Gary KristReseñas

along the lines of Devil in the White city, in that they use the serial killer to draw an audience, then spend the majority of the time relating new orleans political history and the history of Jazz. Still a good read, just don't go into it just for the axman

A wonderful story about the commercialized vice trade in New Orleans in the 30 years before the implementation of prohibition. Filled with numerous fascinating characters and events, An outstanding piece of nonfiction that has inspired this reader to look further into the origins of Jazz.

Just in case you're not sick of politicians read this book.

Many cities have a seedy past. Few celebrate it the way New Orleans has/does or have failed to outgrow it as much as New Orleans.

The subtitle of City of Scoundrels is rather misleading: while several of the figures involved in the "12 Days of Disaster" that took place in Chicago in the summer of 1919 certainly helped to shape that city in profound ways, Gary Krist doesn't really prove that those twelve days in particular were some sort of formative moment or systemic break. Really, the events described here are a kind of microcosm that bring together several different aspects of the history of early twentieth-century America. From blimp crashes in the Loop to race riots, child abductions to bare-faced political corruption, Krist documents moments that reveal a lot about the history of power, race, and technology in Chicago that stood on the verge of the Roaring Twenties. Read City of Scoundrels for that "snapshot in time" feel, but not for something bigger than that.½

The author, an amateur historian, makes the undergraduate level mistake of choosing to make a story out of history rather than aim at historical accuracy. His selection of three (somewhat) famous early Angelenos is done with the goal of telling a pessimistic account of LA's modern origin. His subjects were hardly the only or the most important contributors to the city, but they share a common theme of finding success and then losing their way. It is a heavy way of making the cliche observation that Los Angeles is all veneer and bluster. A historian could have told any one of these life stories because each is interesting in its way (maybe less so Aimee McPherson), but to use these lives as particularly representative of LA is disingenuous. You don't have to like LA, but if you don't--you also don't need to write a book about it. I'd rather see a more original take than another New Yorker's attempt to take the shine away from beautiful, exciting, and ever-changing Los Angeles.

New Orleans, Louisiana, has to be one of the more fascinating cities in the United States. Its European vibe, the amalgam of cultures, its decadence, and anything goes attitude make it a place to visit for many people. In reading Empire of Sin by Gary Krist, I hoped to learn more about the city’s past to bridge the gap in my knowledge of the city’s history. I didn’t exactly get what I wanted, and what I did get was not presented in as interesting a fashion as I hoped it would be for such an exuberant city.

Mr. Krist’s novel covers New Orleans from the post-Reconstruction period to the Roaring Twenties. There were Mafia turf wars and racial equality that soon morphed into a burgeoning Jim Crow sentiment during this time. Most important to this period is the idea that the city leaders had of limiting all of the city’s vices – alcohol, prostitution, gambling, interracial relationships, and jazz – to a few specific blocks of the city called Storyville or the Tenderloin district.

While Mr. Krist starts and ends his novel with a string of unsolved murders that may have been Mafia-related and may have been due to a serial killer, he spends most of his time following Storyville from its beginning to its demise. We learn, repeatedly, all about the incredible profits to be had by sin, the influx of shadier and more violent businessmen from New York City, and the increasing cry from the conservative temperance and other reformers to shut down Storyville. While something similar happened in many of the larger cities in the United States, what makes New Orleans so different is the sheer extent to which it embraced Storyville. In fact, stories about happenings in Storyville made their way to Europe as proof that the debauchery occurring in NOLA knew no bounds.

I learned from Empire of Sin that the more things change, the more things stay the same. Eventually, city businessmen see Storyville as a bane to the city and a deterrent to potential capital investors. At the same time, the Victorian attitude of believing certain sins like sex and drink were best kept outside the house changes. It takes thirty years and lots of money, but eventually, the reformers shut down Storyville, forcibly evicting everyone who lives within the district.

