New Orleans Literary Tourism

In May 2018 I finally got to visit New Orleans. I'd been dying to explore it for years and was thrilled to get to take a short girls trip there. The city's literary history is rich and I had a few must see spots on my list. 

Faulkner Books was the one I was the most excited about. It's a perfect little bookstore located down a quiet side street near Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter. William Faulkner lived in the home in 1925 and it is filled with gems from his life. After exploring the stacks for awhile I purchased a copy of Faulkner's "New Orleans Sketches" and the short story, "A Pair of Silk Stockings" by Kate Chopin for myself and Mary Poppins for my daughter. Books are always my favorite souvenirs from a trip. 

In addition to an excellent selection of books, there are framed letters from famous writers like Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, and Tennessee Williams. There were first editions of Faulkner's books (including the ones above). They were locked in a glass case, but the man working there let me look at them. They were worth thousands! The bookstore was completely charming and I'm so glad we made it there.

The other literary highlight of the trip was the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. It's literally a carousel that rotates very slowly in the hotel lobby. It was a popular hangout for authors like Truman Capote, Fitzgerald, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, and others. We got there early enough to grab a seat on the carousel and I sipped on my sazerac while we slowly turned. I loved it! There's a display in the lobby featuring books and photos of the famous authors who have been guests at the hotel. 

All-in-all New Orleans was wonderful. Filled to the brim with delicious food, great music, a cemetery tour, and time to wander the unique streets. Highly recommended!

Mini Reviews: Summer and Désirée’s Baby

Summer
by Edith Wharton
★★

When she was 5-years-old Charity Royall was rescued from a life of poverty with her prostitute mother when a wealthy man became her guardian. Instead of growing up in the mountain community with her mother she is raised in a life of privilege by Lawyer Royall and grows up to be a librarian. When we meet her she is a grown woman just beginning to stretch her wings. After turning down her guardians’ marriage proposal (eww) she is restless and discontent in her life. She soon finds momentary fulfillment in a clandestine relationship.

The material is a bit racy for its time period (which makes it tame by today’s standards.) It gives readers a tragic look at an ambitious girl who flouts the societal restraints imposed on her. It felt like a weak precursor to The House of Mirth, though it was published more than a decade later.

BOTTOM LINE: For me, the ending was deeply dissatisfying and disappointing. It felt more like a morality lesson for settling down as quickly as possible. I was frustrated that Charity was left with so few options, though I understand that’s a realistic view of the time period.  


I read this as part of Brona's Wharton Review.

Désirée’s Baby
by Kate Chopin
★★★

From the author of the famous feminist work The Awakening comes this collection of short stories set in the New Orleans bayou. Many of the stories blend together, lost in my memory only moments after finishing them. That’s something I always struggle with when it comes to short stories.

This collection does have a few stand outs, particularly the title story Désirée’s Baby. The horrifying little tale is about a happily married couple who have just had their first child. The child clearly isn’t completely white and because of that the husband throws the wife out of the house and disowns the child, saying she must have an African American in her background. But the truth is even more shocking.

The other stand out was “The Godmother,” a short piece about a woman whose grandson commits a murder. She does everything she can to protect him and hide the truth, but the guilt of the cover-up drives a wedge between them. The collection includes: Love on the Bon-Dieu, Désirée’s Baby, A Lady of Bayou St. John, The Unexpected, Fedora, The Story of an Hour, The Godmother and At the Cadian Ball

BOTTOM LINE: Start with Chopin’s other work, "The Awakening” and if you’re left wanting more then check these out.

Friday Favorites: The Awakening

The Awakening
by Kate Chopin
★★★★★

This often over-looked classic, has been making waves for more than a century. It has been called the “proto-feminist precursor to American modernism” and has inspired generations of women.

The story revolves around Edna Pontellier, a woman in her late twenties who is a mother, wife and socialite in New Orleans. After a family vacation to the seaside, Edna’s view of her world and the life she leads drastically changes. She’s no longer content to be viewed as a piece of property and she decides to rebel against the accepted social norms.

The novel is small in size, but large in revolutionary ideas. If it had been written in the last 50 years, it wouldn’t have the same power. It was published in 1899 and it challenged the traditional and widely accepted social standards of that time.

In Edna, Chopin created a character that balked at being defined by her husband and children, when no one else dared to do so. Though I’ve never had children and I’m lucky enough to have a husband who supports my interests, I can still understand how disturbing it would be to see yourself disappearing into the roles you’ve been assigned.

Henrik Ibsen published his play, A Doll House, which deals with a similar situation, in 1879, but I think it’s easier for a man to make those observations. It was much more daring and controversial for a woman to write about such things.

The book is striking both for the issues it deals with and because of the prose is beautiful. It provides a powerful look at our gender and a gives us a chance to reflect on just how far we’ve come.