Welcome Back
Russell Baker: "Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."
Summer - what happened to summer? June is a fond and distant memory of being busy with classes, books, plans for fall etc... There was another writing class scheduled in July along with the dream of day trips and enjoying summer afternoons. However, during a visit to my hometown just before Independence Day, acute bronchitis took control of my family. Tucked back into our own homes (in three different states) we complained to each other via texting (it hurt too much to talk). We compared doctors' visits and temperatures. We coughed a lot. A whole lot. I missed my class in early July and spent the rest of the month in a tired haze.
A hopeful sign of better health around the corner was a renewed interest in evenings spent reading. And I was fortunate enough to have a leaning tower of books as company.
Nancy Jensen's "The Sisters" is a poignant story of an older sister trying to protect a younger sister, and the plan goes horribly wrong. "The Sisters" examines the power of family secrets and misunderstood actions.
The newest memoir by Gail Caldwell, "New Life, No Instructions" will resonate with baby boomers as Caldwell works through the universal question: "What do you do when the story changes in midlife?" Caldwell shares her own struggle with aging and making sense of a rapidly changing life.
The first book I've read from the long list of Kate Morton's work is "The Secret Keeper." Morton's character, Laurel, witnesses a murder, and as with many family secrets (especially in Morton's books) the truth demands to be set free decades later.
If you need to cool off and shiver with fear at the same time, check out these two books: "Winter People" by Jennifer McMahon and "Mind of Winter" by Laura Kasischke. I read them back-to-back over a weekend. If I had to choose which was the most gripping - "Winter People" would be my choice. Told from different viewpoints and even different eras in West Hall, Vermont, the story involves a mother's disappearance and asks the question - can we bring back the dead? "Mind of Winter" tells the tale of a young couple who adopt a baby from Russia. But did something else join them on the trip back to the United States? A snowed-in Christmas Day provides all the answers. If you still need to feel a shiver, read Stephen King's latest - "Mr. Mercedes." The novel is both unsettling and sad.
And just in time for back to school, read "Year of Billy Miller" by Kevin Henkes. It is a sweet, but not sentimental, story of a little boy's journey through second grade.
Happy Reading!
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
We'll miss you, dear Spot
Eugene O'Neill, speaking on behalf of his dog, Blemie: "Say to yourselves with regret, but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long and happy life with you: 'Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved.' "
*****
Toddlers around the world have lost a true friend. Eric Hill, author and illustrator of the beloved "Spot" series, died on June 6. Mr. Hill was 86 years old.
According to Penguin Books USA, Mr. Hill first freelanced as an art director, graphic designer and illustrator before creating the Spot series. Mr. Hill had credited his son, Christopher, as being the inspiration for the stories detailing the mischievous puppy's adventures.
If you're ever at a loss as to what book to buy for a newborn or preschooler, consider "Spot." Lift the flaps, turn the pages, and smile as the little pup learns manners, goes on a walk, and bakes a cake.
My favorite Spots:
Spot's First Walk
Where's Spot?
Spot Goes to the Library
Thursday, May 1, 2014
**May**
Robert Burns: "It was the charming month of May, when all the flow'rs were fresh and gay."
Let's celebrate the arrival of May. The warmer days invite us outdoors to enjoy sunshine along with a good book. We're encouraged to honor mothers, and remember those who died in battle. There's a nod to childhood with memories of Mother Goose and Batman. Maybe the most creative celebration of May is "Get Caught Reading Month." What will YOU be caught reading??
In May, look for new books by Stephen King, Dorothea Benton Frank, Richard Paul Evans, Mary Pope Osborne, Laurell K. Hamilton, Douglas Preston and James Patterson.
May is:
Creative Beginnings Month
Get Caught Reading Month
Latino Books Month
1 - Batman Day; Mother Goose Day. Channel your inner Gotham City hero or recite a rhyme or two.
3 - World Press Freedom Day. Reporters around the world struggle each day to bring us the news. According to the Huffington Post and the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 70 journalists were killed in 2013, covering conflict zones or "sensitive" subjects.