There are several ironies about the end of Storyville. First, the timing of Storyville’s end is odd. While the rest of the country entered the Roaring Twenties and its looser standards, New Orleans went in the opposite direction. With the end of Storyville came the complete and total migration of its more famous jazz musicians away from New Orleans. Again, while the rest of the country was enjoying the music that Storyville created, New Orleans was not.

Then there is the fact that not thirty years after the city officials won its ar against vice, it started encouraging it again through the revamping of the French Quarter. Essentially, the French Quarter as it exists today is a tamer version of Storyville. So, what once was a deterrent to business is now one of the city’s biggest attractions.

There is no doubt that Mr. Krist did careful research to present his story. I especially appreciate that he clarifies that any quotes in the book are verifiable quotes taken from original sources. These sources include police statements, newspapers, and people like Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. For a history that people could easily take as too incredible to be accurate, his use of original sources removes the incredibility.

While I learned a lot from Empire of Sin, I struggled to get through the book. Mr. Krist’s writing style is comprehensive and less than exciting. Also, he throws so much at the reader – the Mafia thing, the murders, Storyville, and the birth of jazz. While it all occurs during the period of the book, it is too much. I wanted him to finish one story before he started another. Instead, he weaves them together, so you don’t quite understand what the Mafia and Storyville have to do with one another other than that the turf wars coincided with the battle for Storyville. I appreciate Mr. Krist’s use of original sources, but at the end of the day, any story about New Orleans should be more exciting or at least more interesting than what I got with Empire of Sin.

I had not at all heard about the accident that is one of the major threads in this book -- the crash of the Wingfoot Express (hydrogen fueled) airship in the middle of Downtown Chicago in the summer of 1919, which kicked off a fortnight of hell for the city. I found the book to be quite interesting, especially in that it covers the race riots that followed (and were unconnected) quite well. Recommended.½

Worthwhile triptych history of LA

A really interesting book on New Orleans.. from 1890 til 1920's. Politics, murders, ,mafia and so much more! Lots of research went into writing this book. So much detail.

The Last Resort

Back in 1976 the Eagles recorded “The Last Resort” (arguably one of their best) on their Hotel Californiaalbum. It captures an aspect of Los Angeles history that may come as a surprise to those who pick up a copy of Gary Krist’s The Mirage Factory: founding fathers promoted L.A. as a white city, as the whitest city in the U.S.A.; as Iowa transplanted to a better climate. And it was, for a short time, until it grew quickly into the heterogeneous patchwork we know it as now.

Krist expertly and entertainingly explores the key factors that from the approximately the 1890s through to the 1930s grew L.A. from a small city of 50,000 to a metropolis that became the nation’s third largest city (now the second). They are as listed in the subtitle: illusion, imagination, and invention. And in his telling, three personalities personified these three factors: William Mulholland, self-trained civil engineer and thirst quencher; David Wark Griffith, filmmaker and innovator; and Amiee Semple McPherson, evangelist and promoter. As he traces the courses of their lives, all of which exemplified to varying degrees the three factors, he fills in with the history of the region, as well as with other historical figures who contributed to L.A.’ s growth through their effort and boosterism.

As Krist highlights, L.A. was an improbable place for a city, what with no transportation ties, mediocre ports, and limited water. Yet it did have two things going for it: near perfect weather and the ability to attract people with imagination. William Mulholland not only imagined shunting water from the north via an extensive system of aqueducts and dams, but he possessed the self-obtained knowledge, the inventiveness, and the fortitude to see it through. Without him, it could be argued, it would have taken L.A. years more to grow. Mulholland, a driven and gruff sort of fellow, did come to something of a bad end, a victim of his hubris, but in Krist’s portrayal he certainly wasn’t the villain of Chinatown.

