Customer Reviews

Down in New Orleans: Reflections from a Drowned City

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I liked this book because it made me examine some pre-concieved notions I had(have.) It took me several chapters to figure out the author's race and religion and my perceptions morphed during the exercise.

I used to live in New Orleans and my brother still does. He was there through Katrina and I was there less than 2 weeks after.

The book presents some of the most grievous episodes of post-Katrina NOLA--evacuees turned back on the Crescent City connection, the handling of state prisoners, the case of Abdulrahman Zeitoun and tries to extrapolate from them a theory of systematic oppression. I didn't quite buy it, but the author shines a light on some obvious problems in southern Louisiana.

As a lawyer who represents death penalty prisoners he has a clear bias against law enforcement and "the system." Every instance of authority paints the law enforcement officers in the worst possible light. I don't doubt that there are bad cops in New Orleans, but I worked with many noble selfless officers when I worked in the Emergnecy Rooms in Baton Rouge, Metairie and Bay St Louis, MS. Still, there's no defense for women pushing strollers to be forced back to the Superdome at shotgun point.

The book reads like a confession from the author who is trying to exorcise his survivor's guilt rather than an objective reflection on what happened. It is an interesting an compelling read, but it's only a few moments of one side of a very long story.

The book is amazingly written and inspired me to fall even more in love with New Orleans. The painful facts of what happened after Katrina and the light they shed on the entire situation in this wonderful city historically are painted in wonderful prose and journalistic rigor. The book has different sections; some history, some personal experiences, and some vignettes of people and systems after the storm. The book is a good length to leave one feeling satisfied but not overburdened. Although the subject matter is difficult to swallow and not necessarily pleasant to think about the author inspires hope. Just knowing that people with his unique and informed viewpoint exist and are working hard to make this world a better place made me feel calm and inspired to continue dedicating my life to such work. It is rare in this world to find positivity and Billy Sothern oozes it but not in a traditional sense-his educated cynicism and analytical mind set give him an uncanny grasp on the injustice int he world, but he is smart and positive enough to do something about it. JUST READ THIS BOOK IT'S AMAZING!

New Orleans was my parents first home after the WWII, and they truly loved every inch, every oddity, every horn, every bar, every hotel and citizen of this world that was unlike either of them had ever experienced. They shared the city with my sister and I, we grew up with the music, the smell and the food in our veins. Billy Sothern writes a symphony in words and emotions that every American should read and hear, an instrumental rendering of failures and racisim, of the death and resurection of a great American treasure. Buy and keep this book for your children and theirs!

Disclaimer: I went to law school with Billy and was always moved by the heart and conviction he showed in an overwhelmingly corporate-directed environment. That he has spent his career representing death row inmates in New Orleans is not a surprise, but it is an inspiration. I loved reading the book: Billy writes beautifully and with heart. His deep love for NOLA comes through on every page, as does his pain at the aftermath of Katrina. The book is also impressively well researched. As a reader, I learned and I felt. To Billy: thank you for writing this and thank you for what you do. If only there were more people like you . . .

Written with a very liberal slant, I found this book to be too biased in blaming the government for the woes of those left behind. While certainly, there is enough blame to go around, and the government did indeed fail, still, while reading this book, the lack of emphasis on personal responsibility was troubling to me.

However, I did enjoy learning about Louisiana politics and history. And, I did appreciate the authors clear, concise depiction of the political machine in place that allowed a swamp land to be developed for the sake of the almighty dollar.

I've read many books written about Katrina. This one is at the bottom of the list.