Customer Reviews

Bohemian New Orleans: The Story of the Outsider and Loujon Press

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New Orleans, along with New York and San Francisco, was one of the three poles of the Beat movement. This book illuminates a small but important corner of what was a much larger story about the Beats and The French Quarter. The title is greatly misleading. The book says almost nothing about "bohemian New Orleans" per se. The book is a dual biography of Jon and Louise Webb. The Webbs flitted (not meant pejoratively) around the country, alighting at various times in New Orleans. But the bohemian aspects of New Orleans are mostly MIA here. There is no mention of the resident Beats of the time, no mention of the Ryder and Quorum coffeehouses, no mention of Ivan Kotterman's salon, and so on. However, if you want a very detailed look at the world of 50s and 60s Beat poetry, and who owed what to whom, this is your book. A thoughtful re-titling is in order if this book goes to a second edition.

I really liked this book this a lot. I thought at first it might be a little too academic for me but I was impressed by how accessible it was since I didn't know much about small press publishing beforehand. It turned out to be a great story about the literary small press in New Orleans. Also, it is a good read for any Bukowski fans or fans of the Beat generation.

Like most potential readers, I first read of Loujon press via my interest in the writing and life of Charles Bukowski. My interest in Loujon increased after having lived in New Orleans in the 80s and having encountered a little of the artistic and literary life there. From Weddle's book I've learned a lot about the Bukowski connection and the New Orleans connection and how the beautifully hand made publications of Loujon were also premier in American literature re-emerging in the 60s. Very interesting to learn of Walter Lowenfels involvement and the focus that Loujon had on Kenneth Patchen as well as Henry Miller.