Libraries, Bookstores, & More: New Orleans
French Quarter, New Orleans
A Tale of Three Bookstores
“I think of New Orleans as a gift from heaven to a writer.” - James Lee
To be inside New Orleans is to be alive—the Quarter is filled with charming views of Creole cottages and townhomes that exhibit the beauty and heritage of the city. The air is pungent with the scent and sweetness of beignets and pralines, while every step taken is a walk-through history. I fell in-love in New Orleans—with the city whose vibrancy is thrown together in a stew of jazz, French and Spanish architectural designs, Creole cuisine, and a people who make you feel like family.
Positioned on the bend of the Mississippi River, the first inhabitants of New Orleans were primarily the Chitimacha Native Americans of the Woodland and Mississippian Native cultures. Although explorers like Hernando De Soto from Spain and Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle explored the region of the Mississippi River in 1542 and 1682 respectively, it wasn’t until the governor of French Louisiana, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, that the city of Nouvelle-Orleans was founded in what we now know as New Orleans in 1718. By 1722, the city was designed into the grid pattern that’s found in the French Quarter today.
In 1763, New Orleans was signed over to Spain in the Treaty of Fontainebleau, which followed the last battle in the French and Indian War in North America. Under French and Spanish rule, a new class emerged called Gens De Couleur Libre—they were a society of free Blacks, whose descendants still live and thrive in New Orleans today. By 1803, the city had been transferred to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase, where it found itself becoming a prosperous port city and the United States’ third largest and wealthiest metropolis. In present history, through its architecture, the city has become a place to experience the nostalgia of yesteryear, while enjoying all that Creole culture has to offer.
Nestled in the heart of the French Quarter and just off Jackson Square, in the home of legendary author William Faulkner, is Faulkner House Books. A Nobel Prize Laureate, William Faulkner was an American author known for his writing of Southern literature.
When walking into the bookstore, you can feel his presence. The shelves are lined with books of such literary greats as Zora Neale Hurston, as well as Contemporary authors like Amanda Gorman. Although small, the blue shutters, quaint surroundings, and golden sconces, speaks to its duality of life during Faulkner’s day and the modern world. The bookstore seemed to maintain a sense of prestige and the ornate, along with a simplicity that was welcoming.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the wall of signed photographs of illustrious authors such as Harper Lee—it was a wonderful reminder of the blend of the Modernist and Southern Gothic periods of writing.
When we visited, there were only four persons allowed in at a time, so just be aware of this if traveling with a larger party. In respect to children, although Faulkner House Books doesn’t have a place for kids to roam, it does have a great selection of children’s books; with that in mind, keep your kids close and tiny hands occupied with yours.
Arcadian Books & Prints
Just below Bourbon Street behind the St. Louis Cathedral, you’ll find a dwelling that speaks of a time when life was built on the rules and propriety of Nouvelle-Orleans; the building, ashen in color, exhibits remnants of the French and Spanish influences of the past, making you feel as if you’re stepping through time.
Upon entering, you are met with mounds of books that extend from floor to ceiling. The smell of them permeates your senses as you walk through the maze they form. The eclecticism of Arcadian Books & Prints doesn’t just extend to its design; unlike other bookstores, it carries a unique catalogue of books that is representative of the French influence in New Orleans, as well as many publications that extend across the spectrum, in respect to book genres. Some books are such gems that they have notes either from the author or from owners past.
Although it may seem chaotic, the books are organized, and if you feel overwhelmed by the prints around you, don’t be—it is designed, as it felt to me, not for you to choose a book, but for a book to choose you. And just in case you need any help, the owner, Russell Desmond is on hand—he is as lovely as his books. In essence, to describe Arcadian Books & Prints adequately, would be to call it what it is, a treasure trove, in the middle of New Orleans.
James Baldwin book mural at Baldwin & Co.
“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.” -James Baldwin
Not far from the French Quarter, you’ll find the beautiful Black owned independent bookstore of D.J. Johnson. With a crisp white exterior and modern interior, Baldwin & Co. bookstore is a place where diversity lives on in books. The selection of prints extends from contemporary authors and works of Harlem Renaissance authors such as Langston Hughes, alike. True to its name, the tree of books and in-store lending library aren’t the only unique qualities of Baldwin & Co. – it also has an extensive collection of books, written by James Baldwin himself, whom the store is named for.
For kids, you’ll find children’s books and young adult novels, and a space to read on a comfy couch. If you find yourself in need to work, there are bar style tables and stools where you can, across from the coffee bar, which is filled with delicious treats and artisan coffee. I recommend a taste of The Color Purple – a wonderful concoction of lemonade, espresso, and lavender. While seemingly questionable, this drink shows off the innovation that is often found in New Orleans, as well as within the walls of this great bookstore.
Places to Take Your Book and Sights to See
The most obvious place to bring your book would be the French Quarter—it is a place that you can spend hours getting lost in, taking in the sights and scenery, and popping into shops and cafes that suit your fancy. Just off the Quarter is Jackson Square, where you’ll find benches to sit and enjoy the stunning foliage in the garden, or you can take a walk-through the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral.
You could also take a visit to New Orleans City Park; there you’ll find a picturesque landscape filled with lush gardens and a place where fairytales come to life in Storyland. If you want something with more excitement, you can go next door to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, where you and your little ones can enjoy some cool rides.
Places to Eat
Finding a place to eat in New Orleans was by far one of the easiest things to do on our trip. From soul food to Creole and Cajun cuisine, there are a multitude of places in the French Quarter to dine—however, our favorite was The Market Café. With its position on the Mississippi River and proximity to the Gulf Coast, New Orleans is also home to wonderful seafood; while we were there, we tried our hands at a seafood boil at HIEUX Boil Seafood House and Clesi’s Seafood Restaurant & Catering, to which we were not disappointed.
As the land of pralines and beignets, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to visit Café Du Monde, where the beignets are warm, and the hot chocolate is hot. Although we experienced the spot of one of New Orleans most famous beignets, visiting the Quarter couldn’t be complete without some of the warm doughy goodness and coffee from Café Beignets.
Places to Stay
Although there are lots of places to stay in New Orleans, with having a larger family, we decided on an Airbnb in Mid-City. After a long day of walking and enjoying the sights, we found that it was a great break from the hustle and bustle from the more touristy areas of the city. However, if you’re the type of person who loves a livelier atmosphere at night, down in the French Quarter you can spend your time and stay, enjoying the beautiful architecture of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Omni Royal Orleans, or The Roosevelt New Orleans. If this doesn’t meet your needs, there are a slew of other hotels in the city that may.
Although 2005’s Hurricane Katrina found the city in despair, the people of New Orleans have worked tirelessly to bring their beloved city back to its former glory—you can see it in the way jazz musicians and local artist flood the streets with music so melodic that it makes your soul speak. It is a place where you’ll meet the friendliest of faces, the gumbo and beignets are plentiful, and so are the books.