4 - Birthday of David Guterson, author of "Snow Falling on Cedars."
5 - Cartoonist Day. Your favorite cartoon character would be... Snoopy? Zonker or Blondie? Mark Trail or Sally Forth?
10 - Birthday of Caroline B. Cooney, author of "Face on the Milk Carton."
11 - Mother's Day
11-17 - Reading is Fun Week. Humor, celebrity memoirs, gardening, etc... There's a book waiting to charm or amuse all of us.
12-18 - Children's Book Week. Discover or read again these classic authors: Lois Ehlert, Beverly Cleary, Walter Farley, E.B. White, Robert McCloskey, Madeleine L'Engle.
15 - Birthday of Laura Hillenbrand, author of "Unbroken."
19 - Birthday of Jodi Picoult, author of "My Sister's Keeper" & "Nineteen Minutes."
20 - Birthday of Mary Pope Osborne, author of "Magic Tree House" series & "American Tall Tales."
25 - Birthday of Ralph Waldo Emerson, author of "Nature" & "Self-Reliance and Other Essays."
25 - Birthday of Robert Ludlum, author of "Bourne Identity."
25 - Birthday of Eve Ensler, author of "In the Body of the World."
25 - Birthday of Jamaica Kincaid, author of "Autobiography of my Mother."
26 - Memorial Day
28 - Birthday of Meg Wolitzer, author of "The Interestings."
Robert Burns: "It was the charming month of May, when all the flow'rs were fresh and gay."
Let's celebrate the arrival of May. The warmer days invite us outdoors to enjoy sunshine along with a good book. We're encouraged to honor mothers, and remember those who died in battle. There's a nod to childhood with memories of Mother Goose and Batman. Maybe the most creative celebration of May is "Get Caught Reading Month." What will YOU be caught reading??
In May, look for new books by Stephen King, Dorothea Benton Frank, Richard Paul Evans, Mary Pope Osborne, Laurell K. Hamilton, Douglas Preston and James Patterson.
May is:
Creative Beginnings Month
Get Caught Reading Month
Latino Books Month
May Days
1 - Batman Day; Mother Goose Day. Channel your inner Gotham City hero or recite a rhyme or two.
3 - World Press Freedom Day. Reporters around the world struggle each day to bring us the news. According to the Huffington Post and the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 70 journalists were killed in 2013, covering conflict zones or "sensitive" subjects.
4 - Birthday of David Guterson, author of "Snow Falling on Cedars."
5 - Cartoonist Day. Your favorite cartoon character would be... Snoopy? Zonker or Blondie? Mark Trail or Sally Forth?
10 - Birthday of Caroline B. Cooney, author of "Face on the Milk Carton."
11 - Mother's Day
11-17 - Reading is Fun Week. Humor, celebrity memoirs, gardening, etc... There's a book waiting to charm or amuse all of us.
12-18 - Children's Book Week. Discover or read again these classic authors: Lois Ehlert, Beverly Cleary, Walter Farley, E.B. White, Robert McCloskey, Madeleine L'Engle.
15 - Birthday of Laura Hillenbrand, author of "Unbroken."
19 - Birthday of Jodi Picoult, author of "My Sister's Keeper" & "Nineteen Minutes."
20 - Birthday of Mary Pope Osborne, author of "Magic Tree House" series & "American Tall Tales."
25 - Birthday of Ralph Waldo Emerson, author of "Nature" & "Self-Reliance and Other Essays."
25 - Birthday of Robert Ludlum, author of "Bourne Identity."
25 - Birthday of Eve Ensler, author of "In the Body of the World."
25 - Birthday of Jamaica Kincaid, author of "Autobiography of my Mother."
26 - Memorial Day
28 - Birthday of Meg Wolitzer, author of "The Interestings."
Happy Reading!
