Wicked New Orleans: The Dark Side of the Big Easy by Troy Taylor

Wicked New Orleans: The Dark Side of the Big Easy Reviews

• 
  Redsteve

  Pretty decent if brief history of the unsavory parts of New Orleans. Well-written and entertaining, if rather simplistic when dealing with more complicated bits. Much is pretty sensationalistic, which isn't surprising as a lot of the text (especially from the 19th and early 20th Centuries) is basically a digest of Asbury's French Quarter, Saxon's Fabulous New Orleans, and Saxon, Tallant, and Dreyer's Gumbo Ya Ya . This also means that parts should be taken with a grain of salt, as the above books were about things as they were commonly believed at the time, and not necessarily how they really were. For a more nuanced account of the events of "The Mafia in New Orleans", I would suggest reading Vendetta by Richard Gambino. I recommend Wicked New Orleans for anyone who wants a quick, easy-to-read account of the salacious (but non-supernatural) history of the city. Note: Although this book was published in 2010, it doesn't deal with any events after the early 20th Century.
• 
  Michelle

  This makes for an easy, entertaining nonfic read! I especially liked the accounts of the VERY TOUGH AND MEAN prostitutes of New Orleans.
• 
  Emily

  **I am posting this review at one am in a hotel room after my flight home from New Orleans got redirected to New York instead. I wrote this review on the plane because I finished it an hour before we were supposed to land. I am so tired, but I felt the need to post my review now instead of tomorrow because I wouldn't be able to post it until the evening. We almost had to sleep at the airport**
  
  I picked up this book in New Orleans while roaming the French Quarter. It is all about the vice and criminal ‘underground’ through out the history of New Orleans. I love learning about this kind of history. I’m all for the gossip and scandal and this book is full of it!
  I found this book to be a very good summery of the crime history of New Orleans. It’s less then 125 pages long and comes with photographs from the eras it talks about. It covers a lot of topics and stories, from prostitution to a serial killer. Each chapter has its own overall topic. While every chapter involved whorehouses, drinking, gambling, corruption, and murder; each chapter would be about these issues in the setting of a type of seedy organization. For example, in the chapter ABOUT PROSTITUTION it gives stories about specific women in the industry that sometimes lasts from a few sentences to several pages. And in these stories the woman in question would sometimes commit murder, steal, fight, and pay corrupt policemen and politicians to keep their place of business from being shut down.
  I really enjoyed learning more about New Orleans. I have wanted to visit for years and I can’t wait to go again. Part of the reason I wanted to book on the history of this city is because we only went to one museum during our day’s stay. It was a museum on voodoo, and while it was interesting, it didn’t have the level of information I would’ve liked. It was only three rooms big and had not nearly enough space to give every person or item the attention that was deserved.
  This book is a very good start for wetting one’s toes in the history of New Orleans. It talks about dueling, the Louisiana purchase, the above ground tombs, and so much more for such a small book. I actually wish that it was much longer.
  The last thing I want to mention is the Axeman. I’ve know this random fact about a serial killer in New Orleans that stated that he wouldn’t kill anyone if they were playing jazz music in their homes or place of business. The last chapter of this book talks about this serial killer. I’m really happy to now know this story. There is so much interesting history out there and I’ve only just started learning New Orleans’s share.
  
• 
  Brittany

  I found this book very interesting. I love not only history, but New Orleans history. The writing style isn't exactly textbook, but it is not exactly story telling. It is a little in between, so might come of as boring if you are not really into it. I read it in a few days, so obviously I enjoyed it.
• 
  Lisa

  Interesting information on how New Orleans was settled and then scandalous crime into the early 1900's.
• 
  Liz Maddox

  This was pretty interesting. There were lots of short snippets about the dark side of New Orleans: dueling, disease, prostitution, and the mafia. Good tour guide reading.
• 
  Harmony

  I should have read this book BEFORE traveling to New Orleans, it would have been extremely helpful while walking around.
• 
  Summer Silander

  Decent brief history but it felt like it was lacking in some areas at some times. Not a bad read though!
• 
  Jim Nirmaier

  A slim volume of only 126 pages full of fun facts, scandal, thievery, prostitution, murder, gambling, copiously large consumption of any liquid approximating alcohol, corruption, piracy, and all the Hoodoo Voodoo ingredients that make the Crescent City the liveliest, most wide-open, party-loving, artistically rich, and most European of all American cities – all mixed together in a steaming hot pot of gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, and all of the aforementioned spicy ingredients.
  
