Fabulous New Orleans [Paperback]

Lyle Saxon (Author), E. H. Suydam (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 1989

Saxonís accounts include Mardi Gras as seen through the eyes of a boy and a brief history of the city.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lyle Saxon (1891-1946) ranks among Louisianaís most outstanding writers. During the 1920s and 1930s he was the central figure in the regionís literary community, and was widely known as a raconteur and bon vivant. In addition to Father Mississippi , Lafitte the Pirate, and Children of Strangers, he also wrote Fabulous New Orleans , Old Louisiana, The Friends of Joe Gilmore, and was a co-author of Gumbo Ya-Ya, with Edward Dreyer and Robert Tallant. During the Depression, he directed the state WPA Writers Project, which produced the WPA Guide to Louisiana and the WPA Guide to New Orleans.

Product Details

• Paperback: 338 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing; Second Edition edition (January 31, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882897063
• ISBN-13: 978-0882897066
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #919,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like entering a dream, March 21, 2000

By 

"kellyw" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fabulous New Orleans (Paperback)

Having been raised in the north, I had very little idea or interest in the history of New Orleans. Upon visiting this wonderous city for a business trip years ago, I was fasinated and intriquied by the dreamlike quality this city exists in. A strange mixture of past and present, of mixed cultures and traditions and the feeling that ghosts are at every corner. I found Lyle Saxon's book at our local library by accident, the version published in 1928. The first chapter had me glued to a book for the first time in years. Reading about his own adventures in New Orleans, abet generations before my time, brought a familiar sense that has stayed with me since that first visit. it may be difficult to read this book and visualize if you haven't been, and if you have been, it's like remembering a beautiful dream or a part of your childhood you had forgotten. Visit the city and then buy this book.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memories from Shreveport, February 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fabulous New Orleans (Paperback)

When my mother-in-law was growing up in the 20's and 30's in Shreveport, LA, this book was considered the most authentic story of slavery and customs of the area. The other book by Lyle Saxon she remembers is "Old Lousiana." I'm ordering both for her.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing history lessons, April 9, 2004

By 

Stephanie Pera "Ms Stef" (Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fabulous New Orleans (Hardcover)

Having been totally seduced by a trip to New Orleans last fall, finding this book (despite its dated references) was like opening a wonderous treasure chest. Saxon's narrative is informed and at times personal, and Sudyam's illustrations only reinforce this. Along with the current books about New Orleans, this is a must read. New Orleans is an old city with a storied history, not all of it pleasant. See the city through the eyes of Lyle Saxon and see history come alive.