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Managing Ignatius: The Lunacy of Lucky Dogs and Life in New Orleans
When Jerry Strahan became manager of the Lucky Dogs hot dog cart in 1970s New Orleans, he assumed leadership of the most misfit crew of hot dog vendors in the French Quarter.
In Managing Ignatius, Strahan recounts his two decades of hilarious dealings with outrageous characters including drifters, drunks, swindlers, transvestites, and the occasional college kid whose hawking refrain "don't be a meanie, buy a weanie" still echoes through the French Quarter. As the straight man for the absurdity surrounding him, Strahan mediates disputes with loan sharks, pimps, and jealous lovers--and creates an unforgettable portrait of the delights and debauchery of the Crescent City.
In Managing Ignatius, Strahan recounts his two decades of hilarious dealings with outrageous characters including drifters, drunks, swindlers, transvestites, and the occasional college kid whose hawking refrain "don't be a meanie, buy a weanie" still echoes through the French Quarter. As the straight man for the absurdity surrounding him, Strahan mediates disputes with loan sharks, pimps, and jealous lovers--and creates an unforgettable portrait of the delights and debauchery of the Crescent City.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 9, 2009
Do you ever pick up one of those books and 4 or 5 chapters in realize:
A.) I really don't care
and
B.) Half this shit must be an exageration?
I read Confederacy, the book the title of this book gives a nod to and loved it. I started reading this and figured this guy took a hectic job and tried to turn it into a book deal. I just really couldn't get into it. Especially the part where he basically breaks into an employees house to wake him up for work and another part where he drives a butch employee around looking for her missing lover who stole money only to have a confrontation with her on the railroad tracks. It just seemed like the truth was somehow being stretched. Stretched to fit the writing of a John Kennedy Toole book.
So, I stopped reading and put it down.
I think I will reread Graham Greene's "The End of the Affair" next to rekindle my faith in modern literature.
A.) I really don't care
and
B.) Half this shit must be an exageration?
I read Confederacy, the book the title of this book gives a nod to and loved it. I started reading this and figured this guy took a hectic job and tried to turn it into a book deal. I just really couldn't get into it. Especially the part where he basically breaks into an employees house to wake him up for work and another part where he drives a butch employee around looking for her missing lover who stole money only to have a confrontation with her on the railroad tracks. It just seemed like the truth was somehow being stretched. Stretched to fit the writing of a John Kennedy Toole book.
So, I stopped reading and put it down.
I think I will reread Graham Greene's "The End of the Affair" next to rekindle my faith in modern literature.
February 17, 2009
I have been wanting to read this book for YEARS, always ask for it in used book stores. Today, there it was on the shelf at library book sale. It is going on the top of the reading pile. Always good to read about New Orleans as we approach Mardi Gras.
How sad that after all of this time I really didnt like this book. The colorful characters in this book are really very sad. Jerry simply lists one stupid, crazy or outrageous action after another, but doesnt seem to have the writing ability to make either their, or his, stories interesting, engaging or compelling. Oh well, only one dollar wasted and I did get the book off of my list.
How sad that after all of this time I really didnt like this book. The colorful characters in this book are really very sad. Jerry simply lists one stupid, crazy or outrageous action after another, but doesnt seem to have the writing ability to make either their, or his, stories interesting, engaging or compelling. Oh well, only one dollar wasted and I did get the book off of my list.
July 14, 2014
Some stories were funny. Some meh. Lots of attempts by the author to prove he's not one of "them," which I don't doubt, all of which detract from the silly. But he's a self-proclaimed conservative white southern male (almost verbatim) who isn't afraid to let his views on gays, other races, etc., stand out loud and proud. Eliminate that, and I'd rate it higher.
July 21, 2023
If you’re a fan of A Confederacy of Dunces (one of my all time faves) don’t pick up Managing Ignatius hoping for the same humor and brilliance. Of course, it would be unfair to expect that in a work of non-fiction, but the title begs the comparison.
This book tells the true life history of the Lucky Dogs hot dog vending business from the perspective of its general manager, Jerry Strahan. The problem is that it often felt like I was reading gossip about his employees. There are many stories of alcoholism, mental illness, violence, and crime, and they are mostly told for laughs, which is fine, as some are quite funny, but it would’ve been more effective had Strahan been more selective with the stories he chose to include. After a while, they become repetitive, and one transient vender blends in with another, and we almost forget that these are real people. It also doesn’t help that sometimes Strahan refers to a vender by his first name and sometimes by his last name, which makes it hard to keep track of who’s who.
For me, the high points of this book were the parts that provided insight into the politics and corruption of the French Quarter, especially during the 1970s and 80s. There’s a lot of fascinating history that as a New Orleans native, I especially enjoyed, such as getting an insider’s view of the infamous 1984 World’s Fair.
I was on the fence between three and four stars for this book, because there was a lot of good stuff, but I went with the three-star rating because I just wasn’t very invested in these real-life characters. I wanted to like this book more than I actually did.