To grow, L.A. needed industry and maybe flash, too. The filmmakers migrating from Chicago and New York supplied both, and none did more to help the industry develop than David Wark Griffith. While best known today among the general public for his wildly racist but successful and brilliantly produced The Birth of a Nation, D. W. imagined, invented, and realized on film a new, powerful way to tell stories that entertained and helped transform a somewhat static art form into what we know today, not to mention an economic juggernaut. He thought of himself as more artist than mere entertainer, lost touch with the evolving cravings of audiences, and finished, as Mulholland did, badly, but, like Mulholland, with a legacy. When we think of Los Angeles, we think of Hollywood and movies, though modern L.A. is so much more. This just illustrates the power that filmmakers and film moguls exerted over the growth the city and the imagination of the entire world. Krist offers up a stirring and illuminating history of early moviemaking and studio building and its contribution to the growth of the city.

Those seeking Iowa with better weather where also in search of something more beyond just that, something the salubrious weather seemed to put them in touch with, a yen for spiritualism. Given L.A.’s reputation, some may find it surprising to learn that Pentecostalism received its biggest impetus to grow there via the Azusa Street Revival. As Amiee Semple McPherson proved, Los Angelenos yearned for spiritual fulfillment, and she showed up just in time to provide it with a verve and vigor that helped her build her Angelus Temple, one of the earliest megachurches, and her Foursquare Church. McPherson may be best known for her charisma and her disappearance and reappearance in grand Hollywood fashion, but, according to Krist, she and her church accomplished lots of good for the people of the city. While McPherson, who like the other city builders Krist highlights, came to a bad end, she too left behind a legacy in the form of her church, which continues to thrive today.

People like to joke about the “Left Coast,” but reading The Mirage Factory you come to realize that maybe Los Angeles is really the most American city of all. An entertaining and educational reading experience recommended for all, especially Los Angelenos who want more insight into their hometown.

The Last Resort

Back in 1976 the Eagles recorded “The Last Resort” (arguably one of their best) on their Hotel Californiaalbum. It captures an aspect of Los Angeles history that may come as a surprise to those who pick up a copy of Gary Krist’s The Mirage Factory: founding fathers promoted L.A. as a white city, as the whitest city in the U.S.A.; as Iowa transplanted to a better climate. And it was, for a short time, until it grew quickly into the heterogeneous patchwork we know it as now.

Krist expertly and entertainingly explores the key factors that from the approximately the 1890s through to the 1930s grew L.A. from a small city of 50,000 to a metropolis that became the nation’s third largest city (now the second). They are as listed in the subtitle: illusion, imagination, and invention. And in his telling, three personalities personified these three factors: William Mulholland, self-trained civil engineer and thirst quencher; David Wark Griffith, filmmaker and innovator; and Amiee Semple McPherson, evangelist and promoter. As he traces the courses of their lives, all of which exemplified to varying degrees the three factors, he fills in with the history of the region, as well as with other historical figures who contributed to L.A.’ s growth through their effort and boosterism.

As Krist highlights, L.A. was an improbable place for a city, what with no transportation ties, mediocre ports, and limited water. Yet it did have two things going for it: near perfect weather and the ability to attract people with imagination. William Mulholland not only imagined shunting water from the north via an extensive system of aqueducts and dams, but he possessed the self-obtained knowledge, the inventiveness, and the fortitude to see it through. Without him, it could be argued, it would have taken L.A. years more to grow. Mulholland, a driven and gruff sort of fellow, did come to something of a bad end, a victim of his hubris, but in Krist’s portrayal he certainly wasn’t the villain of Chinatown.

To grow, L.A. needed industry and maybe flash, too. The filmmakers migrating from Chicago and New York supplied both, and none did more to help the industry develop than David Wark Griffith. While best known today among the general public for his wildly racist but successful and brilliantly produced The Birth of a Nation, D. W. imagined, invented, and realized on film a new, powerful way to tell stories that entertained and helped transform a somewhat static art form into what we know today, not to mention an economic juggernaut. He thought of himself as more artist than mere entertainer, lost touch with the evolving cravings of audiences, and finished, as Mulholland did, badly, but, like Mulholland, with a legacy. When we think of Los Angeles, we think of Hollywood and movies, though modern L.A. is so much more. This just illustrates the power that filmmakers and film moguls exerted over the growth the city and the imagination of the entire world. Krist offers up a stirring and illuminating history of early moviemaking and studio building and its contribution to the growth of the city.

