LOUISIANA

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

I really enjoy reading books written by James Lee Burke, especially fiction about the character, Dave Robicheaux and his pal, Clete.

Burke's descriptions of Louisiana in the '50's and '60's are so definitive. In the middle '50's and early '60's, my father was a career Army officer stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. Both my parents and their three oldest kids were born in a small farming community in Southern Alabama. The grand-parents still lived there or across the state line in Florida. Every Christmas and summer we would drive across country to visit the grandparents. Five kids in a un-airconditioned '51 Plymouth and later a '57 Chevy stationwagon. No interstate in those days, two lane highways. A two day trip across Texas. Thru the swamps in LA, across miles and miles of two lane causeways. Mississippi had the worst roads and the slowest traffic. Farm equipment would pull out in front of you and go 15 mph where you couldn't pass, logging trucks at night with no tail lights and logs hanging out ten feet past the trailer.

The trip was always celebrated with oyster po'boys and pecan rolls. Every meal was southern cooking at truck stops, field peas and okra, fried chicken or catfish, hush puppyies or corn bread, and rice and beans. Food we couldn't get in El Paso.

My father loved the deep south fish camps that dotted the south back then. We would rent an old shanty houseboat, run trot lines and fish for catfish. Fried catfish, hush puppies, french fried potatoes and vine ripe tomatoes, what a meal.

James Lee Burke's novels take me back to those times.

[walkin jack]

I have relatives in Lafayette and spent a lot of my childhood and early adulthood in Louisiana. I've been reading Burkes books for much the same reason as you.

There was a movie made a few years back from one of his books but I can't remember which one it was. Tommy Lee Jones stared as Robicheaux. It was a fair version of the story but I did miss Burke's vivid descriptions of the smells of the bayou on a steamy August morning and the sight and "feel" of the sun going down behind the cypress trees. And I really enjoyed Clete Purcell's character. He and Robicheaux played well off each other.

[cherrypointmarine]

My dad mustered out of the Air Force from Denver in 1969 . We were going home to Orlando , so like most service folks , we drove . I remember driving through there and the sights and smells . Those were the days . Start out early to beat the heat , no a.c. , stop early and play , or swim . I think kids now a days would die . No cable , no cell phones , just your imagination , and friends or family .

[old bear]

I’ve read most of the Robicheaux series of books. All were well written, descriptive, and read smoothly. For me they had a very dark undercurrent. As for Clete, well he’s the guy you want to see coming around the corner when Ya really need cover. But, the rest of the time he’s just as libel to give you the chance to find out what it’s like to get to talk to a Federal Grand Jury.

[Onomea]

I’m a fan, too, and love the Robicheaux series primarily for the atmosphere. Southern gothic. They get a bit formulaic, to say the least, but, hey! It’s a formula I keep coming back for.

He has written some other novels, too, which are pretty good.

[HOUSTON RICK]

I was a resident of Metairie, Louisiana for a little over a year. Louisiana is a great place to visit with a lot going for it, but the education, medical care and corruption knock it down some as a place to move to. If you grew up there you probably have ways around all that and make it work for you. Definitely a great setting for all kinds of novels.

[billwill]

Good read, sometimes they can be a little strange

[Ingramite]

I was sent to New Orleans after Katrina to rebuild a terminal that was lost in the storm.

My wife and I refer to it as The Battle For New Orleans. Everything that we all take for granted was gone and it was truly like the wild west for quite a while.

Gradually the infrastructure like lights, running water, and semi regular trash pick up was re-established. Tons of federal relief along with all of the well meaning watchdogs from up yonder came flooding in. All determined to "straighten the place out".

I've spent enough time around New Orleans growing up to know that "getting straightened out" was not EVEN going to be a selection on the menu....ever. But it was fun to watch them try.

Trying to do business was maddening. Conditions were harsh but all of that "culture, charm, and grace" really meant that things were going to run on New Orleans time, or not at all.

The streets were being patrolled by the National Guard and that is a sight that made my customers tuck their tails and get on the first flight back to Detroit.

I drove from Uptown to the 9th ward where I worked. This little drive netted me an average of 6 flat tires a week from all of the roofing nails laying in the road from all of the demolition. A flat tire meant a LONG wait at the tire store because everybody was in the same leaking lifeboat we were in.

After a few years things really did get back to "normal" , normal for New Orleans is like no place else on earth though. It is sometimes referred to as the northern most Caribbean city. It's hard to describe what this type of relaxed living does to your outlook. I would turn off my cellphone to have an enjoyable and undisturbed lunch, which normally took about two hours. Three days later I would remember to turn my cellphone back on.

Time has a way of softening harsh edges of sweet memories. It took us 10 years of living with the wolf constantly at the door, referring to the high murder rate and corrupt government of The City of New Orleans.