  The book covers some very interesting territory in nine chapter chunks that average roughly 15-25 pages each. From the founding of the settlement in 1718 by the French and named for the Duke of Orleans, then ceded to Spain from 1763 until 1800, and then briefly returned to France until Napoleon unloaded the entire Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which comprised a total of 828,000 square miles, to the US for $15,000,000 to pay down war debts and continuing colonial empire military costs – is all covered in good detail.
  
  Virtually, from its very founding, New Orleans has had its own unique variety and combination of gambling, graft, corruption, and sins of the flesh. The early development of the French colony and settlement was led by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville who was appointed as the governor and commander of the region.
  
  Bienville is still a prominent name in the city and he was responsible for the infamous Code Noir (Black Code) which was adapted from existing slave laws in Santo Domingo. The code was an unusual one and unlike any other in the southern states, which protected the ownership of slaves. It did promise harsh penalties for any slave who rebelled, but it also provided protection from tyranny, oppression, or cruelty from white owners. Severe fines and jail time were meted out for those that broke this part of the Code.
  
  The book also goes into great detail about the famous pirate Jean Lafitte, his extensive empire of piracy based close to New Orleans, as well as his involvement in the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 under the leadership of U.S. Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson. I’ve actually had a few drinks in the structure in the French Quarter which was originally the pirate’s blacksmith shop. And it looked legit, at least from the extreme angle of the leaning of the very old building!
  
  In addition, the long and extensive tradition and practice of dueling, which was a very prominent part of the social structure of the city for years, as well as the numerous famous and infamous whorehouses and madams of the city are covered in lascivious historical detail.
  
  The founding of Storyville, the section of the city designated as the colorful red-light district (1897-1917) is explored interestingly and was one of the prime spots of the germination of jazz and boogie-woogie, which began in the many houses of ill repute that provided piano players and bands for the musical entertainment of their clients; in addition to the upstairs activities.
  
  The final sections of the book cover organized crime and Mafia activities during the 20th Century, and the last chapter is solely devoted to the most mysterious and infamous unsolved crime in the history of New Orleans. The frenzied murders of The Axeman occurred during two years – 1918 & 1919 and resulted in a popular song of the time called “The Mysterious Axman’s Jazz (Don’t Scare Me Papa).”
  
  “Who was this strange and terrifying creature? Was it a man bent on revenge, a crazed serial killer or perhaps something worse? The period of death and bloodshed that was reigned over by this allegedly supernatural creature is still remembered as one of the darkest times in the city’s history. Many believed the ‘boogeyman’ had come to New Orleans.” (page 115)
  
  The murders began in May 1918 and lasted until October 1919 and the killer brutally hacked to death 6 victims and wounded 6 others with horrifying axe attacks. Even more spooky, the killer was never caught.
  
  For fellow lovers of this unique and most sleazily cosmopolitan of American cities, this is a very enjoyable, informative, and quick read! Let’s hope the city continues to survive another few hundred years with the current climate change underway with stronger and more numerous hurricanes and tropical storms battering the Gulf Coast, combined with the distressing disappearance of the many surrounding marshes and swampland in the area.
• 
  Dorie

