interested, pick it up. It's an eye opener.

[McGregor]

Perfect. I've been looking for a book on NO history lately. Added to my Christmas list, thank you!

[Staxsun]

I used to get my New Orleans history fix by reading Hartnett Kane books. Kind of like taking your medicine tucked in your dessert.

[ohio]

Sounds great, Sha! And YYR, kids are robbed of an honest history education and have been for some time.

[i wanna be in NOLA]

Just put in a pre-order with B&N. Thanks for the idea.

[dank_bass]

http://www.amazon.com/French-Quarter-Informal-History-Underworld/dp/1560254947/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/104-2753346-0208726?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193251148&sr=1-3

its a great read, starts with the history of the the first settlers of NO (no LA yet ;) ... and goes right through about the turn of the century

[dank_bass]

The same author who wrote the book i just mentioned also, has one about chicago, and im pretty sure he wrote the "gangs of NY" ... But I noticed you were from Chi-Town so there ya go

[dank_bass]

There was also a real interesting period of the early history of the city (or settlement at this point), when the population was suffering, many women had died, and the population wasnt growing. A French prison was emptied women of questionable character many of them prostitutes, who were sent to New Orleans to procreate. Many NOLA natives bloodlines can be traced back to these women

[chrisjoseph]

how did you get a copy? amazon is showing a release date of January 08.

[ShaSha]

http://www.amazon.com/French-Quarter-Informal-History-Underworld/dp/1560254947/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/104-2753346-0208726?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193251148&sr=1-3

its a great read, starts with the history of the the first settlers of NO (no LA yet ;) ... and goes right through about the turn of the century

Thanks...will check it out!

1st sentence:
THE DEVELOPMENT of the New Orleans of legend and tradition began during the administration of the French Governor the Marquis de Vaudreuil (1743-53), with its gaudy social functions, widespread governmental corruption, and the tolerance with which lapses from the strict moral code were regarded.

[ShaSha]

how did you get a copy? amazon is showing a release date of January 08.

Who? Me?

We get advance copies of all sorts of books here. Our editors receive them to write reviews or to use as research for their articles. What they don't want or what they no longer need, they pile onto the the "free" shelf. I shop there almost daily. :)

[i wanna be in NOLA]

There was also a real interesting period of the early history of the city (or settlement at this point), when the population was suffering, many women had died, and the population wasnt growing. A French prison was emptied women of questionable character many of them prostitutes, who were sent to New Orleans to procreate. Many NOLA natives bloodlines can be traced back to these women

Fascinating!

I'll look for the Asbury books. Thanks.

[i wanna be in NOLA]

Thanks...will check it out!

1st sentence:
THE DEVELOPMENT of the New Orleans of legend and tradition began during the administration of the French Governor the Marquis de Vaudreuil (1743-53), with its gaudy social functions, widespread governmental corruption, and the tolerance with which lapses from the strict moral code were regarded.

heheheh -- the more things change...

[glinda]

Thanks...will check it out!

1st sentence:
THE DEVELOPMENT of the New Orleans of legend and tradition began during the administration of the French Governor the Marquis de Vaudreuil (1743-53), with its gaudy social functions, widespread governmental corruption, and the tolerance with which lapses from the strict moral code were regarded.
Some things never change!

[Cleophus]

So, I finally finished reading this book (author = Ned Sublette) and I gotta say that I really didn't know much about NO's history.


Thanks for the heads-up! I'll check it out when it is released.


One history of NO that I personally like is "Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children" by John Chase. It's ostensibly a book about how NO streets got their names, but is more of an informal, light-hearted history of the city. I've read it 2 or 3 times now.

http://www.amazon.com/Frenchmen-Desire-Good-Children-Streets/dp/1565549317/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-8607769-2989228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193335007&sr=8-1

[ShaSha]

:D Excellent...thanks for the tip.

Maybe we need a Whatcha Reading thread?

[funkkjunkie]

Here's one:
http://www.nojazzfest.com/chat/showthread.php?t=62&highlight=reading

[i wanna be in NOLA]

how did you get a copy? amazon is showing a release date of January 08.

Someone must have decided to release it early. I just r'cd notification from B&N that it shipped today.

[McGregor]

Perfect. I've been looking for a book on NO history lately. Added to my Christmas list, thank you!

