Customer Reviews

Along the River Road: Past and Present on Louisiana's Historic Byway

5 star:		(4)
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2 star:		(2)
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Describing details along both River Roads (one on each bank) from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, this is a great read. From Colonial to Antebellum to the Refineries populating the area now, its a very interesting and informative book. Including both straightforward history about various plantations and local people as well as colorful local stories, it's a great read. I only wish someone would write a guide like this for the area stretching north from Baton Rouge to Natchez to make it dovetail with Persac's map, around which much of the book revolves.

This guide by far is the absolute best novel to use for a reference about Louisiana's River Road. It starts just past New Orleans from the East Bank and goes upriver, crosses at Baton Rouge and then continues back downriver to New Orleans marking points along the way by mile markers. This book will tell you where you will find every plantation, every creole housee - every single place that is or remotely historical in nature. This book is NOT to be left behind when exploring Louisiana's magical River Road.

This book provides an excellent narrative but is poorly organized and lacks maps and photos which would have made it a much more useful guide book. When it is redone, it should start with a map with number references for the plantations and ruins described, put them in logical sequencial order and provide at least one black and white photo for each to aid readers.

I think this book must have arrived the day after I ordered it, sold as used but in like new condition. The first half of the book addresses the cultural, political and natural history of the river road district in chapter after chapter before you get to the second section which is set out in geographical order as a handbook for travelers. It is like no other travel book I have ever read. Obviously a labor of love meant to reveal to the traveler more than meets the eye through the windshield of one's car. It will reward those who flip to whichever milepost to learn the historical significance of a church, barn or factory as it will reward those who have the patience and curiosity to read it cover to cover.

For a book that is stated to be rich in history and culture of Louisiana's River Road is miss leading. This book is and unorganized short review of the River Road. I bought the book to read because of the German Settlement of the Coast of Louisiana. When looking information in the Index you need to read between the lines (Word) to find the exactly what is means. This is not a mile by mile guide tour when you go back and forth.

This revised and expanded version of Sternberg's previous work makes for fascinating reading for both visitors and Louisiana natives. It is not only a wonderful guidebook, but concise glimpse of the history of the Great River Road. For more from this author I suggest "Winding Through Time" which is her study of the history and influence of Bayou Manchac.