**If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to "Read With Enthusiasm"? It's easy - look for the follow by email box at the top right hand corner of the blog. Thank you!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Random Word of the Moment
A generous round of applause, please, for Noah Webster. Thanks to him, it's our lucky day - April 14 is Dictionary Day!
There are many people to thank for the glorious gift of the dictionary, but I'll showcase just one: Noah Webster.
According to the Dictionary of American Writers, Webster published The American Spelling Book in 1783. Webster went on to deliver his first dictionary in 1806, but didn't rest on his laurels. Instead, he started working on a comprehensive study of the English language, and in 1828, his dictionary of 70,000 entries was published.
In honor of Webster's dictionary, I'll occasionally post a "Random Word of the Moment." The words won't be common or archaic. They're just words that aren't heard too often. If we all use them a time or two, maybe their popularity will rebound.
The first Random Word of the Moment is: MELEE.
'may-,lay (French 1648) noun. A confused struggle, especially a hand-to hand fight among several people. From: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
Example: When shoppers heard about free Swedish meatballs, a melee broke out in Ikea.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
"This is my library"
Josh Hanagarne: "A library is a miracle. A place where your mind can come alive. At its loftiest, a library's goal is to keep as many minds as possible in the game." from "The World's Strongest Librarian"
Once upon a time a river rose up and swallowed a city. In June 2008, the Cedar River was transformed from quiet and meandering to fierce and bloated. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, experienced a flood like no other in its history. Precious items and homes were lost. Business owners worried if their livelihoods could be rebuilt. Boats, not cars, were used to travel around the city's hub. A hospital was evacuated; houseboats were set adrift.
The downtown library was destroyed first by water and later by mold. The staff rallied and created an interim library in a shopping mall. For their hard work and dedication, they were collectively named the Library Journal's 2009 Librarian of the Year. A new director was hired, and plans took shape to build and create a library that was truly 21st century. Society was rapidly changing, and the new library had to reflect those changes.
And the dream came true. In August 2013, the library's doors opened in a new downtown location.
Many of us had been holding our breath, waiting to step into the future while enjoying memories of our past. We had waited for five years to hear children's excited voices as they skipped into Story Time, to see walls filled with artwork, enjoy a cup of tea in the library cafe and, of course, browse the shelves filled with crisp new books.
On grand opening day, each guest speaker began with the statement, "This is my library." And it is. It belongs to the toddler clutching a picture book. It belongs to the volunteers who are proud to guide newcomers around the library. It belongs to the downtown business people who stop in for an afternoon snack and coffee. It belongs to tweens & teens who flock to the library on spring break(!) to play video games and check out novels or DVDs. It belongs to the city's elders who sign up for classes to learn how to navigate the Internet or use email. It belongs to book groups who meet in the unconventional and perfectly named "Unconference Room."
It belongs to the readers who want comfortable chairs, and shelves filled with the latest bestsellers or much loved classics.
It has become common to hear, "oh, wow" when a visitor steps into the library for the first time. The new library is 94,000 square feet with more than 225,000 items available to check out. Another important role of the library is to serve as a community center. With seating for up to 200, the Whipple Auditorium will be used by music, drama or business groups. Weddings and birthday parties are already scheduled for the rooftop garden. If you need to exercise and catch up on email, reserve one of the treadmill computers!
The library's walls feature artwork that remind us of Cedar Rapids' past. Among those are stained glass windows from the circa 1913 First Christian Church that was razed in 2012. The windows now welcome readers to the "den", a room for reading and quiet conversation in front of a fireplace. Another highlight of the den are bricks saved from the 1800s Sinclair smokestack. Ada Van Vechten, who worked hard to make the city's original Carnegie Library a reality, is honored with stained glass art in her memory.
Toddlers have their own special entrance to the children's room. On a recent Saturday, a little girl excitedly called out to her father "I love stories!" as she ran into the play area.
National Library Week is April 13-19, with emphasis on National Library Day, April 15. Visit your library and thank a librarian. Check out a book or DVD. Discover the variety of classes offered. Reserve a room for your book group's next meeting. Or, settle into a chair and read your newest favorite book.
