A Lyle Saxon Reader: Lost Stories of the French Quarter and Buried Treasure

by Lyle Saxon, James Michael Warner (Editor)

Second-place winner of the 2019 IndieReader Discovery Award for Fiction! First published 1919-1923 in the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper, the thirty-nine tales that comprise this volume include short stories, preservationist essays and character sketches of the author's beloved city. Most of the works in this book have been out of print since they were originally published. In this rediscovered collection of Lyle Saxon's early short stories and character sketches, readers will take great pleasure in seeing in print for the first time in nearly a century some of the author's early classics such as The Last Reunion and Who Would Hunt for Spanish Doubloons and Pieces of Eight? Also among the stories in this volume are metaphorical visions of Saxon's childhood, when Saxon was abandoned by his father and raised by his mother and grandparents. He draws other stories from contemporary headlines or images of antebellum gentility. In each, Saxon pays special attention to the odd quirks expressed by that most-honored of New Orleans species, the French Quarter character.

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 28, 2018

About the author

Lyle Saxon was a journalist and author best known for his work with The Times-Picayune and his leadership of the Louisiana WPA Writers' Project during the 1930s. Born in 1891, likely in either Baton Rouge or Washington State, Saxon was raised in Baton Rouge and later became a central literary figure in New Orleans. He lived in the French Quarter, where his home became a gathering place for writers like William Faulkner and Sherwood Anderson. His grandmother, Elizabeth Lyle Saxon, was a noted suffragette and poet.
Saxon authored several notable books exploring Louisiana's culture and history. Among these are Fabulous New Orleans, Old Louisiana, and Gumbo Ya-Ya, a celebrated collection of Louisiana folktales. He also wrote novels including Lafitte the Pirate, which inspired Cecil B. DeMille's film The Buccaneer, and Children of Strangers, set among Creole communities along the Cane River. His book The Friends of Joe Gilmore reflects his personal relationship with his Black valet.
Saxon embraced New Orleans traditions, especially Mardi Gras, participating with theatrical flair. Openly gay within artistic circles, he led a vibrant social life that intertwined with his literary pursuits. He died in 1946 and is buried in Baton Rouge.

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyle Saxon is a New Orleans author whose previous works consist of historical novels and nonfiction. He's been writing for a long time, producing pieces for decades; but no prior familiarity with his works is required in order to appreciate
A Lyle Saxon Reader: Lost Stories of the French Quarter and Buried Treasure.

Here, perhaps holding more diversity than his full-length productions, is a compendium of writings introduced by an in-depth survey of his life, family, and New Orleans roots. While readers might wonder at the need for an extensive biographical sketch before any of Saxon's works are imbibed, it does lay a strong foundation for his many literary achievements and interests, including Saxon's long-time advocacy for the preservation of the French Quarter and his ongoing contributions to literacy in the form of New Orleans-based reflections that appeared in the Times Picayune and elsewhere.

This lead-in allows readers to better appreciate what follows: a synthesis of cultural reflection, history, and a sampler of the early years his writing career which selects writings produced between December 1919 and June 1923, each of which was originally published in the Times-Picayune nearly a century ago. The stories have been out of print since their original publication, which makes this anthology a treasure trove unequalled elsewhere.

The works are grouped into three themes: short stories, writings on preservation issues, and character sketches. As readers pursue Saxon's pieces, they should be prepared for a solid, literary range of details and discussions. Each section holds its strengths.

The short story section opens with the very short piece 'An Interlude' and presents the story of a man and his beautiful wife at a candlelit dinner on their terrace. What seems a romantic setting quickly turns to one of cruel distain as the man looks upon this beauty and declares he is tired of it. The punch line is unexpected and elevates what seems a cruel observation, punctuating it with irony and psychological insight that explains why this beautiful creature seems almost android-like in her responses.

More short works offer the same attention to crafting strong settings and scenarios, then changing them with laser-precise, emotionally charged insights. One example is 'Reprieved', which details the day of a prisoner's execution. The condemned man reviews the events that led him to murder and this place in time with no reprieve but the one thing he can afford to lose other than his life. Readers will find themselves right there, in the prison cell of his mind and life, through Saxon's employment of vivid reflections and imagery.

Saxon wrote his pieces about preserving the French Quarter after the fire that destroyed the French Opera House. Two of these works appeared in his book Fabulous New Orleans, but this chapter contains fine stand-alone works reproduced in full, here, which explore preservation issues and politics specific to that city.

The chapter on character sketches comes from a series of short works that appeared in the columns 'Choosing a Vocation' and 'Unusual Ways of Making a Living' and featured prominent personalities of the city. The article sketches insights into not just individual lives, but the overall influence of immigrant personalities and people on the cultural and historical development of New Orleans.

Lest one think these sketches are so intrinsic to the city's history that outsiders may not be interested in their cultural and historical value, it should be noted that the works are lively, compelling pieces that will reach far from the city's borders with interesting observations and vignettes such as 'Woman Cow-Catcher Clears $15 During First Day Of Appointment' or the story of Sailor Toney, the tattoo artist.

If anything, these stories capture New Orleans' cultural, social, and historical evolution in a manner no outsider could have achieved. Anyone with an interest in the city's early history or the literary prowess of Lyle Saxon in particular will find these compelling, offbeat, and powerful works which, when presented together under one cover, create a solid work of literary and historical achievement. The collection should be considered an essential acquisition for any library holding purporting to be authoritative on the subject of New Orleans.