Gumbo Ya-Ya (Classic Reprint)

Chapter 1 Kings, Baby Dolls, Zulus, and Queens EVERY NIGHT IS LIKE SATIJRDAY NIGHT IN PERdido Street, wild and fast and hot with sin. But the night before Mardi Gras blazed to a new height. The darkness outside the bars was broken only by yellow rectangles of light, spreading over the banquette, then quickly vanishiOtg, each time saloon doors opened and closed. Music boxes blasted from every lighted doonvay. Black men swaggered or staggered past, hats and caps pulled low over their eyes, which meant they were tough, or set rakishly over one ear, which meant they were ~ports. There were the smells: stale wine and beer, whiskey, urine, perfume, sweating armpits. In one dimly lighted place couples milled about the floor, hugging each other tighrly, going through sensuous motions to the music. Drug addicts, prostitutes, beggars and workingmen, they were having themselves a time. A fat girl danced alone, snapping her fingers. Young black women tried to interest men, who sa\nTable of Contents\nContents; I Kings, Baby Dolls, Zulus, and Queens I; 2 Street Criers 27; 3· The Irish Channel " 50; 4· Axeman's Jazz 75; 5· Saint Joseph's Day 93; 6 Sain t Rosalia's Day 107; 7· Nickel Gig, Nickel Saddle I~I; 8 The Creoles · 138; 9· The Cajuns 179; 10 The Temple of Innocent Blood ~o7; II The Plantations · 212; 12 The Slaves · 224; 13· Buried Treasure · 258; 14· Ghosts · 271; 15· Crazah and the Glory Road · 300; 16 Cemeteries 316; 17· Riverfront Lore · 366; 18 Pailet Lane 385; 19· Mother Shannon · 397; 20 The Sockserhause Gang 413; 2I Songs 427; 22 Chimney Sweeper's Holiday 488; 23· A Good Man Is Hard To Find · 496; 24· Who KUla Da Chief? · 5 0 5; Appendixes ", ,to:~~; A Superstitions · 52 5; B Colloquialisms · 559; C Customs 569; Index 575\nAbout the Publisher\nForgotten Book