Thanks to the Cedar Rapids Public Library staff for making the downtown and Ladd libraries such a welcoming, vital and lively part of our community.
Happy Reading!
Josh Hanagarne: "A library is a miracle. A place where your mind can come alive. At its loftiest, a library's goal is to keep as many minds as possible in the game." from "The World's Strongest Librarian"
Once upon a time a river rose up and swallowed a city. In June 2008, the Cedar River was transformed from quiet and meandering to fierce and bloated. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, experienced a flood like no other in its history. Precious items and homes were lost. Business owners worried if their livelihoods could be rebuilt. Boats, not cars, were used to travel around the city's hub. A hospital was evacuated; houseboats were set adrift.
The downtown library was destroyed first by water and later by mold. The staff rallied and created an interim library in a shopping mall. For their hard work and dedication, they were collectively named the Library Journal's 2009 Librarian of the Year. A new director was hired, and plans took shape to build and create a library that was truly 21st century. Society was rapidly changing, and the new library had to reflect those changes.
And the dream came true. In August 2013, the library's doors opened in a new downtown location.
 |
| Welcome to the Cedar Rapids Library! (Fourth Avenue entrance) |
Many of us had been holding our breath, waiting to step into the future while enjoying memories of our past. We had waited for five years to hear children's excited voices as they skipped into Story Time, to see walls filled with artwork, enjoy a cup of tea in the library cafe and, of course, browse the shelves filled with crisp new books.
On grand opening day, each guest speaker began with the statement, "This is my library." And it is. It belongs to the toddler clutching a picture book. It belongs to the volunteers who are proud to guide newcomers around the library. It belongs to the downtown business people who stop in for an afternoon snack and coffee. It belongs to tweens & teens who flock to the library on spring break(!) to play video games and check out novels or DVDs. It belongs to the city's elders who sign up for classes to learn how to navigate the Internet or use email. It belongs to book groups who meet in the unconventional and perfectly named "Unconference Room."
 |
| The (middle) Unconference Room's three glass walls offer panoramic views of the library. |
It belongs to the readers who want comfortable chairs, and shelves filled with the latest bestsellers or much loved classics.
 |
| Second floor browsing and reading area |
It has become common to hear, "oh, wow" when a visitor steps into the library for the first time. The new library is 94,000 square feet with more than 225,000 items available to check out. Another important role of the library is to serve as a community center. With seating for up to 200, the Whipple Auditorium will be used by music, drama or business groups. Weddings and birthday parties are already scheduled for the rooftop garden. If you need to exercise and catch up on email, reserve one of the treadmill computers!
 |
| Rooftop view of Greene Square Park and downtown Cedar Rapids |
The library's walls feature artwork that remind us of Cedar Rapids' past. Among those are stained glass windows from the circa 1913 First Christian Church that was razed in 2012. The windows now welcome readers to the "den", a room for reading and quiet conversation in front of a fireplace. Another highlight of the den are bricks saved from the 1800s Sinclair smokestack. Ada Van Vechten, who worked hard to make the city's original Carnegie Library a reality, is honored with stained glass art in her memory.
 |
| Stained glass windows circa 1913 |
Toddlers have their own special entrance to the children's room. On a recent Saturday, a little girl excitedly called out to her father "I love stories!" as she ran into the play area.
 |
| A floating alphabet wall featuring a magic doorway invites children into their own library space. |
National Library Week is April 13-19, with emphasis on National Library Day, April 15. Visit your library and thank a librarian. Check out a book or DVD. Discover the variety of classes offered. Reserve a room for your book group's next meeting. Or, settle into a chair and read your newest favorite book.
Thanks to the Cedar Rapids Public Library staff for making the downtown and Ladd libraries such a welcoming, vital and lively part of our community.
Happy Reading!
Monday, March 31, 2014
***April***
Hal Borland: "April is a promise that May is bound to keep."
