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TJ FISHER CURRENT NONFICTION BOOK RELEASE
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The following content is reposted with the written permission of Morgana Press.
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TJ Fisher; Roy F. Guste, Jr.; Louis Sahuc Photo Works
1st edition
388 pp. 10.25 x 10.25 in
Total weight of 5.3 lbs
Hardcover; elegant 3-piece case
Gloss-varnished photo covers w/black cloth trim
49 b/w and 329 color illustrations
Cover and book design: Jedd Haas
Editor: Ron Kenner
EAN/ISBN-10: 0-9773514-7-5
EAN/ISBN-13: 978-0-9773514-7-3
$50.00 (CAN $63.00)
Morgana Press (April 1, 2007)
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Orléans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré
All publisher profits to French Quarter preservation
The Vieux Carré is the historic French Quarter of New Orleans. No French Quarter fan will want to miss having this exquisite, one-of-a-kind pictorial and narrative commemorative edition on the coffee table. Powerful. Haunting. Gorgeous. Emotional. Anyone who loves Louisiana will be touched and moved by this book. Celebrities and literati like Frances Ford Coppola, Nicolas Cage, Helen Mirren, Emeril Lagasse, Jimmy Buffett, Lenny Kravitz, Taylor Hackford, Patricia Clarkson, George Rodrigue, Harry Anderson, Andrei Codrescu, Tom Piazza, Joshua Clark, Leonard Earl Johnson, The Ernest Hemingway Foundation and Society, The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, The Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society, Vieux Carré leaders and more endorse and love this book. Find out why. This is NOT an average large-format book. See 378 photos paired with a poignant read. This is a 5.3 lb hardcover 388-page significant book with a purpose. All publisher profits to French Quarter preservation. Step forward and help NOLA celebrate triumph over sorrow.
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Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Do you believe that this historic, storied and great American city matters? Do you love the heart, soul, spirit, passion and beauty of the French Quarter, and New Orleans? Are you attracted to the rich and vibrant culture, voices, visions, stories, people and places of New Orleans? For an extensive in-depth look at the unforgettable commemorative edition Orléans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré ― to peer beyond the covers and inside this book ― please visit the publisher's website: Morganapress.com
Orléans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré
An award-winning new book about New Orleans — by TJ Fisher, Roy F. Guste, Jr. and Louis Sahuc
IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS,
KEEP THIS ACCLAIMED COMMEMORATIVE EDITION CLOSE
This intriguing French Quarter portrayal celebrates an uncommon collection of richly diverse and mesmeric photographs entwined with a poignant narrative of triumph over sorrow, of promise beyond failure, and more. Through a melding of words and 378 pictures, intimate details unfold.
A highly distinctive and powerful anthology, this unique compilation reveals why saving New Orleans really matters. This work captures the unforgettable face, hidden charms and secret gardens of the forever-mysterious French Quarter; the historic landscape that survived Katrina's floodwaters. Beauty lingers here, as does timelessness. The rare essence and splendor of this ancient city, the majesty of faded elegance and vestiges of grandeur, permeate each page. The veil is lifted.
For hundreds of years the French Quarter has lured the romantic and adventurous; this remarkable depiction is a haunting portrait of a fabled city swept up in the flow of time. All publisher profits go directly to Vieux Carré preservation in support of one of America's most enduring, beloved and prized landmarks.
This is a one-of-a-kind book no French Quarter fan or anyone who cares about old New Orleans will want to miss. An open-ended drama, the past and present collide and dense layers of meaning emerge. Be prepared to surrender your heart.
COME JOURNEY TO A PLACE BEYOND MEMORIES
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THE STORY
Three documentarists explore the public facade and private soul of the historic French Quarter of New Orleans; capturing life before and behind its walls, in photos and in words, as they journey deep into this lush, secretive Old World city tethered in hope and endurance, in history and culture, in romance and despair, in sorrow and celebration.
The Vieux Carré — a muse memorable enough to bewitch and haunt us — has long whispered a siren's song of quiet, epic, elegant, tragic and bawdy stories to those who will listen.
