This is a very small but handsome book. The content varies in style and quality. It contains articles written by New Orleans writers displaced by Katrina; it also contains excerpts from older publications about New Orleans, some interesting artwork, and even a few recipes. ( )

I wish I would have read this before the follow-up, [Where We Know]. It is a similarly beautiful book – well designed, laid out, edited, and written. Striking in the fact that it was produced so quickly after Katrina. I find most things written shortly after got bogged down trying to do and say too much – I know my own work did. They tried to describe every little facet of New Orleans, every personality and neighborhood, every nuance of a life you cannot possibly understand unless you have lived it. Do You Know does not fall into any of these traps. Each essay confines itself to one topic, but it is that subtlety that makes them telling. The reason I wish I would have read it after [Where We Know], is that the immediacy of the pieces for me felt like a still in shock phase. They did not have the emotional power of the sequel nor were they as firmly rooted in the historical – both long and short term. Now, I think it is still one of the best things I have read about New Orleans and a necessary read for anyone interested in that time period, but I would suggest reading the two in order. ( )

I haven't read it yet but I am already putting five stars because this is such a lovely little book, perfect in size and weight, beautiful typography, paper, engravings, a ribbon marker - and even an interesting, friendly and readable copyright page. Oh and recipes. Can't wait to get into it.
*****
And now I have finished, with regret that it has already ended. This was written and produced within three months after Katrina, and it has somehow encapsulated all the emotion that escapes as you turn the pages. I laughed, I cried, I hungered and I listened to Louis Armstrong. I wanted to catch some beads. I was touched to the core by the amazing grace of the people. I read and treasured every word, right to the last page with the typographic proportions and the colophon, and I did hold my breath to place the back cover against the night sky. Even though I have never been to New Orleans I do feel what it means to miss it. ( )

You have to read every word of this book. And I do mean every word. A tease from the copyright page: "All rights reserved. . . . Exceptions are made for book reviewers. By the way, there are no jokes here so you can stop reading if you are looking for them."

"This book was written and designed during three months in the fall of 2005." In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Chin Music Press put together this slender, beautifully made anthology that will make you laugh and cry and rage. And cook. There are recipes, too. Interspersed throughout are engravings from the 1885 volume, Historical Sketch Book and Guide to New Orleans.

There are two ways to read this book. The first gathers the contributions into three sections: "The Dirge", "The Return" and "Lagniappe". But if it is too hard for you to read all those stories of ruin and devastation, one right after another, before reaching hope, there is an "Alternative Reading Order. Inspired by the many different versions of the song "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" I read it the second way and still shed more than one tear along the way. All over again, I saw the images of things that should never happen in this country, heard the stories of grace and generosity, stupidity and blindness.

Thank you to Toni McGee Causey for her eloquent essay, "Where Grace Lives". Thank you to Jason Berry, for his tale of evacuation, "The Holy City of New Orleans". Thank you to Colleen Mondor, who has never been to New Orleans for "Listen to the Second Line", about the music that I, too, love and cherish. Thank you to Ray Shea for the laughter and memories he shares in "I was a Teenage Float Grunt". Thank you to Rex (oh, appropriate first name!) Noone for his story of the power of celebration, "Professor Stevens Goes to Mardi Gras". Thank you to everyone who contributed to this book. But most of all, thank you to Chin Music Press, who gave it to us.

I don't usually link to reviews in my blog, but I am doing so for this book, as you really have to see the full title page, and I can't put it here, so check it out at: http://joansbooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/katrina-tales.html (There's also a link there to more Katrina voices.)

I thought this book was really nicely done. Very touching, descriptive and heartbreaking in the details. It is a tiny, well-constructed hardcover... with a ribbon bookmark. The pictures were very nice reproductions from other time periods reflecting New Orleans. I only recently visited New Orleans (post-Katrina) and I only wish I had been to the New Orleans described here. I feel the authors of the essays really described the soul infused in the city and shared it with us. ( )