The French Quarter of New Orleans
New Orleans's most famous district has been shaped by war, fires, floods, politics, cultural conflict and architectural innovation. This slick, educational volume shows those influences, via Fraiser's learned text and Freeman's vivid photographs. Eschewing stereotypical images of drunken revelers and shiny beaded necklaces for straightforward photographs of townhouse entranceways and wrought-iron balconies, this work concentrates on the Quarter's buildings. The chapter on La Nouvelle-Orléans offers a portrait of a 1772 blacksmith shop with an abat-vent (roof overhang), while the section on La Nueva Orleans explains how Spanish and French cultures impacted the neighborhood's architecture. The authors include well-known locales, as well, including Preservation Hall and the Court of the Two Sisters. Fraiser (Mississippi River Country Tales) and Freeman, a New Orleans native whose work is part of the New Orleans Museum of Art's permanent collection, have assembled an intelligent, enlightening look at one of America's most charming areas.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.