I gained 50 pounds during the 10 years we lived there. We ate like hogs and drank like fish and at the end of it all? We thank God that we got out alive.

I love Louisiana, and New Orleans, but living in the city is not for the weak of heart. I met so many beautiful people there.

Whew, sorry to get long winded.

[LoboGunLeather]

Just another James Lee Burke fan here; always a good read.

[Onomea]

Originally Posted by Ingramite

... I gained 50 pounds during the 10 years we lived there. We ate like hogs and drank like fish ...
I love Louisiana, and New Orleans, but living in the city is not for the weak of heart....

Great post, Ingramite!

[Frank46]

Movie you refer to is "In the electric mist with confederate dead" long time Burke reader and have many of his books. Not all of them take place in Louisiana but in Montana. Moved to Louisiana from NY in the first days of 1996. Have no plans to return back home. I actually got to see part of it being filmed. Not far from my house on Cemetary Road or Highway 347. Frank

[Doug627]

Don't forget, CAJUNLAWYER lives on the Bayou Tesh, LA. Maybe he knows Dave and Clete.

[CCHGN]

Originally Posted by OLDNAVYMCPO

I really enjoy reading books written by James Lee Burke, especially fiction about the character, Dave Robicheaux and his pal, Clete.

Burke's descriptions of Louisiana in the '50's and '60's are so definitive. In the middle '50's and early '60's, my father was a career Army officer stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. Both my parents and their three oldest kids were born in a small farming community in Southern Alabama. The grand-parents still lived there or across the state line in Florida. Every Christmas and summer we would drive across country to visit the grandparents. Five kids in a un-airconditioned '51 Plymouth and later a '57 Chevy stationwagon. No interstate in those days, two lane highways. A two day trip across Texas. Thru the swamps in LA, across miles and miles of two lane causeways. Mississippi had the worst roads and the slowest traffic. Farm equipment would pull out in front of you and go 15 mph where you couldn't pass, logging trucks at night with no tail lights and logs hanging out ten feet past the trailer.

The trip was always celebrated with oyster po'boys and pecan rolls. Every meal was southern cooking at truck stops, field peas and okra, fried chicken or catfish, hush puppyies or corn bread, and rice and beans. Food we couldn't get in El Paso.

My father loved the deep south fish camps that dotted the south back then. We would rent an old shanty houseboat, run trot lines and fish for catfish. Fried catfish, hush puppies, french fried potatoes and vine ripe tomatoes, what a meal.

James Lee Burke's novels take me back to those times.

Wow that sounds like my childhood....lol My Dad loved road trips and we went to "Ruby Falls" and "Rock City" and OLD war re-enactments and Casey Jones' locomotive and to the Arch in St louis and 6 Flags, etc He was a Cadillac man, so it was always in a Caddy.

[mtgianni]

James Lee Burke lives near Missoula and several of his books are set in and around Western MT. He does a great job with the setting, weather and mostly the people. A close friend has regular occasions to interact with him and reports he is as genuine and caring of humanity as anyone she knows.

[johnjohn]

Born and raised in La. Have been to many of the places mentioned in his books.

[LouisianaJoe]

Saying New Orleans represents Louisiana is like saying Chicago represents Illinois. If you deleted the crime rate of New Orleans, Baton Rouge and other larger cities from the crime rate of Louisiana, Louisiana would have one of the lowest crime rates in the country. I live 20 miles from New Orleans. We might have 1 or 2 murders a year while New Orleans has 10 per week. I never go to New Orleans at night. I rarely go there during the day.

[Canyon Man]

Wow, what a great thread to find and read. I don't do a whole lot of reading, but I wrote James Lee Burke's name down. I'll be hitting the book store in search of. I grew up on the outskirts of Houston, Tx. Kind or rural living. I have family in Louisiana. I haven't been there in years, but I so fondly remember visiting as a kid, about an 8 hour drive as I recall to Hammond, La. Loved the causeway over the swamp. I remember wanting to live in the swamp lol. We had some great fishing trips there - the only time I ever caught 2 fish at one time using two hooks on double leaders - most of them being croaker fish. I've been to 3 Mardi Gras, eaten at so many different places. I remember my aunt and uncle always had a freezer full of fish. Oh the memories, swimming at Ponchatula Beach, canoeing, being pulled in tubes behind the boat, a hidden creek and river with cold clear water.

We would sometimes take a drive across Mississippi, Alabama, and I believe the tip of Georgia if I'm not mistaken, to Pensacola, Fl.. I think it was only like a 3 or 4 hour drive. It was funny, being from Texas, we could drive across 3 states in less time than it took to get to Dallas aahahaha.

Oh my goodness I could go on and on. I will have to pick up a book written by this James Lee Burke. Perhaps it can bring back some sanity in this world gone mad. Good thread, thanks for posting it. : )