April brings us tulips, baseball, a greener Earth, Passover and Easter. It's a month that is also chock full of literary celebrations. Find a park bench and read a favorite book, try out a new word or two, and toast the Bard of Avon.
On the shelves soon are new books by Lisa Scottoline, Jo Nesbo, Mary Higgins Clark, Greg Iles, David Balducci, Mona Simpson, Ann Brashares, Stuart Woods and Maeve Binchy.
Special April dates:
1 - Reading is Funny Day.
2 - Birth of Hans Christian Andersen: "Life is the most wonderful fairy tale." Consider reading again, or for the first time, "The Ugly Duckling."
3 - Birth of Washington Irving: "I'm always at a loss at how much to believe of my own stories." Enjoy Irving's entertaining tales "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
4 - Birth of Maya Angelou: "Easy reading is damn hard writing." Check out "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" or "Great Food, All Day Long."
12 - Birth of Beverly Cleary: "One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since." Rediscover childhood through "Ramona Quimby, Age 8" or "Dear Mr. Henshaw." Beverly Cleary was named a Living Legend by Library of Congress in 2000.
13-19 - National Library Week. Explore your library's shelves and find a new author or enjoy a favorite classic. Does your library offer computer classes? Concerts? Game nights?
14 - Dictionary Day. Discover an unusual word. Play Scrabble or complete a crossword puzzle.
15 - National Library Day; National Library Staff Day. Thank a librarian!!
16 - National Bookmobile Day. According to the American Library Association, there were 879 bookmobiles in 2001. The largest number of bookmobiles peaked in 1991 with 1,125.
17 - Haiku Poetry Day. This form of poetry is traditionally about nature and is made up of 17 syllables broken into three segments of 5,7,5. Novelist Richard Wright (1908-1960) wrote scores of poems in the Haiku style:
"Spring begins shyly
With one hairpin of green grass
In a flower pot."
22 - Earth Day. Take a walk in a park or plant a tree.
23 - Birth of William Shakespeare: "The empty vessel makes the loudest sound." Settle back in a chair and read "Love's Labour's Lost" or "Antony and Cleopatra."
23 - World Book Night. For more information: http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/. The website includes an excellent list of suggested reading.
26 - Birth of Patricia Reilly Giff: "Outside of family, writing is essential. To me, it's like breathing." Giff is a Newbury Medal-winning children's author of "Lily's Crossing" and "Storyteller."
28 - Birth of Lois Duncan: "Life continues, and we all of us keep changing and building, toward what we cannot know." Duncan's writing ranges from picture books to young adult fiction. I suggest "Songs From Dreamland" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer."
Friday, March 14, 2014
Do You Know What it Means
to Miss New Orleans?*
Tennessee Williams: "America has only three cities - New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland."
While waiting for a traffic light to change on Canal Street, I overheard a man say he didn't like New Orleans. When I turned to glance back at the man, his face was contorted in a grimace as he repeated, "No, I don't like it here."
I remained on the corner after the light had changed, thinking about his unhappiness. New Orleans is a complicated city and many adjectives have tried to capture its diverse personalities. Fascinating. Corrupt. Artistic. Dangerous. Graceful. Welcoming. His mood had not altered mine. I was ready to explore this city of contradictions.
My husband and I were in New Orleans on a business trip (him), and a book binge (me). With only one free afternoon together, we decided to take a class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Before the jambalaya got started, we listened to the history of the city and its culture, including the food and music that sets it apart from other American cities. Somewhere between stories of the Louisiana Purchase and the arrival of Cajuns, Pat Hirsch, our chef and instructor, said what perhaps best sums up the city: "Things are done just a little differently down here."
Including books, I add silently.
National literary treasures such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams spent time in New Orleans dreaming of tangled plots and absorbing characters. Richard Ford, Walker Percy, John Kennedy Toole and Anne Rice have all called this city home, sometimes using it as a character.