Seductive and surreal, the French Quarter, the heartbeat and soul of New Orleans, is the keeper of this great American city's rich history, passions, customs and culture. Here the complex atmosphere and undercurrent of a bygone age peeks through the dim eternal twilight.
Post-Katrina, the Vieux Carré remains a mesmeric land of interwoven dreams and shadowed legacies; the passing decades have created a haunting landscape that captures the substance and tradition of this city sodden in splendor and decay, in riches and corrosion, in memory and intrigue.
An awesome cultural flowering spread over three centuries is still evident in the French Quarter's proud architecture and gardens, influences and impulses, lifestyle and heritage.
No average coffee-table book, here is a bittersweet narrative and photographic story of the Vieux Carré and more. Paying tribute to an age-old city — pummeled and storm-lashed, divided yet reunited and resolute in its darkest hours — this compelling work embraces the spirit and shared vision that helps the people of New Orleans stare down, rise above and survive the passage of time and disaster.
A highly unusual offering in the marketplace, this original, unprecedented compilation is a crossover title that breaks boundaries and bypasses the norm.
A POETIC AND PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY
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"Orléans Embrace is a passionate reflection in two parts by TJ Fisher ... a love letter to this seductive place with its distinctive history, character and architectural style. " — REGAN MCMAHON, SAN FRANCISCO
CHRONICLE
"Fisher, who divides her time between South Florida and New Orleans, is suitably eccentric and outrageous to represent New Orleans. Fortunately, she is also knowledgeable about the city and a talented writer."
— GREG LANGLEY, THE ADVOCATE
"Orléans Embrace celebrates what makes New Orleans' French Quarter unique and significant. Fisher addresses Hurricane Katrina but mostly writes about the history of the quarter and the spirit of those who live there ... Fisher tackles Katrina head-on ... lamenting damage to the city of 'magical thinking.' She declares, 'We can decide to buck cruel contretemps or lie down and surrender.'"
— COLLEEN MONDOR, BOOKLIST
"A long, sentimental journey ... The bookend sections, written by TJ Fisher ... celebrate the spirit and love New Orleanians have for the city and their fortitude in trying to restore it to its pre-Katrina majesty."
— GAMBIT WEEKLY
"No medium alone, or paired with another, could possibly capture the elusive essence of the place author TJ Fisher calls 'a bewitching oasis of culture and civilization sculpted from a hostile swamp.'" — GINNY SMITH,
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
"The enchanting prose of Fisher captures that elusive quality of New Orleans, indescribable yet immediately recognizable ... the author somehow manages to convey the magic and her words resonate after the book is closed." — GEORGE NORTON, GRIS GRIS ROUGE
"[Fisher] invokes Lafcadio Hearn's voice ... TJ Fisher dismisses the question 'Should New Orleans be rebuilt?' that residents of the city find so ridiculous. The entire book answers the question with a resounding 'yes.'"
— LAURA HUNT, WHERE Y'AT MAGAZINE
"In the great tradition of Irish writers TJ Fisher gives us the soul of the Quarter and puts New Orleans in our arms before and after Katrina. New Orleans is so blessed." — DANNY O'FLAHERTY, Celtic balladeer
"TJ Fisher succeeds admirably, in a style reminiscent of Lafcadio Hearn, in helping the reader to push aside those gossamer curtains and to peek inside the marvels of the Vieux Carré if only for a fleeting moment. On the other hand, there is a very modern edge to her writing. Because she was brave enough to bare her soul, her message and the raison d'etre are crystal clear." — from one of the nation's leading librarians
"Resonating ... dedicated to the city and people of New Orleans." — KARIE MELTZER, NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE
"A real treasure that is bound to become a family heirloom." — AL CARUBA, BOOKVIEWS
"Amazing ... lushly produced inside look at the mysteries of the French Quarter ... cornucopia of stories."
