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Anti-requiem: New Orleans Stories
A collection of short fiction and essays from the author of the critically acclaimed New Orleans novel, "The Sound of Building Coffins." These stories are assembled here for the first time, including one that is previously unpublished.
Expanded with full-color illustrations as of October 2012, with two special preview chapters from the novel-in-progress, "Holy Meaux," seen here for the first time, as well as several new essays not included in the previous edition, and a sampling of letters and private journal entries that chronicle the author's personal journey through the City of New Orleans in the last 18 years. This collection is also now fully illustrated with unusual and original photographic images of the city taken by the author. The images will appear in black and white for users of "e-ink technology" Kindles, but full color for users of the Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD or any of the Kindle apps (Kindle for PC, iPad, iPhone, etc..) that support color graphics. This edition also includes an interactive table of contents.
Expanded with full-color illustrations as of October 2012, with two special preview chapters from the novel-in-progress, "Holy Meaux," seen here for the first time, as well as several new essays not included in the previous edition, and a sampling of letters and private journal entries that chronicle the author's personal journey through the City of New Orleans in the last 18 years. This collection is also now fully illustrated with unusual and original photographic images of the city taken by the author. The images will appear in black and white for users of "e-ink technology" Kindles, but full color for users of the Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD or any of the Kindle apps (Kindle for PC, iPad, iPhone, etc..) that support color graphics. This edition also includes an interactive table of contents.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2010
60 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 24, 2011
Unique Nwalins voice. Really original, moving stories based on post Katrina New Orleans people and attitudes. A free ebook whose contents were in some cases previously published in newspapers or blogs.
June 17, 2013
This book helped me to remember what I love and miss about New Orleans.
I needed that. The storm (K) and Ray Nagin caused me to hate the city for far too long.
I needed that. The storm (K) and Ray Nagin caused me to hate the city for far too long.
April 20, 2014
True rating: 3.5 stars
I downloaded Anti-Requiem as a Kindle Daily Deal, and while I really enjoyed most of it, I don't quite know how to categorize this particular work. For the most part, this is a lovely little series of short stories/vignettes set in New Orleans that does an admirable job of capturing the beat of the city (I imagine, at least, since I've never been.) Maistros eschews the tourist-trap elements of the city and instead goes for the stories of the downtrodden; if I were into using the phrase "seedy underbelly," I might be tempted to throw it in here. The picture of NOLA we get isn't conventionally beautiful, but what makes it a success in my eyes is that, more than anything else, this brief amassment of short fiction has convinced me of the need to visit New Orleans Maistros' prose is intricate and full of flavor; the short stories have convinced me that I need to read his novel The Sound of Building Coffins.
The last 1/3rd of the e-book is a series of short non-fiction pieces, also NOLA-centric and previously published in various news outlets, that range from op-eds on post-Katrina politics to dive-y musician/artist hangouts. They were interesting enough, but I'm not sure they added much to Maistros' New Orleans. As a collection, this isn't particularly cohesive -- more strung together randomly for the sake of an e-book -- but the author is good with character and story, so I suppose I'll round that 3.5 star-review up to 4.
I downloaded Anti-Requiem as a Kindle Daily Deal, and while I really enjoyed most of it, I don't quite know how to categorize this particular work. For the most part, this is a lovely little series of short stories/vignettes set in New Orleans that does an admirable job of capturing the beat of the city (I imagine, at least, since I've never been.) Maistros eschews the tourist-trap elements of the city and instead goes for the stories of the downtrodden; if I were into using the phrase "seedy underbelly," I might be tempted to throw it in here. The picture of NOLA we get isn't conventionally beautiful, but what makes it a success in my eyes is that, more than anything else, this brief amassment of short fiction has convinced me of the need to visit New Orleans Maistros' prose is intricate and full of flavor; the short stories have convinced me that I need to read his novel The Sound of Building Coffins.