This book tells the true life history of the Lucky Dogs hot dog vending business from the perspective of its general manager, Jerry Strahan. The problem is that it often felt like I was reading gossip about his employees. There are many stories of alcoholism, mental illness, violence, and crime, and they are mostly told for laughs, which is fine, as some are quite funny, but it would’ve been more effective had Strahan been more selective with the stories he chose to include. After a while, they become repetitive, and one transient vender blends in with another, and we almost forget that these are real people. It also doesn’t help that sometimes Strahan refers to a vender by his first name and sometimes by his last name, which makes it hard to keep track of who’s who.
For me, the high points of this book were the parts that provided insight into the politics and corruption of the French Quarter, especially during the 1970s and 80s. There’s a lot of fascinating history that as a New Orleans native, I especially enjoyed, such as getting an insider’s view of the infamous 1984 World’s Fair.
I was on the fence between three and four stars for this book, because there was a lot of good stuff, but I went with the three-star rating because I just wasn’t very invested in these real-life characters. I wanted to like this book more than I actually did.
July 10, 2017
This is the history of Lucky Dogs in New Orleans, and what a checkered past! The characters (because they all feel larger than life) of the French Quarter, the misadventures of managers, it's all so entertaining. If you haven't been to New Orleans, it will feel like fiction, but if you've been blessed with the opportunity to be there, you know the truth in these pages.
Now I want a Lucky Dog, with chili and onions...
Now I want a Lucky Dog, with chili and onions...
September 23, 2022
I remember being captivated by Confederacy of Dunces when it first came out; I saw it as an ARC and knew it would be a hit. Reading Strahan's real life manifestation of Confederacy is an eye opener for sure and makes O'Toole's eccentricities and insanities more compelling and also more tragic. Strahan truly must be centered and brilliantly flexible at least in the reading of the circumstances he relates.
August 26, 2024
Only referring to the novel as a why this is relevant, the stories are unique and the managerial side of things is refreshing to read. But there is no investigation into Toole, his main protagonist, or his adventures. Yeah, he worked selling weenies. Yes the Quarter is filled to the brim with characters. These are some of their stories; weirdly enough, I've heard/experienced worse. Hey! At least Strahan got a book to show off his anecdotes...
June 18, 2019
The author had a goldmine of characters, situations and ambiance to work with, but he just didn't make good use of them. This could have been entertaining and hilarious, but the writing is just plain boring.
November 22, 2019
Series of anecdotes about running the funkiest of businesses in the French Quarter. No real theme or lessons here just one story after another with all the drug and alcohol addled characters you could possibly encounter in this part of New Orleans.
March 11, 2024
Not able to finish. This is not literature just an endless set of tales about the underlife of New Orleans. No characterisations, no depth. I guess a bit like listening to a drunk in a bar, not that I tend to do that.
September 10, 2018
Fascinating look at the world of Lucky Dogs as popularized in A Confederacy of Dunces.
May 18, 2021
You'll appreciate this book if you've lived in NOLA, for sure. The writing is mediocre, though, and the tales get repetitive.
July 10, 2023
Probably wouldn’t have read it if I hadn’t found it on someone’s bookshelf. For me it was an amusing profile of a slice of life in New Orleams.
October 27, 2023
Was very entertaining (at first) but was just continuing stories of characters in New Orleans. This was fun at first but didn’t take me anywhere. Stopped at 2/3 of the book.
May 13, 2010
I've been wanting to read this since I was a junior in high school and my English teacher recommended it to me. Finally, ten years later I happened upon it in a used bookstore — and while I'm glad to finally have found it, Managing Ignatius wasn't really worth the wait.
I do like reading about the history of Lucky Dogs and the French Quarter, especially since I don't remember much of the years I spent there as a child at my family's business. I enjoyed most of the anecdotes of all the wacky characters who passed through over the span of 30 years during which Strahan peddled weenies. However, the writing was scattered and read to me more like a bar conversation: "Oh, and then this one time," "And then there was this guy..."
If you're looking for a well-crafted memoir, skip this. If you want to read about the history of New Orleans through the lens of one of its most infamous businesses, have at it.
I do like reading about the history of Lucky Dogs and the French Quarter, especially since I don't remember much of the years I spent there as a child at my family's business. I enjoyed most of the anecdotes of all the wacky characters who passed through over the span of 30 years during which Strahan peddled weenies. However, the writing was scattered and read to me more like a bar conversation: "Oh, and then this one time," "And then there was this guy..."
If you're looking for a well-crafted memoir, skip this. If you want to read about the history of New Orleans through the lens of one of its most infamous businesses, have at it.
March 29, 2011
There's a lot of funny little stories in this book, which takes advantage of the fame of Confederacy of Dunces to give a non-fiction account of the real-life NOLA hot dog venders. The writing style is a little irritating - lots of 5 cent words here - and it runs long. A book about half as long concetrating on the crazy characters and incidents, and dropping, say, the author's discussions of his own writing career, and some of the repetitive stories, would have been better. Even with those drawbacks, I give it a 3, but someone who hasn't been to New Orleans and seen those guys and their carts, or who isn't entertained by tales of people getting drunk and acting stupid, would probably not see the humor.