Those seeking Iowa with better weather where also in search of something more beyond just that, something the salubrious weather seemed to put them in touch with, a yen for spiritualism. Given L.A.’s reputation, some may find it surprising to learn that Pentecostalism received its biggest impetus to grow there via the Azusa Street Revival. As Amiee Semple McPherson proved, Los Angelenos yearned for spiritual fulfillment, and she showed up just in time to provide it with a verve and vigor that helped her build her Angelus Temple, one of the earliest megachurches, and her Foursquare Church. McPherson may be best known for her charisma and her disappearance and reappearance in grand Hollywood fashion, but, according to Krist, she and her church accomplished lots of good for the people of the city. While McPherson, who like the other city builders Krist highlights, came to a bad end, she too left behind a legacy in the form of her church, which continues to thrive today.

People like to joke about the “Left Coast,” but reading The Mirage Factory you come to realize that maybe Los Angeles is really the most American city of all. An entertaining and educational reading experience recommended for all, especially Los Angelenos who want more insight into their hometown.

Not bad, an easy read.

My reading patterns have become somewhat eclectic -- I don't even remember where I heard about this book, and nonfiction is not my typical genre, but what a read! Bringing to life the Wellington train tragedy of 1910 (which I didn't even know had occurred) Krist paints with broad strokes to show the political climate of the time (progressive) as well as the financial boom of the Railroad Era, in particular the rise of the Great Northern Line under James J. Hill from MN. Lesser known than the era's other Robber Barons, Hill forged a railroad with sheer grit and now-embarrassingly cheap labor through the formidable Rockies and even more daunting Cascades to reach Seattle. Jim O'Neill, the superintendent of this particular tough stretch of mountain passage through the Cascades began work on the railroad at age 13: "What fetched [boys who went to work on the railroad] were the sights and sounds of moving trains, and above all the whistle of a locomotive. I've heard of the call of the wild, the call of the law, the call of the church. There is also the call of the railroad." (9) Quoting Miles C. Moore, an early governor of the Washington territory he notes: "Railroads are not a mere convenience. They are the true alchemy of the age, which transmutes the otherwise worthless resources of a country into gold." (15) Krist captures well the romance of the Iron Horse and the immense growth and progress in the country at this time. " the final victory of man's machinery over nature's is the next step in evolution" (5) and "It was ... a time when mankind's technological reach had profoundly exceeded its grasp, when safety regulations and innovations in fail-safe communication and operations technologies had not yet caught up with the ambitious new standards of speed and efficiency...." Think of the Titanic 2 years later. So the stage is set for a tragedy: a monstrous late-winter storm that started with temps in the single digits that progressed to thunderstorms and rain within days. More than 12 FEET of snow fell and the mountain wind whipped some drifts even higher and 2 trains: The Seattle Express and the Fast Mail Train (an innovation of its day) became stranded when they were sidelined in Wellington to wait out the storm and wait for the tracks to be cleared. Here, Krist skillfully fills in the details for the trip from boarding to disaster, with fascinating information about many of the passengers, the workers and the "town" of Wellington -- a handful of buildings on a single street. He is very sympathetic to James O'Neill, the man in charge of the entire situation, and rightfully so, for he was out there in the storm on the tracks, personally running some of the rotary snowplows and shoveling to try to get passage through for his passengers and cargo. He is a man of action and a leader by example. In general, the hardiness of people at this time was amazing -- some passengers chose to hike out the 5 miles through the storm and fallen snow to a lower station. Slide after slide blocked the throughway in one direction then the other as men worked round the clock to try to fee the line and get the trains moving again. Meanwhile, avalanche conditions worsened in the area where the trains were parked, culminating in the final fall that wiped out the trains, track and killed 96 people. Though I knew the outcome, this was still a page-turner -- I became so invested in the people and the action. Krist seamlessly wove together facts from exhaustive research and good storytelling that followed through to the subsequent inquest and civil trials. If you like Jon Krakauer or Erik Larson, this is on par! Also includes authentic photos from the time period, which are fascinating.