The last 1/3rd of the e-book is a series of short non-fiction pieces, also NOLA-centric and previously published in various news outlets, that range from op-eds on post-Katrina politics to dive-y musician/artist hangouts. They were interesting enough, but I'm not sure they added much to Maistros' New Orleans. As a collection, this isn't particularly cohesive -- more strung together randomly for the sake of an e-book -- but the author is good with character and story, so I suppose I'll round that 3.5 star-review up to 4.
June 21, 2014
I decided to read this book with the misperception that it was a collection of short stories. I had recently completed this author's work about New Orleans in the period between 1890 and 1920, which was a masterful telling of the stories, struggles, and superstitions of the city's lower class mixed-race inhabitants. Turns out this "book" is actually a few chapters from the "Coffins" novel, some chapters from an upcoming book, then some letters to his infant son. Finally there are some serious reflections on what's wrong with the city, and what needs to be done to regain itself as a place where people grow and prosper. I found the insights that the letters to the author's son to be insightful looks into the inner workings of the writer's mindset. I'm not sure how a person unfamiliar with the "Coffins" novel could relate to the complicated twists and turns of characters in his selected chapters, but hopefully a few will decide to venture forth and buy the worthwhile albeit troubling novel.
March 1, 2015
This is such an enjoyable read. Perhaps because I expected stories of despair and of a storm-ravaged New Orleans. Instead, I found stories full of mysticism, hope, jazz, soul and a profound sense of belonging.
Stories of hope, not because the characters are immune to tragedy, pain or poverty. These are stories of incredible characters (some really do seem fictional) who have chosen to smile and hope for the best. L. Maistros beautifully crafted the city and the people of New Orleans that made him fall in love with the place. Highly recommend.
Stories of hope, not because the characters are immune to tragedy, pain or poverty. These are stories of incredible characters (some really do seem fictional) who have chosen to smile and hope for the best. L. Maistros beautifully crafted the city and the people of New Orleans that made him fall in love with the place. Highly recommend.
April 16, 2012
Disturbing, dark, and depressing. A collection of short stories, all set in New Orleans, with not a upbeat, pleasant or happy one in the bunch. If you enjoy short stories about murder, abortion, murder-suicide, crazy people, death, hurricane distruction, homeless people, punks, and graphic descriptions of someone getting his thumb chopped off, them this book might be your thing.
If you are looking for something more pleasant, then you might want to take a pass on this one. I wish I had.
If you are looking for something more pleasant, then you might want to take a pass on this one. I wish I had.
June 13, 2015
How dare I compose a review
I'm not a writer and have never claimed to be. But I am a passionate lover of New Orleans and all its forms of cerebral stimuli. Anti-requiem is just that. A gift of thoughts, feelings and emotions captured forever in the written medium.
I'm not a writer and have never claimed to be. But I am a passionate lover of New Orleans and all its forms of cerebral stimuli. Anti-requiem is just that. A gift of thoughts, feelings and emotions captured forever in the written medium.
July 16, 2013
A little disappointing. This starts out with some really brilliant vignettes of people in New Orleans and then devolves into so-so editorials and the author's personal correspondence. Not what I expected after the great first third of the book.
July 16, 2014
Stories
bits of truth and fiction that may have appeared in books. letters, notes, blog essays that occasionally soar, but sometimes just tell. a wrapping up of my streak of booklet in NOLA.
bits of truth and fiction that may have appeared in books. letters, notes, blog essays that occasionally soar, but sometimes just tell. a wrapping up of my streak of booklet in NOLA.
May 25, 2015
I do wish I had skipped the story that came with a warning - gruesome.
While this was a good read, I highly recommend The Sound of Nailing Coffins.
While this was a good read, I highly recommend The Sound of Nailing Coffins.
waiting-2-be-read-kindle
June 12, 2011Note: This ebook formatted for the Kindle was provided free by Amazon
October 16, 2011
Edgy....
May 16, 2012
Quirky and different but for a former resident of New Orleans this was like a little slice of life that I've been missing.
November 19, 2013
Flawless.
January 5, 2017
Honest and soulful stories told with the heart.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews