The French Quarter An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld by Asbury, Herbert - 1967

New York U. S. A.: Pocket Books. Very Good 1967. Paperback. Marfree, tight, toned later prtg, not marked-in, underscored, clearance or discard. Mails from NYC usually within 12 hours\nN'awlins rough, Jan 7, 2004 \nBy Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA) - \nTHE FRENCH QUARTER is a history of crime, vice, & general rascality in New Orleans from its founding in 1718 by the French to the abolition of the Storyville red-light district in 1917.\nIn fifteen chapters, author Herbert Asbury describes the disruptive roles played by keelboat ruffians, revolutionists, gamblers, duelists, prostitutes, corrupt cops & politicians, pirates, filibusters (soldiers of fortune) , vigilantes, pickpockets, muggers, thugs, the Mafia, & voodoo practitioners in the lives of the otherwise law-abiding citizenry. Anyone reading Asbury's narrative might be led to believe that good folks were a miniscule minority. \nTHE FRENCH QUARTER suffers from being published almost seventy years ago. Aside from a number of old sketch reproductions, & several badly reproduced B&W photographs of bordello interiors & exteriors during the Storyville era, THE FRENCH QUARTER is sadly lacking in illustration. There's not even a map of the city from which to get one's bearings. \nThis work is wonderfully informative as far as it goes, perhaps occasionally more so than is needed to make the point that the city, especially in the mid-1800s, could be a noxious place. The narrative is sober & straightforward, only occasionally displaying dry humor. A couple examples from the text will suffice to give one a sense of the book's tone & the city's iniquity. \nRegarding barrel-houses, the lowest form of drinking place: "The owner of one such establishment not only doped all of his liquor, but maintained his own staff of sneak thieves ... (who) worked on a percentage basis & took turns robbing the sodden wretches who were dragged from the barrel-house. "\nRegarding the streetwalkers of the Dauphine & Burgundy Street vice area after the Civil War: \n" ... The perambulating bawds flung a piece of old carpet on the sidewalk & entertained their customers in full view of passers-by & the prostitutes in the houses ... (who) kept pails of hot water handy to discourage use of the doorsteps. " Hmm, I would have thought ice water more effective at shrinking amorous ardor. \nDecades after THE FRENCH QUARTER appeared, N'awlins is a model of purity. Why, would you believe me if I said you can't even spit on the street? \nA daring book of its day, Ja 14, 2002 \nBy megpilgrim "Mary Longorio" (Orem, UT) \nHerbert Asbury must have been the daring writer of his day, daring to approach topics such as the red light district of New Orleans & the flesh trade in books that have retained a cult following to this day. In somewhat florrid prose, he manages to present a fairly accurate history of the French Quarter, its denizens, & characters, including voodoo queens & madams & the social climates that shaped it. It portrays the politics & characters, the scoundrels & the thieves. The book is as much a part of the era in which it was written, although New Orleans is a bit removed from the social climes of the rest of the country. It is a fascinating portrait of a n era & a place that is a delight to visit for a time.; A Pocket Cardinal Edition; 343 pages; Marfree, tight, toned later prtg, not marked-in, underscored, clearance or discard. Mails from NYC usually within 12 hours\nN'awlins rough, Jan 7, 2004 \nBy Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA) - \nTHE FRENCH QUARTER is a history of crime, vice, & general rascality in New Orleans from its founding in 1718 by the French to the abolition of the Storyville red-light district in 1917.\nIn fifteen chapters, author Herbert Asbury describes the disruptive roles played by keelboat ruffians, revolutionists, gamblers, duelists, prostitutes, corrupt cops & politicians, pirates, filibusters (soldiers of fortune) , vigilantes, pickpockets, muggers, thugs, the Mafia, & voodoo practitioners in the lives of the otherwise law-abiding citizenry. Anyone reading Asbury's narrative might be led to believe that good folks were a miniscule minority. \nTHE FRENCH QUARTER suffers from being published almost seventy years ago. Aside from a number of old sketch reproductions, & several badly reproduced B&W photographs of bordello interiors & exteriors during the Storyville era, THE FRENCH QUARTER is sadly lacking in illustration. There's not even a map of the city from which to get one's bearings. \nThis work is wonderfully informative as far as it goes, perhaps occasionally more so than is needed to make the point that the city, especially in the mid-1800s, could be a noxious place. The narrative is sober & straightforward, only occasionally displaying dry humor. A couple examples from the text will suffice to give one a sense of the book's tone & the city's iniquity. \nRegarding barrel-houses, the lowest form of drinking place: "The owner of one such establishment not only doped all of his liquor, but maintained his own staff of sneak thieves ... (who) worked on a percentage basis & took turns robbing the sodden wretches who were dragged from the barrel-house. "\nRegarding the streetwalkers of the Dauphine & Burgundy Street vice area after the Civil War: \n" ... The perambulating bawds flung a piece of old carpet on the sidewalk & entertained their customers in full view of passers-by & the prostitutes in the houses ... (who) kept pails of hot water handy to discourage use of the doorsteps. " Hmm, I would have thought ice water more effective at shrinking amorous ardor. \nDecades after THE FRENCH QUARTER appeared, N'awlins is a model of purity. Why, would you believe me if I said you can't even spit on the street? \nA daring book of its day, Ja 14, 2002 \nBy megpilgrim "Mary Longorio" (Orem, UT) \nHerbert Asbury must have been the daring writer of his day, daring to approach topics such as the red light district of New Orleans & the flesh trade in books that have retained a cult following to this day. In somewhat florrid prose, he manages to present a fairly accurate history of the French Quarter, its denizens, & characters, including voodoo queens & madams & the social climates that shaped it. It portrays the politics & characters, the scoundrels & the thieves. The book is as much a part of the era in which it was written, although New Orleans is a bit removed from the social climes of the rest of the country. It is a fascinating portrait of a n era & a place that is a delight to visit for a time. .