  When we visited New Orleans, the history of the city instantly hit me. I could feel it, and see it. It was exhilarating and overwhelming. What was most fascinating, was the darker, more corrupt debauchery, and loose morals throughout its history and past.
  This slim 128 page book gives us a peek into the darker, more wicked history of one of the most dangerous cities in the USA, at that time. Known as the "Casket Girls", from 1728-1751 the Ursaline Nuns held the city, forcing everyone to live under the "Black Code". It called for the expulsion of Jews, and prohibited any religion, except catholicism.
  Soon, this port city was over-run with people from the French/Spanish territories, and became a city of barrelhouses(bars) and concert saloons, alive with jazz music. Knowing these men would come with money and want some company; and with few city ordinances, prostitutes flocked to the city, opening rooms, dens and brothels. The bordellos were kept alive by grift and kickbacks until the 1880's. The Italian mobsters Labruzzo and Marcello came to the city and began "Cleaning Up" its streets.
  The book ends in 1919 with the story of the Axman Murderer. He began killing Italian grocers and their wives while sleeping in their beds. Many lived above their stores. This person has never been identified and disappeared about a year later.
  
  Concise, fun to read, history of a city with many stories to tell. This slim volume will inspire you to read more about the wicked side of New Orleans. Recommended.
• 
  Sharon

  An entertaining, albeit not too deep (given the length of the book, this is unsurprising) look at the history of all manner of vice in New Orleans. Nice overview, including historical photos and newspaper illustrations. If you want to dip your toe into everything from Storyville to the Axeman, this is a good place to do it. Overall, a fun read.
• 
  Dave

  Fun, spooky, expectantly full of all the corrupt skullduggery you'd expect from a historical piece on Nola. Reading level is set to about 6th grade, but beyond that it's a fun book to leave around the house for visitors. 4 out of 5 swinging metal chains attached to corrupt policemen's severed arms
• 
  Sharon Parker

  Fun
  
  This is a fun little read about some of the seedier history of New Orleans. The city has a sordid past, and currently seems to be trying to recreate it. I won't be visiting again in my lifetime, but I do still enjoy reading about it.
• 
  Ashley Hobgood

  I had read this book out of curiosity. I enjoyed reading this book because I learned more about the wicked side of New Orleans. I loved that it was informative with plenty attention to detail. I thought the book was well written. It is a must read.
• 
  Edwina Callan

  If you're looking for Marie Laveau or Mad Madame LaLaurie you won't find them between the covers of this slim little book, what you will find is gamblers, prostitution, the mafia, and the dreaded Axeman.
  I'd skip this one as there are much better books out there.
• 
  Tiffanie Renee

  Being from the city, it was good to see how we got our start as a city filled with vice & sin. Very interesting read if you're into history.
• 
  Traci Andrighetti

  An interesting look at the devious and creepy history of New Orleans.
• 
  Patricia Farmer

  Extremely interesting
  
  Very good reading here, and very informative. Definitely a must have. The reader will not be disappointed. Author has great style.
  
• 
  Wendy Strout

  I love reading about the history of New Orleans. This read easy while also giving good background of the dark side of NOLA.
• 
  Douglas Reedy

  A fun read.
  
  All of the stories enclosed in this book are worth your time to read. It's a good starting point for those interested in New Orleans history.
• 
  Jim

  Ummm....wow........That's some history.
• 
  Melissa Loucks

  I read this for my 2021 Reading Challenge and the prompt was a book set somewhere i want to visit in 2021. Unfortunately that is not going to happen now but I still enjoyed the book.
• 
  Theresa

  I love New Orleans. This book taught me a little bit and reminded me good times in the Big Easy.
• 
  Patrick Endres

  Although the topic interested me this was difficult to get through. The jumps in time did not make much sense and made it hard for me to figure out what was happening when.
• 
  Danielle Hale

  This book was just meh. Not super exciting, but not terribly boring.
• 
  Aus10reads

  Though some of the author's comedic commentary had me rolling my eyes and expecting the worst, this book picks up and ends up being fairly substantial. It really painted a vivid picture of the violent, criminal, scandalous origins of the city of New Orleans. It's not quite a 4star rating, but I would recommend if you're interested in the more sensational aspects of the history of the city. Very entertaining.
• 
  Jenny

  
  
  Interesting look at the dark side of New Orleans throughout its history.