Scan barcode
haleyrose's review against another edition
5.0
Run don't walk to read Nine Lives. I cried, I was so inspired, I fell even more in love with the city I live in and learned so much along the way. Baum writes about these nine, real lives with so much respect and managed to avoid most of the cliches that people who write about New Orleans like to employ.
marywalshwrites's review against another edition
5.0
Dan Baum does a terrific job of bringing us right into the hearts and souls of his 9 characters. I couldn't decide who was my favorite. Even though I saw the news on CNN about Hurricane Katrina, I learned so much more about the people affected in this book. Dan Baum tells a wonderful tale of every kind of person who lives in New Orleans.
noramjenkins's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the show Treme. This book reminds me of that show by spending time with different New Orleans residents.
porgparade's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Police brutality, and Alcohol
shawnsterthemonster's review against another edition
if I wrote about books I would use words like mosaic, tableau, and tapestry when I was talking about this book. that is usually a good thing
alymac42's review against another edition
5.0
I don't have much to say, except that I loved this book. I listened to it as an audiobook and I think that having multiple speakers vs. one would have made it easier for remembering everyone. Still, despite some confusion over who was who in the beginning, this was really well done. It reminded me of a New Orleans version of Nothing to Envy. A humanist investigative piece to an event/situation that's usually only spoken of broadly. I highly recommend.
lainecid's review against another edition
4.0
More than just a story about Katrina, its a diverse look the the lives of New Orleans.
trogdor19's review against another edition
5.0
This book was unforgettable. It perfectly captures the unique spirit of New Orleans by giving it a face. Well, nine faces. Without editorial commentary, Baum picks nine very different people and uses their lives to show you what this city is really all about.
One of the blurbs for this book said something to the effect of "This city is so different from the culture of the rest of the USA that it is like a city-sized act of civil disobedience." I completely agree. NOLA cares about different things than the rest of us. They have a different rhythm than the rest of us, a different history and they feel like their own tribe. Maybe not successful by the way we measure things, but perfect beyond measure through their eyes. I can't help loving this city, after visiting it and then reading this amazing, totally unique book. Well done, Dan Baum!
One of the blurbs for this book said something to the effect of "This city is so different from the culture of the rest of the USA that it is like a city-sized act of civil disobedience." I completely agree. NOLA cares about different things than the rest of us. They have a different rhythm than the rest of us, a different history and they feel like their own tribe. Maybe not successful by the way we measure things, but perfect beyond measure through their eyes. I can't help loving this city, after visiting it and then reading this amazing, totally unique book. Well done, Dan Baum!
renae24's review against another edition
4.0
If you want to know more about the people and culture of New Orleans (more than just the Katrina mess) look no further. Through the stories of these nine lives I felt like I got to know a very different world than the place I visited as a tourist, but could see how it fit. It's not easy to tell a story of such a rich and diverse culture and city, but he does an amazing job.