Wow, I love this book. I got it last night as a present and can't put it down.

If you love the city like we all do, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, it's cool fun read!

Merry Christmas!

[McGregor]

Though it could serve as a textbook, some of it read quickly, like a trashy novel. ;) If they would only teach history the way that it happened, people (school kids in particular) would not dread it so much.


okay, just one more post on this subject and I'll quit

The above quote by ShaSha rings so true. Read this book, you'll be fascinated all the way through. I love Phillip II, Duke of Orleans and the individual the city was named after. He liked to eat, party, stay up late and have a good time. Shocker!:D

[Cleophus]

Just finished this book -- very good!
Thanks again for the heads-up/recommendation, ShaSha!

[McGregor]

I recommend reading this next:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=31096023&listingid=14818650&dcaid=17902
http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/prod_lrg_images/023/31096023.jpg
It summarizes the The World that Made NO in the first 40 pages or so and then has great little stories and anecdotes about the Big Easy all throughout. Cheap book too!

Little tales like why Frenchmen St is called such make it a fun read.

[NeenAtlanta]

Barbara Hambly has a series of books about a man named Benjamin January. They are set in early NOLA. He is a "creole" who was educated as a doctor in France, and came back to N.O. to practice, but it barely tolerated because of his color. He is also a musician.

They are dense books filled with tons of details, but are basically Mystery books.

They were fun reads while I learned a lot at the same time. Like they called the early Americans "Ken-Tucks" and they were the lowest of all on the social ladder.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=benjamin+january

"In Barbara Hambly's rich and poignant thriller, it's 1833 and Ben January--a man of mixed blood making his living as a musician because he's not allowed to practice surgery--is back home in New Orleans after years of freedom in Paris. Trying to walk a caste line more complicated than India's, January risks his precarious position to investigate the killing of a young woman who--like his own younger, lighter half-sister--is the mistress of a wealthy white man. What has changed most in New Orleans while Ben was away is the influence of the white Americans: rough, ignorant, instinctively racist. Only one of these--a policeman named Abishag Shaw--seems to understand that January is at least as smart and valuable as he is, and even he at times appears to be ready to side with the white majority and pin the crime on Ben"

[Cleophus]

Thanks for the recommendations, McGregor & Neen!

[funkkjunkie]

I just couldn't get into these, neen, but I recommended them to my friend who loves historical fiction and she loves them.

[NeenAtlanta]

I just couldn't get into these, neen, but I recommended them to my friend who loves historical fiction and she loves them.

I know what you mean - they are pretty dense books filled with LOTS of details and information. I actually stopped reading after the first two books, but plan to go back again and give it another try. But YYR for historical fiction they are great.

[ibjamn]

It' Summertime! Time for some light, fluffy beach reading! I love Poppy Z. Brite's Liquor series, a series of 3 books (although there are 2 prequels) about 2 young chefs struggling in the NOLA food world. There is an Emeril-like character. They are fun and a lightening fast read. Poppy is a native New Orleanian and a fascinating person. Her hubby, Chris is the chef at Delachaise and formerly of Christians. She says she is writing a post-k book in the series but has been struggling herself since the thing.
http://www.poppyzbrite.com/

[saturn]

It' Summertime! Time for some light, fluffy beach reading! I love Poppy Z. Brite's Liquor series, a series of 3 books (although there are 3 prequels) about 2 young chefs struffling in the NOLA food world. There is an Emeril-like character. They are fun and a lightening fast read. Poppy is a native New Orleanian and a fascinating person. Her hubby, Chris is the chef at Delachaise and formerly of Christians. She says she is writing a post-k book in the series but has been struggling herself since the thing.
http://www.poppyzbrite.com/

I have just finished reading Prime, the second of the series, and I agree - very enjoyable.

[NeenAtlanta]

It' Summertime! Time for some light, fluffy beach reading! I love Poppy Z. Brite's Liquor series, a series of 3 books (although there are 2 prequels) about 2 young chefs struggling in the NOLA food world. There is an Emeril-like character. They are fun and a lightening fast read. Poppy is a native New Orleanian and a fascinating person. Her hubby, Chris is the chef at Delachaise and formerly of Christians. She says she is writing a post-k book in the series but has been struggling herself since the thing.
http://www.poppyzbrite.com/

And don't forget Tubby Dubonnet books. Light, fun reading. As he runs around solving mysteries, we get to hear where he eats and what he eats for every meal. Love it.

[Cleophus]

Looks like Ned Sublette just released a new book about New Orleans:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1556528248/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1D7SD12V9KPKMCG5WGVZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Sounds fascinating -- I can't wait to read this.

[Baconwrapped]

Looks like Ned Sublette just released a new book about New Orleans:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1556528248/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1D7SD12V9KPKMCG5WGVZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Sounds fascinating -- I can't wait to read this.

Dito, Cleo... "World" is absolutely terrific, and the reviews of this one have been very positive. I have his Cuba book and will be reading it too one of these days.

[Cleophus]

I haven't seen too much press for this (i.e., no NY Times review yet).... Just picked up a copy (had to go to Palo Alto to find one!) Sunday night, hope to read it soon.

(Howzit goin', Baconwrapped!?)

[BigDag]

I haven't seen too much press for this (i.e., no NY Times review yet).... Just picked up a copy (had to go to Palo Alto to find one!) Sunday night, hope to read it soon.

(Howzit goin', Baconwrapped!?)

There's a feature about Ned Sublette in this week's Gambit:

http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A61612

[Baconwrapped]

I haven't seen too much press for this (i.e., no NY Times review yet).... Just picked up a copy (had to go to Palo Alto to find one!) Sunday night, hope to read it soon.

(Howzit goin', Baconwrapped!?)

Hi Cleo... we miss you on the Giants board! Come back to the light.... er, darkness!!

[Blitzzzzz]

There's a feature about Ned Sublette in this week's Gambit:

http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A61612

Sounds like the new book will be interesting, too. So many books, so little time!
I'm just finishing up a Erik Larson double play, "Thunderstruck" and "The Devil in the White City," which were laid on me during my recovery and have to find time for "Issac's Storm" which I've wanted to read forever!:cool:

[Baconwrapped]

If we're talking about New Orleans books, I hope everyone here has read Tom Piazza's "City of Refuge," a novel (fiction in only the strictest sense) of the Katrina/flood experience. Tom is an absolutely brilliant writer, as I'm sure many of you know...

[Cleophus]

There's a feature about Ned Sublette in this week's Gambit:

http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A61612

Thanks for the tip, BigDag! OffBeat had an excerpt from the book recently as well, but I hadn't seen Gambit's piece.

[Cleophus]

Hi Cleo... we miss you on the Giants board! Come back to the light.... er, darkness!!

:D

Will 'stop by' there soon!

[Corona]

I recommend reading this next:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=31096023&listingid=14818650&dcaid=17902
http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/prod_lrg_images/023/31096023.jpg
It summarizes the The World that Made NO in the first 40 pages or so and then has great little stories and anecdotes about the Big Easy all throughout. Cheap book too!

Little tales like why Frenchmen St is called such make it a fun read.
I found a first edition of this book on ebay....it's already been shipped to the Jamn's for when I get to Festgiving. Can't wait to get my hands on it. Thanks!!!

[Corona]

It' Summertime! Time for some light, fluffy beach reading! I love Poppy Z. Brite's Liquor series, a series of 3 books (although there are 2 prequels) about 2 young chefs struggling in the NOLA food world. There is an Emeril-like character. They are fun and a lightening fast read. Poppy is a native New Orleanian and a fascinating person. Her hubby, Chris is the chef at Delachaise and formerly of Christians. She says she is writing a post-k book in the series but has been struggling herself since the thing.
http://www.poppyzbrite.com/
I have a few of Poppy's books and LOVED them. Very easy, brainless reading...which is what I need at the end of the day. The foodie part makes me drool too :)

[glinda]

I recommend reading this next:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=31096023&listingid=14818650&dcaid=17902
http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/prod_lrg_images/023/31096023.jpg
It summarizes the The World that Made NO in the first 40 pages or so and then has great little stories and anecdotes about the Big Easy all throughout. Cheap book too!

Little tales like why Frenchmen St is called such make it a fun read.

An informal history of New Orleans "underworld." I didn't think anything in New Orleans was "underworld." It's all there, out in broad moonlight, unashamed and part of the "norm," isn't it?