A fascinating account of the history of Los Angeles between 1900 and 1930, grounded in the lives of an artist - the groundbreaking filmmaker David Wark Griffith; an engineer - the famous/infamous (depending on which part of California you live in) William Mulholland; and a charismatic evangelist - Aimee Semple McPherson, who founded the Church of the Foursquare Gospel. I plan on reading more of Gary Krist's books when I get the opportunity.

A fascinating account of the history of Los Angeles between 1900 and 1930, grounded in the lives of an artist - the groundbreaking filmmaker David Wark Griffith; an engineer - the famous/infamous (depending on which part of California you live in) William Mulholland; and a charismatic evangelist - Aimee Semple McPherson, who founded the Church of the Foursquare Gospel. I plan on reading more of Gary Krist's books when I get the opportunity.

Jumps back and forth in time a bit too much, but it’s a history of how white reformers fought the fleshpots of New Orleans, and the African Americans of New Orleans, into outlaw/endangered status after Reconstruction and into the Prohibition era. As my husband commented, the recollections from jazz performers aren’t all that helpful because they tend to be vaguer and more apocryphal than the other sources in the book, but if you’re into true crime, this might be of interest.

FINAL REVIEW

What do Norman Mailer, Philip Roth, Dorothy Parker, Allen Ginsberg, Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen all have in common? That’s right, all born and raised in New Jersey, the Garden State. Actually, I also share that somewhat dubious honor, thus I feel a special connection to this book of short stories by New Jersey born and bred Gary Krist published as part of the 1980s Vintage Contemporaries series.


And, oh, those sweet Jersey girls. Maybe it's something in the water, but growing up in New Jersey people develop serious attitude. To provide a glimpse, below are my brief rundowns of three of the eight stories in this collection:

TRIBES OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
The first-person narrator, a teenager in high school, relates how there are three key adults in his life: his attractive successful home realtor mother, his father living in the house down the street since the divorce and an auto mechanic from Czechoslovakia – Siva Grencek – who is now married his mother. As the story progresses it becomes clear this adult trio form a New Jersey version of Jean Paul Sartre’s theme from his play “No Exit,” as hell being other people.

For example, when his father stands up to give a toast at Siva and his ex-wife’s wedding reception, he starts out by saying, “I would like to propose a toast to my wife.” The narrator has to correct him under his breath: “ex-wife, ex-wife.” His father makes the correction and goes on, “A woman of grace and style, of character and good taste, in some respects.” After another typical New Jersey cutting remark, son grabs father and pulls him back down into his chair.

Later on in the story, when his father agrees to host a summer barbecue and meet Ern, a man who might turn out to be just the kind of friend he needs in his lonely, divorced life, there is a description of Ern getting out of his battered Dodge Dart: a heavy man, balding, thick reddish beard, smoking a pipe and holding a little white Chihuahua with a green T-shirt, wearing a light blue shirt open at the collar, plaid shorts, black stretch socks and white shoes. Bulls-eye, Garry Krist! Heavyset, balding, open collar, short pants, black socks, white shoe, battered car, little dog – could be the unofficial New Jersey dress code and Garden State lifestyle. And the end of this story is 100% classic Jersey: yelling and fighting and upset complete with our teenage narrator caught in the middle.

