"In New Orleans, it was the culture of the city—its musicians, its second-liners and Mardi Gras Indians, its chefs and trumpeters and sissy bounce rappers—who asserted for the future more than any political leadership or economic imperative. It was the refusal of the artists to let go of the idea of New Orleans that saved the city. NEW ATLANTIS tells this remarkable story and does so clearly, with considerable detail and affection."
—David Simon, Producer of HBO's Treme
"Emotionally raw but still brimming with the joy of music and life in New Orleans, John Swenson chronicles what seemed like a lonely struggle back from loss to living, and in doing so shows that none of us was alone after all. This was and remains a shared journey—no longer back but forward to a new New Orleans."
—Paul Sanchez, Actor and Musician
"An all-inclusive and engrossing study of New Orleans music and life in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Highly recommended."
—Library Journal
"In the early 90's, I watched Cyril Neville perform to packed houses on Oak Street. He preached about how the people of New Orleans were disconnected, and when the storm hit, his words rang true. John captures this love and hate relationship between the people and New Orleans perfectly. Sometimes, the truth is ignored and swept quietly under the table, but still you can't shut the truth up."
—Rueben Williams, The Thunderbird Music Group
"Finally, a book that tells the accurate story of the strife and struggles of New Orleans musicians and their will to keep the city alive."
—Libra Lagrone, Music Curator, Ogden Museum of Southern Art
"A detailed, angry look at the Crescent City's imperiled players and traditions in Huricane Katrina's wake."
—Kirkus' Reviews
"This intimate portrait of a city that lost so much yet still has so much to offer captures the resiliency of its inhabitants and their stubborn determination to never give up."
—Booklist
