Letters from New Orleans

Rob Walker, columnist for The New York Times Magazine, energises the lately enervated worlds of memoir and travelogue with his book-length debut, 'Letters From New Orleans', a reconnaissance of a city obsessed with the forensic details of denial. Walker traded his New York life, including a decent media job, back in January of 2000. He and his girlfriend set up shop in New Orleans and soon after, Walker began sending, via email, 'The Letter From New Orleans' to interested parties. All fourteen pieces, along with additional material and photo spectra, are included in the book. Subjects covered include: celebratory gunfire, rich people, Michelle Shocked, the riddle of race relations today, robots, fine dining, drunkenness, urban decay, debutantes, the nature of identity, Gennifer Flowers, the song 'St James Infirmary', and mortality.