HOW I LEARNED TO RAISE THE DEAD OF BERGEN COUNTY
Mark Penfold is pressed into writing a funeral eulogy for his not so dear, departed Uncle Louie since, after all, Mark won the Sophomore Writing Prize at his local high school for his five-hundred-word essay on “The New Jersey Renaissance.” Ah, such a subject - irony, anyone? Anyway, the funeral director is so taken by Mark’s efforts that he hires the lad to write eulogies for upcoming funeral services he has scheduled at his funeral home. Turns out, Mark is so successful, he can quit his job at the local supermarket and devote his time and energies to writing.

Reflecting on Mark’s new writing job, his Aunt Lana thinks it morbid. His mother worries Mark might have to spend too much time thinking about the dead. His father is more practical, warning Mark about diseases and to keep away from the corpses. Meanwhile, Mark’s girlfriend Karen is enthusiastic about his writing career and shares her fantasy about how she and Mark can go off to Rutgers as a married couple and take turns carrying their baby to lectures in a Snuggly with a big Rutgers “R” sewn onto it.

Mark continues to write eulogies and really gets into it, conducting interviews with surviving family members to gather information and insight into the personality of the departed. And Mark’s zest for life explodes; so much so that his food takes on sharper tastes, his girlfriend’s body has a new fullness and, yes, he feels closer to the men and women he is writing eulogies for than even their relatives. This last point brings him into actual conflict with an old New Jersey woman who takes exception to the compassion and feeling he conveyed in eulogizing her aunt. What happens during Mark’s confrontation with this woman in the funeral director’s office makes this story one of the strongest in the collection.

LAYOVER
Toward the end of this tale, sitting on an airplane ready for takeoff at Newark airport, the young narrator asks an old woman from the Boston area about her layover in New Jersey. Here is the woman’s reply and the narrator’s reaction:

“Terrible,” she said eagerly, apparently glad to have someone to tell of her ordeal. “They put me up in an awful motel in East Orange. Torn curtains, smelly sheets – awful! And then no one would accept the meal voucher they gave me. I had to pay for my own.” She shook her head. “What I wouldn’t do for a home-cooked meal from my own kitchen," she said, and then slid into her seat in front of me.
Poor woman, I thought. What could be worse than being miserable and alone in East Orange, New Jersey?

The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles by Gary Krist presents the history of Los Angeles from 1900 to 1930 and the history of the three individuals instrumental in the growth of the city. Because of the colorful facts of this history and the storytelling style of the writing, this book makes a quick read. Don't get me wrong. The research and the factual details are all meticulously presented. They are simply packaged in an easy to read, entertaining narrative.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2018/07/the-mirage-factory.html

Reviewed for Penguin First to Read program.

I’ve read a good bit about the early days of Los Angeles, so there were parts of this book that had me wondering if I’d read this one before. Obviously, no. But there are just only so many ways of describing an event.

Krist tells LA’s story by focusing on three people who were important in shaping the development of old LA: William Mulholland, D.W. Griffith, and Aimee Semple McPherson. Mulholland was the engineer who found a (temporary) solution to Los Angeles’s lack of water: drain the Owens Valley of what they thought was ample water. It was him that allowed the green lawns and lush gardens that existed for decades, before water restrictions hit. D.W. Griffith was a director working during the birth of motion pictures, who made movies an art instead of hamminess - and also made one of the most racist movies ever, The Birth of a Nation. McPherson was an evangelist who moved from the mid-west to LA to found a church that is still going- and created a space for non-mainline religions in the city. All three shaped LA; all three ended up more or less in disgrace.

What makes this book different from the other “Old LA” books I’ve read is the amount of detail Krist has put into it. He’s dug a lot deeper than most others. Even though I knew the stories of Mulholland and Griffith, their stories held my attention- especially the part about the St. Francis dam failure that killed 400 people- I had never heard of that event! The chapters alternate between the three main characters; they never weave together even though they all were working during the same era. Enjoyable to read and full of facts. Four stars.