— ANDREI CODRESCU, "THE PENNY POST", GAMBIT WEEKLY and DOWNTOWN EXPRESS
"Emotional portrayal of the historic French Quarter." — FOREWORD MAGAZINE
"An emotional and vivid homage to one of the most unique areas in the United States, and celebrates the city's triumphs over adversity." — SUE STRACHAN, EDITOR, NEW ORLEANS HOMES & LIFESTYLES
"Magnificent tribute to a city's soul." — RON KENNER, THE AMERICAN REPORTER DAILY NEWSPAPER
"Writers Guste and Fisher turn a fine hand of prose." — JON KEMP, THE TIMES-PICAYUNE
"A crusade for New Orleans." — JAN SJOSTROM, PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS
"Beautiful pictures ... the prose is out of this world." — BILL BAGWILL, WLAE-TV, host of Greater New Orleans: The Road to Recovery
"No ordinary coffee-table photography book ... personal and compelling ... has emerged with universal attraction as a memorial and a motivation to restore a once great American city to its unique and original glory. Enthusiastically recommended ... of immense interest." — JAMES A. COX, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
"A love affair that not just people here but all over the world have with this very special place."
— ERIC PAULSEN, WWL-TV, host of The Morning Show
"The Independent Publishers Association (PMA) presented author TJ Fisher and Morgana Press the coveted Ben Franklin Award for Best New Voice in the nonfiction category, and The Bill Fisher Award for the Best First Book of nonfiction." — THE AMERICAN REPORTER DAILY NEWSPAPER
"Orléans Embrace with the Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré won the Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book-Nonfiction, one of the awards' highest honors. The coffee-table book ... also took Best New Voice-Nonfiction. [Author] TJ Fisher ... accepted the award in a flowing dress of purples and magentas. 'I wanted everyone to remember New Orleans, so I wore something flashy,' she said. The Bourbon Street resident took every opportunity to encourage people to come back to the Crescent City and help in its recovery. 'Come back and visit us,' she implored. 'Please come back. We need tourists.'" — CHERÉ COEN, THE DAILY ADVERTISER
"Orléans Embrace, a passionate reflection on the French Quarter in two parts by TJ Fisher." — LAFETE NEWS
"What a great way to put my home into 5.3 lbs ... I'm going to treasure this book slowly, starting tonight." — JOSHUA CLARK, author of Heart Like Water: Surviving Katrina and Life in Its Disaster Zone and editor of Louisiana in Words and French Quarter Fiction
"New Orleans has many faces and wears many masks. This seductive book invites you behind the Crescent City's legendary facades into some of its most beautiful and best-kept secret places. It is a feast for those who prize the city's timeless charms." — TOM PIAZZA, author of My Cold War and Why New Orleans Matters
"Undeniably one of the great books on New Orleans. TJ Fisher blends her unique style of real nonfiction to lure us into the hidden layers of this intoxicating city. She wins our souls as we wind through New Orleans with her rediscovering its intoxicating uniqueness ... An unforgettable journey into the soul of New Orleans, the book simmers with delicious prose ... to create an unforgettable reading experience. A must read for any serious lover of Southern fiction, nonfiction and superior prose." — DR. ROSARY O'NEILL, acclaimed author and award-winning playwright of internationally celebrated works that often center on the people and places of New Orleans; founding artistic director of NOLA's Southern Repertory Theater
"Helping New Orleans to recover ... your words in your wonderful book echo the feelings of ... tumultuous turmoil ... two books in one." — ED BELL, host of NPR's WLRN South Florida Arts Beat
"Fisher's book ... presents a different perspective on post-Katrina New Orleans." — MIAMI NEW TIMES
"Orléans Embrace is an exquisite coffee-table book." — KARRI WATSON, CURLED UP WITH A GOOD BOOK
"Take a trip through the authors' eyes ... 'Saving New Orleans,' looks at life after surviving calamity. Fisher's text ... embodies both the city's freewheeling nature and the painful confusion of grief."
— MARTHA SHERIDAN, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
"Homage to the French Quarter ... a beautiful book ... written with almost poetical prose." — AMAZON.COM
"I love the book ... it's very impressive." — JENNIFER SANTIAGO, MY 33, Emmy Award-nominated host of Focus on South Florida
"TJ Fisher's colorful history of New Orleans through the aftermath of Katrina ... beautifully describes 'what it really means to miss New Orleans.'" — ACADIANA LIFESTYLE
"Emotion and passion pour from the pages of this book." — Benjamin Franklin Book Awards 2007
"Incomparable ... much more than a display book ... [Fisher] narrates and chronicles 'Preserving New Orleans, L'Histoire' ... Keep this insightful book nearby ... Do not attempt to read Orléans Embrace from cover to cover, but rather absorb the words ... little by little ... The narrative by TJ Fisher is at times emotional and evocative of an enchanted almost mythological place called the Vieux Carré, the historic French quarter of New Orleans."
