Rosalyn Story

"Wading Home" is a beautifully written book set in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Julian Fortier, a world renown jazz musician, returns home after receiving news that his elderly father is missing. As the weeks slip by, Julian is forced to confront his past and fight for his father's land, and comes to realise the importance of family. Dealing with relationships, hope, forgiveness, traditions and survival, and supported by strong characters and vivid descriptions, this book is an enjoyable read.… (mere)

I loved this book. Makes me wish I'd never declined that newspaper job in Houma when I was 22. Never been to New Orleans, but I felt as if I had. Never been part of a black family, but I felt as if I had. Never experienced a natural disaster, but I felt as if I had.

This is a gentle, poignant, book that could have gone off the rails, but it didn't. It makes one believe in large families, and love of place, love of music (I do love jazz), and the possibility that things will all turn out.

In fact, it's so well written that the few editing problems were jarring. "Cut line" instead of "cutline," a newspaper term of art. and a few missing hyphens in words that should have bee hyphenated. and we never really know where Simon turned up in hospital. But that's pretty small beer.

I highly recommend this book.… (mere)

Wading Home is a story on two levels. Politically it's the story of powerful people and their ability to creatively steal from those with property but no power, so of course its setting in post Katrina New Orleans is perfect. At one point Rosalyn Story mentions "houseless people", such a perfect description. These people are not homeless, their land is their home but Katrina destroyed their houses and they don't have the finances to rebuild or restore. But Story in a rather No-Drama-Obama mode pulls back from the anger such a tale could generate first by removing the land grab from the city of New Orleans to a rural homestead and secondly by focusing not on evil but on the love and friendship evinced by the characters. Add to love between people and of people for their land is a strong emphasis on good food. This book needs to be read with fork in hand.… (mere)