And don't forget the art world, cautioned a server at the R'Evolution restaurant on Bienville Street. Overhearing the conversation about great Southern literature, he reminded us that Degas lived in New Orleans and found great inspiration. Degas' house on Esplanade Avenue is now a bed and breakfast inn.
Several blocks later, I thought again of the unhappy man on Canal Street. Was he bored with New Orleans? How is that possible? The city hums with activity. There are tours of literary landmarks, haunted houses, cemeteries, architecture. Wander around Tulane University. Ride on the St. Charles streetcar line. There are museums, bars, antique stores, restaurants & cafes, bookstores, and streets lined with shops. Find a bench to rest on and listen to conversations not your own. From my bench, I watch an inebriated woman swaying and smiling broadly at an array of colorful flowers in over-sized pots, tourists checking maps, and a street artist covered in paint holding a pose, with a hat nearby for donations. Two women approach the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square and immediately notice the tarot card readers who have taken up residence just feet from the basilica. "Is that a good idea?" one woman asked the other, pointing at the readers.
Later, turning a corner, I breathe air that is heavy with moisture and smells of the Mississippi River, the quiet partner of New Orleans. As in all relationships, there have been moments of drama. The river has given the city much of its history and wealth. Occasionally, the river has risen up and threatened that same wealth.
Too soon, it was time to say goodbye to the city and to the river.
Our two visits to New Orleans had 15 years between them. One restaurant remained our favorite and we hoped it would still stand open on Decatur Street, offering the shrimp creole, okra, and gumbo that we remembered. On a quiet block, there it was, welcoming our return. We had a leisurely and outstanding dinner at Olivier's on our final night in the city. The restaurant's owner, Armand Olivier Sr., paid a visit to our table and we shared our fond memories of his restaurant. He smiled, and asked us to pass along our enthusiasm for his creole dishes. Consider it done, Mr. Olivier!
Food, art and music have their celebrations in New Orleans. But there is probably only one festival that has people lining up to compete for the best shouting of STELLA! from "A Streetcar Named Desire." The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival is March 19-23. (Listen for the STELLA! competition around 4:15 CST)
Maybe the spectacle of the sham Stanley Kowalskis would change the mind of the unhappy man on Canal Street.
For those of us not fortunate enough to attend the festival, we can read a novel, memoir or play of New Orleans, of the South.
Tennessee Williams - Memoirs; Streetcar Named Desire
Anne Rice - Interview With the Vampire
Elmore Leonard - Get Shorty; Mr. Paradise
Eudora Welty - Optimist's Daughter; One Writer's Beginnings
John Kennedy Toole - A Confederacy of Dunces
Julia Reed - The House on First Street
William Faulkner - A Light in August; As I Lay Dying
Flannery O'Connor - A Prayer Journal; Collected Works
Zora Neale Hurston - Folklore, Memoirs and Other Writings
James Dickey - Deliverance
Carson McCullers - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Horton Foote - Collected Plays & The Trip to Bountiful
Allan Gurganus - Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
Kate Chopin - The Awakening
A visit to New Orleans isn't complete without spending time in one or two (or more) bookstores. A few suggestions:
Faulkner House Books
Librairie Book Shop
Beckham's Book Shop
"Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans,
and miss it each night and day?"
*Song by Eddie DeLange and Louis Alter, 1947
sung by Louis Armstrong
to Miss New Orleans?*
Tennessee Williams: "America has only three cities - New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland."
While waiting for a traffic light to change on Canal Street, I overheard a man say he didn't like New Orleans. When I turned to glance back at the man, his face was contorted in a grimace as he repeated, "No, I don't like it here."
I remained on the corner after the light had changed, thinking about his unhappiness. New Orleans is a complicated city and many adjectives have tried to capture its diverse personalities. Fascinating. Corrupt. Artistic. Dangerous. Graceful. Welcoming. His mood had not altered mine. I was ready to explore this city of contradictions.
