Richard Campanella

I have read a number of Mr. Campanella's other New Orleans and Louisiana works, and I must admit a certain bias that goes with enjoying those reads, especially as a native-born New Orleanean. However, this history of Bourbon Street really enhances my respect for this historian-geographer. I dare say this book probably cannot be found on its namesake; however, there is something here for anyone fascinated by this world-famous New Orleans scene.

Totaling 368 pages, "Bourbon Street: A History" is a scholarly work with little in common with the many tourist publications which feature this famed thoroughfare. Campanella divides his book into three parts: Part I--Origins; Part II--Fame and Infamy; and Part III--Bourbon Street As A Social Artifact. Each part consists of a number of chapters, and the parts are followed by several pages of endnotes and an index.

Parts I and II constitute the history portion of this work and are arranged chronologically. Part I (Chapters 1-5) covers the early history of New Orleans and how the city's footprint developed in those years, but the real focus on Bourbon Street begins in Part II (Chapters 6-11) which begins in post-Civil War New Orleans, when Bourbon Street began to develop its distinctive character. The Bourbon Street most people understand today first appears in Chapter 9, which details the post-World War II years. The last chapter in Part II, Chapter 11, takes the story to 2012, which allows the author to go into some detail about New Orleans' post-Katrina recovery.

Part III is probably the most interesting segment of the book, as Campanella applies his considerable analytical skills discussing in separate chapters how Bourbon Street ended up with the businesses that it did, how The Street works, local reaction to The Street's excesses, sin and inauthenticity on The Street, the many Bourbon Street imitators, and Bourbon Street in the midst of adversity. While the author uses statistical information throughout the book, he did much of the footwork for some of those stats, to include personally tallying pedestrian traffic on Bourbon on diverse days such as Christmas and Mardi Gras. Campanella expands on the work of other scholars by applying his geographical skills; for example, he used another researcher's study on vice arrests in 19th century New Orleans to show where such crimes took place in the French Quarter--a study that gives context to the rise of Bourbon Street in the 20th century.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone interested in a deeper dive on one of the country's more entertaining and interesting venues.… (mer)

This is another excellent work by Richard Campanella. As the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina recede further into the nation's and region's memory, the author's latest writing speaks more to the societal and environmental issues of the region rather than concentrating solely on the historical/geographical topics as his previous works. As time passes and window of opportunity for addressing/correcting soil subsidence, salt water encroachment, and wetlands loss issues fades, Mr. Campanella addresses each in pointing out what used to exist versus what's there now. As in earlier books, this volume is well researched and footnoted, reflecting Campanella's long-established interest in the New Orleans region.

The only reason I gave this book four stars rather than five is my rather surprising discovery that the author mentions very little on the influence of the U.S. Navy on the West Bank. Naval Station Algiers employed many local people over the decades of its existence and played a significant role during World War II, yet the station was mentioned only a couple of times in the text in passing, mainly as a geographic reference.… (mer)

In this excellent study of New Orleans, Mr. Campanella weaves together the local geography, geology, history, demography, and economy into a comprehensive description of the urban fabric of one of the world's great cities. Most of the entries come from newspaper columns penned by Mr. Campanella over the years; he has gathered and organized them into one collection, added sections on the local geography and geology, an index, notes, and references. Everything about the volume is well executed. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in New Orleans history and development, or even if you just want to know why the roads are laid out as they are. Mr. Campanella has written a definitive study of New Orleans' historical geography.… (mer)