This is an interesting read about the artist, the evangelist, and the engineer who helped put Los Angeles on the map. Specifically, the outstanding nonfiction author, Gary Krist, has written yet another excellent NF book, cleverly weaving together the stories of moviemaker D.W. Griffith, evanglist Aimee Semple McPherson, and engineer and water magician William Mulholland, who, together, played a huge role in the growth of L.A. during the first two decades of the 20th century.

Earlier, Krist had written some of the best nonfiction works I've read in recent years, including City of Scoundrels (about Chicago), The White Cascade (about an avalanche that hit the Pacific Northwest, and Empire of Sin (about New Orleans). This newest book by Krist ranks right up there. Initially, I thought that focusing on three different people and fields detracted from the book but, in the end, this focus turned out well.

This interesting book about the early days of L.A. is one I'd highly recommend to friends who like nonfiction page-turners.

(I received an electronic copy of this book from First to Read in exchange for a fair and honest review.)½

The Mirage Factory is an illuminating blend of religion, entertainment, and the human condition. As the city-that-should-never-have-existed, Los Angeles is shown as a beacon of ingenuity, even though the road to genius is wrought with failure, mishaps, and sometimes death.

If you grew up in Chicago and love Chicago History this book is for you.
A great read and how Chicago moved ahead after that terrible month of July 1919.

Best,

Easyreader 2

I’ve always been fascinated with New Orleans. It’s such a contradictory city, with a touch of evil hovering over it, and an unsavory feel that often makes me nervous to visit. Yet, the foods that come from that part of the country are unparalleled.
Until I read Gary Krist’s nonfiction piece, Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans, I had come to believe that the debauchery of the 1960s through the ‘70s was at its height there. To me, and what I knew about the city, New Orleans made Las Vegas seem like a night out for nuns and priests.
Krist focuses on a scant thirty years, from 1890 to 1920. When I first realized that the book 448 and that 105 of them were the bibliography, notes, and index, I was a little overwhelmed, afraid that the writing would be too deep for me to sink my teeth into. However, Krist’s has written an easy-to-read narrative that held me attention from the beginning.
I enjoyed reading/learning about such characters and places as Storyville (where the city tried to coral its vice) and Tom Anderson (its unofficial mayor). There were the madams like Lulu White and Josie Arlington. There were the saloons and gambling houses. There was the immigrant population---Italians, whom too seemed to be in the same mess today’s illegals are in. I ws mesmerized by the corruption that ran rampart from the slums to the highest echelons of state government. Old Huey Long was a saint compared to some men back then; they make today’s politicians looks like humble old ladies.
I knew that New Orleans was a port-of-entry for many Italians, and they lived in slums and ghettos that reminded me of New York’s tenements. And I had learned of “Little Sicily” from a PBS special, The Italian-Americans.
There are three areas in the book that I really enjoyed reading: First, of course, are the jazzmen. Guys like Robert Charles, Buddy Bolden, Jellyroll Martin---how they created the music form that we now know as jazz, and how hard it was a musician wanted more than a gig in a whore house.
Second, was the Mafia or the Black-Hand. Krist could have delved into that more in my opinion, but still the rise and fall still fascinated me.
Third, the serial killer, The Axeman, seemed to target the Italians. Brutality knows no generation.
Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans is an easy read that I highly recommend. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

This is a history of New Orleans covering, roughly, the first quarter often 20th Century. It covers the rise and fall of the red-light district (Storyville and the French Quarter), the battles for political control of New Orleans, the development of jazz in the city, the development of criminal gangs in the city and the changing states of racial integration, harmony and tension during this period. Sensational murders are used as a framing device for these stories. Krist writes well and uses his main sources (the plethora of local journalism and police and court records) to strong effect. This is exciting history, excitingly presented.

Where the book falls, I think, is in trying to cover too much ground (see that list at the start of this review) and ends up not really giving enough space and depth to any of his subjects. Nor does he really tie all of these strands together (for example, the sections on jazz are not well integrated with any of the other themes). Maybe, there are one too many books struggling for recognition here.½