My husband and I were in New Orleans on a business trip (him), and a book binge (me). With only one free afternoon together, we decided to take a class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Before the jambalaya got started, we listened to the history of the city and its culture, including the food and music that sets it apart from other American cities. Somewhere between stories of the Louisiana Purchase and the arrival of Cajuns, Pat Hirsch, our chef and instructor, said what perhaps best sums up the city: "Things are done just a little differently down here."
Including books, I add silently.
 |
| Ignatius J. Reilly "A Confederacy of Dunces" |
National literary treasures such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams spent time in New Orleans dreaming of tangled plots and absorbing characters. Richard Ford, Walker Percy, John Kennedy Toole and Anne Rice have all called this city home, sometimes using it as a character.
And don't forget the art world, cautioned a server at the R'Evolution restaurant on Bienville Street. Overhearing the conversation about great Southern literature, he reminded us that Degas lived in New Orleans and found great inspiration. Degas' house on Esplanade Avenue is now a bed and breakfast inn.
Several blocks later, I thought again of the unhappy man on Canal Street. Was he bored with New Orleans? How is that possible? The city hums with activity. There are tours of literary landmarks, haunted houses, cemeteries, architecture. Wander around Tulane University. Ride on the St. Charles streetcar line. There are museums, bars, antique stores, restaurants & cafes, bookstores, and streets lined with shops. Find a bench to rest on and listen to conversations not your own. From my bench, I watch an inebriated woman swaying and smiling broadly at an array of colorful flowers in over-sized pots, tourists checking maps, and a street artist covered in paint holding a pose, with a hat nearby for donations. Two women approach the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square and immediately notice the tarot card readers who have taken up residence just feet from the basilica. "Is that a good idea?" one woman asked the other, pointing at the readers.
 |
| Faulkner House Bookstore |
Later, turning a corner, I breathe air that is heavy with moisture and smells of the Mississippi River, the quiet partner of New Orleans. As in all relationships, there have been moments of drama. The river has given the city much of its history and wealth. Occasionally, the river has risen up and threatened that same wealth.
Too soon, it was time to say goodbye to the city and to the river.
Our two visits to New Orleans had 15 years between them. One restaurant remained our favorite and we hoped it would still stand open on Decatur Street, offering the shrimp creole, okra, and gumbo that we remembered. On a quiet block, there it was, welcoming our return. We had a leisurely and outstanding dinner at Olivier's on our final night in the city. The restaurant's owner, Armand Olivier Sr., paid a visit to our table and we shared our fond memories of his restaurant. He smiled, and asked us to pass along our enthusiasm for his creole dishes. Consider it done, Mr. Olivier!
Food, art and music have their celebrations in New Orleans. But there is probably only one festival that has people lining up to compete for the best shouting of STELLA! from "A Streetcar Named Desire." The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival is March 19-23. (Listen for the STELLA! competition around 4:15 CST)
Maybe the spectacle of the sham Stanley Kowalskis would change the mind of the unhappy man on Canal Street.
For those of us not fortunate enough to attend the festival, we can read a novel, memoir or play of New Orleans, of the South.
Tennessee Williams - Memoirs; Streetcar Named Desire
Anne Rice - Interview With the Vampire
Elmore Leonard - Get Shorty; Mr. Paradise
Eudora Welty - Optimist's Daughter; One Writer's Beginnings
John Kennedy Toole - A Confederacy of Dunces
Julia Reed - The House on First Street
William Faulkner - A Light in August; As I Lay Dying
Flannery O'Connor - A Prayer Journal; Collected Works
Zora Neale Hurston - Folklore, Memoirs and Other Writings
James Dickey - Deliverance
Carson McCullers - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Horton Foote - Collected Plays & The Trip to Bountiful
Allan Gurganus - Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
Kate Chopin - The Awakening
A visit to New Orleans isn't complete without spending time in one or two (or more) bookstores. A few suggestions:
Faulkner House Books
Librairie Book Shop
Beckham's Book Shop
"Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans,
and miss it each night and day?"
*Song by Eddie DeLange and Louis Alter, 1947
sung by Louis Armstrong
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