After Hurricane Katrina laid bare the fragility and environmental peril of south Louisiana, author Ian McNulty set out on a series of daytrips to delve into the area's diverse cultural
landscapes. He explored communities staked up and down the Mississippi River, nestled into the teeming bayous, braced along the edge of the Gulf, and planted out on the golden prairie
stretching to the west. Louisiana Rambles is his richly evocative guide to those journeys.
McNulty delivers an inimitable take on Cajun and Creole Louisiana羅the siren call of zydeco dancehalls pulsing in the country darkness; of crawfish "boiling points" and traditional country
smokehouses; of Cajun jam sessions, where even wallflowers are compelled to dance; of equine gambits in the cradle of jockeys; and of fishing trips where anyone can land impressive catches. In
south Louisiana, distilled European heritage, the African American experience, and modern southern exuberance mix with tumultuous history and fantastically fecund natural environments. The
territories McNulty opens to the reader are arguably the nation's most exotic and culturally distinct destinations.