March 18, 2015
I come down to New Orleans a few times a year to visit family, and I always read a NOLA book en route. Oddly enough, I found this little gem in a used book sale shortly after a recent re-reading Confederacy of Dunces. I liked this one better than the novel. It is an entrepreneurial memoir that kinda runs on and on, but then again it's a slice of history that few folks were able to witness and live long enough to write about. Jerry Strahan's voice is conservative biz-like yet funny and street-wise. Confederacy fans and NOLA natives will suddenly understand the backdrop in which Ignatius was created. Now, excuse me, I'm going to find a Lucky Dog stand and, atlong last, buy a wienie.
March 28, 2009
Imagine an involved description of a less-well-known civil war battle. Instead of generals & foot soldiers, drug addicts & snowbirds; instead of Gettysburg's shoe factory or Appamatox's courthouse, hot dog carts. Maybe it would have been easier to understand with a map of New Orleans, but that might have made it too much work.
I read this book because I was looking for insights in working with a transient population (I work in a homeless shelter). I didn't find any, but I still enjoyed the book.
I read this book because I was looking for insights in working with a transient population (I work in a homeless shelter). I didn't find any, but I still enjoyed the book.
February 5, 2017
Being a native New Orlenian, this pseudo-memoir rekindled my appreciation for having been so lucky to grow up in this quirky city. If you have lived in the city for any appreciable amount of time (and even if you haven't), I highly recommend it.
Read this book for what I believe it is, though - a nostalgic love story of the French Quarter and the colorful characters who have called it home. If you are looking for a serious memoir, you may be disappointed. If you are looking for a light-hearted glimpse into New Orleans life and history, however, this is your book.
Read this book for what I believe it is, though - a nostalgic love story of the French Quarter and the colorful characters who have called it home. If you are looking for a serious memoir, you may be disappointed. If you are looking for a light-hearted glimpse into New Orleans life and history, however, this is your book.
September 13, 2010
If you are a fan of New Orleans, and the "quarter creatures", then this will be an enjoyable read for you. If not, or you're unfamiliar with the area/people, this will probably not be so great. It is disjointed at best and confusing at worst. The book is a bit all over the place and the story lines are hard to follow at times. But, because I love the French Quarter so much, I'm giving it an "I liked it."
December 22, 2009
3.5 stars.
Yes, it's really nothing more than a long list of goofy vendors and their own particular foibles. But then again, that's pretty much what I expected it to be. Not so sure that people criticizing it for that have much of a leg to stand on.
If you like New Orleans, Ignatius Reilly, or eating hot dogs on the street, you'll probably find something in here to like. If, like me, you like all 3 of those things, you'll enjoy it even more.
Yes, it's really nothing more than a long list of goofy vendors and their own particular foibles. But then again, that's pretty much what I expected it to be. Not so sure that people criticizing it for that have much of a leg to stand on.
If you like New Orleans, Ignatius Reilly, or eating hot dogs on the street, you'll probably find something in here to like. If, like me, you like all 3 of those things, you'll enjoy it even more.
July 31, 2009
I really wanted to like this one, it's about New Orleans and has a forward by Stephen Ambrose and is supposed to be about weird characters in NOLA, but in the end it wasn't well written enough, all the people and stories just ran together and didn't make me sympathetic to them. but oh well, it still made me want to go to new orleans......
June 18, 2007
The name Ignatius appears in the title as a nod to 'Confederacy of Dunces' whose main character is an eccentric lucky dog vendor. The lucky dog vendors described in the book are certainly a colorful bunch.
March 19, 2008
this is a non-fiction book written by the man who managed Lucky Dogs for many years. There are hilarious anecdotes about the real-life Lucky Dog vendors. You can just imagine ignatious popping up at any time.
July 2, 2009
Sometimes funny, sometimes interesting. I never knew much about luckydogs before now(I've only drunkenly eaten one). Jerry Strahan(I may be related to this guy btw) sometime drifts too far into the "wow look at these weirdo kooky people!" at times, rather than humanizing them.
April 22, 2011
This book is pretty much a collection of stories of the crazy people who work Lucky Dog carts. While Strahan manages to skewer his workers he's far too kind to himself, offering very little insight into what was going on in his own mind.
December 20, 2013
This book was fun to read while I was visiting New Orleans, which is a city that I love to visit. Admittedly, I have read Confederacy of Dunces twice, so I must be the audience for Mr. Strahan's book.
April 24, 2014
If you have read and loved Confederacy of Dunces, Managing Ignatius is a hilarious companion. It's the memoir of Jerry Strahan, who managed Lucky Dogs in New Orleans for years. The stories of the vendor antics were insane, funny, and worthy of Ignatius Riley in his full pirate garb.
November 19, 2015
The source material is fancifully wonderful, and there are passages that are certainly chuckle worthy, but the author cannot escape his autobiographical\historical tone, which dilutes the impact of the narration.
April 16, 2016
Fun to read, although a bit arduous at times, like listening to someone reminisce long after you've lost interest. It was enjoyable to read about places I am familiar with; it only served to solidify my position: "God, I hate the Quarter."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews