"Why New Orleans Matters"

[Delta]

By author Tom Piazza. Are any of you familiar with this book? Any recommendations one way or the other?

[mightyradgumbo]

I personally highly recommend it. It really captures the city in all possible lights.

[Carolina Beadhead]

I, too, thoroughly enjoyed it. Go for it...

[Phatpapa]

Ditto. Great read, Delta. Money well spent IMHO

[Delta]

Thank you. Definitely sounds like it's worth a trip up the street to the book signing.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/ENT02/80815018

[Staxsun]

By author Tom Piazza. Are any of you familiar with this book? Any recommendations one way or the other?

Lots of discussion when this first came out. I admit I haven't read it, but he's a nice guy and a good writer.

[glinda]

Nice lil book, quick read. Not much depth if you already know a lot about the city's culture, but still some nice stories. I read it then passed it on to a friend who promised to do the same... hoping that someone who doesn't yet know her charms will gain a better appreciation of NOLA.

[BigDag]

You'll enjoy it.

[Belle]

Gave away a Threadhead cookbook last year for a copy and it was enjoyed very much. It has continued on its journey to another and another.

Good read..

[Blitzzzzz]

By author Tom Piazza. Are any of you familiar with this book? Any recommendations one way or the other?

Pretty light read, IMHO, I wasn't so impressed, but it did come with a lot of hype at the time. I'm told his new book, "City of Refuge" which contrasts a black family from the lower ninth with a white family from uptown and their pre and post thing experiences is well recommended.
http://www.tompiazza.com/images/books_pub/City_of_Refuge_med.jpg

I would also recommend "Blues for New Orleans," by Roger D. Abrahams, with Nick Spitzer, John F. Szwed, and Robert Farris Thompson. A much deeper look at the special cultural ingredients that make up the New Orleans gumbo!
http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/img/covers/14220.jpg:cool:

[swag]

Today's T-P has an article on Tom Piazza:

http://www.nola.com/living/t-p/index.ssf?/base//living-11/121895174890710.xml&coll=1

[Rob]

I'm reading A Season of Night by Ian McNulty, which is a very personal account of the author's return to New Orleans after the storm and, by extension, a love letter to the city. I highly recommend it.

Rob

[Belle]

I'm reading A Season of Night by Ian McNulty, which is a very personal account of the author's return to New Orleans after the storm and, by extension, a love letter to the city. I highly recommend it.

Rob

Thanks for that heads up!
Not bad for a blogger and Gambit food writer What is best is this a story of coming home. Lots has been written about the event, the trials of staying but this seems to be more of a celebration of returning home.

Putting it on the list of books to buy.

[ShaSha]

Just finished City of Refuge. I'm not familiar with Tom Piazza and grabbed this book off the free shelf at work. As historical fiction , I thought it was alright. His writing style isn't my cup of tea and if this book were about any other city, I probably wouldn't have finished it. The first half is really boring; made it a tough read for me. When the two families begin to prepare for IT, the books turns a corner and gets more readable. The stories of the 2 families and their struggles to figure out what life is after the storm are touching.

I think this one is supposed to be published in September.



Pretty light read, IMHO, I wasn't so impressed, but it did come with a lot of hype at the time. I'm told his new book, "City of Refuge" which contrasts a black family from the lower ninth with a white family from uptown and their pre and post thing experiences is well recommended.
http://www.tompiazza.com/images/books_pub/City_of_Refuge_med.jpg