An Indie Gem in New Orleans
“Evil is always possible. And goodness eternally difficult,” says famed vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac in Anne Rice’s classic, Interview with the Vampire. He tells his young interviewer, “This was New Orleans, a magical and magnificent place to live. In which a vampire, richly dressed and gracefully walking through the pools of light of one gas lamp after another might attract no more notice in the evening than hundreds of other exotic creatures...”
Though Louis is referring to New Orleans of 1795, those other exotic creatures are very much alive and well in the French Quarter where he once stalked his prey. A vampire would hardly stand out among the throngs of tourists and colorful cast of tarot readers, psychics, poets, painters and artists of all flavors scattered throughout Jackson Square. Simply put, New Orleans is a place where absolutely no one is out of place, making it the perfect setting for Rice’s legendary tale.
I’m relieved to say I did not encounter Monsieur de Pointe du Lac in the shadows of the Quarter’s corridors. Rather, I found him in the light of day peering from the cover of a stack of Rice’s works inside of Faulkner House Books. This unique little indie where William Faulkner once lived and wrote sits on a narrow, stone-paved alley behind St. Louis Cathedral. The pale blue townhouse that serves as Faulkner House Books is tightly curated with contemporary and southern titles shelved from floor to ceiling. Only six people are allowed inside at any given time due to the small space, but it is well worth the wait.
There are several independents in or near the French Quarter. However, Faulkner House secured the top spot for me for both its history and positive reviews of its staff. Independent bookstores certainly shine, but the real glow is for knowledgeable booksellers who produce solid, on-the-spot recommendations. The reviews of Faulkner House’s booksellers proved true, and the woman who helped me deftly paired my interests with several suggested titles. I requested literary fiction that included local history, culture, and a touch of the mystical for which New Orleans is known. I walked away with the following:
New Orleans Sketches by William Faulkner (nonfiction)
Frenchman Art and Books is another fun drop-in for those tourists who are checking out the area on foot. Natives Anne Rice, Tennessee Williams, and Truman Capote are just a few featured authors along with Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald who chose to live and write there. Overall, there’s no shortage of literature in New Orleans, and the independent bookstores are as vibrant and colorful as the music that surrounds them. In this Louis de Pointe de Lac was right, New Orleans is indeed magical and magnificent. This is My Living Fiction in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
Support your local independent bookstores and public libraries. It matters!
