The West Bank has been a vital part of greater New Orleans since the city's inception, serving as its breadbasket, foundry, shipbuilder, railroad terminal, train manufacturer, and even livestock hub. At one time it was the Gulf South's St. Louis, boasting a diversified industrial sector as well as a riverine, mercantilist, and agricultural economy.

Rhinos rock out. Alligators stroll under limbo polls. Elephants pound the piano. Pelicans cater.

Ever wonder why the animals at the zoo are always so sleepy? When Renee asks her father why the zoo animals are snoozing all day, he dreams up an elaborate answer.

The Cajun coast of Louisiana is home to a way of life as unique, complex, and beautiful as the terrain itself.  As award-winning travel writer Mike Tidwell journeys through the bayou, he introduces us to the food and the language, the shrimp fisherman, the Houma Indians, and the rich cultural history that makes it unlike any other place in the world.

Born during World War II, Marilee Eaves has long struggled to fit into the New Orleans elite--secret Mardi Gras societies that ruled the city--into which she was born.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize

"A masterwork . . . the novel astonishes with its inventiveness . . . it is nothing less than a grand comic fugue."--The New York Times Book Review

This bright and sturdy board book introduces all the colors (and flavors!) with New Orleans' favorite summer treat. Perfect for any NOLA baby, toddler, or preschooler.

After finding himself caught up in one of Louisiana’s oldest and bloodiest family rivalries, Detective Dave Robicheaux must battle the most terrifying adversary he has ever encountered: a time-traveling superhuman assassin.

The Shondell and Balangie families are longtime enemies in the New Iberia criminal underworld and show each other no mercy.

“Perfect for football fans of all stripes, this dual-focus portrait celebrates the winning power of strong bonds between coach and player.” —Publishers Weekly 

A rare, behind the scenes  look at the New Orleans Saints over more than 14 seasons 
 
In 2006, Sean Payton arrived in New Orleans as a relatively unk

Snippets of New Orleans is a whimsical 248 pages of witty text and wonderful illustrations all about New Orleans: its music, food, architecture, people, eccentricities, and traditions.

100+ beloved recipes proving that Southern baking is American baking—from the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of the New Orleans bakery Willa Jean.
 

When Hurricane Katrina blew ashore on August 29, 2005, no one could have imagined the sheer devastation that would ensue. This monstrous hurricane caused several breaches in the hurricane protection system surrounding New Orleans, resulting in flooding across four parishes. The storm took hundreds of lives, caused billions of dollars in damages to homes and buildings, and created mountains of debris.

This catastrophic event unfolded on live TV and was seen across the nation and around the world. The Administration and Congress responded quickly and generously by authorizing and funding one of the most immense, important, and complex civil works reconstruction projects in United States history. As the Greater New Orleans area began to recover, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers adopted a mission to repair, design, and construct a five-parish perimeter hurricane defense system unlike any other in the world. And they pledged to do it in a mere six years or “break our backs trying.”

This book serves as a visual record of representative parts and pieces of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, a true flood and surge defense system comprised of traditional earthen levees and floodwalls as well as state-of-the-art flood-control components that are viewed as engineering marvels. Many of these unique structures will be replicated by other cities in the United States and around the world.

Thousands of men and women helped in this historic effort. Millions of man-hours, tons of dirt and concrete, and miles of steel were used to construct this defense system in the hope of reducing the risk from a catastrophic event in the future.

From the author of GOODNIGHT NOLA! come a story for all ages about dedication, commitment, acceptance, and "Finishing Strong"

Jockomo: The Native Roots of Mardi Gras Indians celebrates the transcendent experience of Mardi Gras, encompassing both ancient and current traditions of New Orleans. The Mardi Gras Indians are a renowned and beloved fixture of New Orleans public culture. Yet very little is known about the indigenous roots of their cultural practices.

In Creole Italian, Justin A. Nystrom explores the influence Sicilian immigrants have had on New Orleans foodways. His culinary journey follows these immigrants from their first impressions on Louisiana food culture in the mid-1830s and along their path until the 1970s.

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is one of the darkest chapters in American history. The storm caused unprecedented destruction, and a toxic combination of government neglect and socioeconomic inequality turned a crisis into a tragedy.

Surveying the two centuries that preceded Jim Crow's demise, Race and Education in New Orleans traces the course of the city's education system from the colonial period to the start of school desegregation in 1960. Walter C.

Don’t call it the city that care forgot. Passionate residents of New Orleans have come up with innovative ways to rescue, restore and preserve the historic architecture that creates this city’s singular sense of place.

The exquisite antebellum mansions of the Garden District. Giant oaks stretching across boulevards and back in time to before the Civil War. The decadence of Bourbon Street. The vibrant sounds of jazz, blues, and Cajun music coming from every doorway or right from the street. Lacy iron balconies that wrap around the historic buildings of the French Quarter.