— GEORGENE A. BRAMLAGE, SUITE101
"[TJ Fisher] writes eloquently and at length about the city after the storm ... she goes on to find, in our shared history and sense of place, both solace for the disaster just past and hope for the future. She talks of the priceless boost that our backgrounds give us, of the will and passion of the city's people." — RENÉE PECK,
THE TIMES-PICAYUNE
"I love this book. It is the best book of New Orleans I have ever read." — BLAINE KERN (MR. MARDI GRAS)
"Soulful narrative ... post-Katrina homage ... With heart upon sleeve, Fisher's passionate introductory chapter engages the reader with aphoristic-like portraits of the Quarter and the encompassing spectrum of lifetimes held within. Her finely crafted outpouring illustrates the plagues, fires and social devastations of the past and casts a sensuous spell that immediately disarms nonbelievers and the irreverent." — JOANNE MOLINA, SHELTER
"There's never been anything like this ... An anthology covering the vibrant history of the area, this landmark title ... addresses a key question — how and why the city will survive Katrina." — CONNIE GROCHMAL, BELLAONLINE: THE VOICE OF WOMEN
"A passionate and galvanizing narrative about the Crescent City's struggles and triumphs since the storm ... a remarkable job conveying to readers the significance of the historic French Quarter and why it must be preserved." — STEVE O'KEEFE, AUTHORVIEWS
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The 'Orléans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré' in-book biography on author TJ Fisher is as follows, courtesy of Morgana Press:
TJ Fisher has been enamored with Louisiana's colorful culture, characters and customs since childhood, finding creative inspiration in all things New Orleanian. A compelling writer, thespian and documentary filmmaker, Fisher has a passion for towns and people with vivid stories to tell. She is a member of Writers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, Academy of Television and Arts and Sciences, Screen Actors Guild and Actors' Equity Association. Fisher is equally recognized for her dramatic interior design themes and restoration of historic properties. A lover of legacies and memorabilia, she shares her home with American icon Howdy Doody (Photo Doody), one of the three original 1940s marionettes, and drives a 1959 pink Caddy convertible. Fisher divides her time between the Vieux Carré and South Florida; post-Katrina, she remains immersed in ongoing literary and film works projects and the preservation/rebuilding of her adopted hometown, New Orleans.
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TJ Fisher is the award-winning author of Orléans Embrace, the powerful narrative portion of Orléans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré. Fisher's memorable writing captures the heart and soul of New Orleans.
The 1st edition 388-page book is an unusually moving and poignant post- and pre-Katrina account, published by Morgana Press of New Orleans, a compilation title available nationally.
The hauntingly beautiful large-format tribute — an extraordinary art house-style book that chronicles the complex past, present and future of the city’s unique and fabled history of culture, customs, architecture, gardens and people — features a torrent of Fisher's lush and spirited words, richly complimented and paired with rare imagery by Louis Sahuc, acclaimed visual documentarist and master of romantic impressionist photography.
Taking readers on a resonate and deep Orléans Embrace journey of passion and emotion, Fisher's original voice grabs hold and ignites the senses; she provokes and stirs the emotions.
Fisher's post-Katrina Orléans Embrace took top honors at PMA's prestigious Benjamin Franklin Awards 2007 at the Park Central Hotel in NYC among some three hundred leading book industry figures. Her poignant narrative on the people, places, spirit and soul of New Orleans, past and present, bested books from around the world to wow a panel of national judges and grab the gold for New Orleans and Louisiana.
Orléans Embrace won the coveted Ben Franklin gold for "Best New Voice Nonfiction" ― the equivalent of a literary "Oscar."
The Morgana Press small-press title picked up some other large literary prizes, the Ben Franklin "Best First Book Nonfiction," a top-three finalist in three other Ben Franklin categories, won both Gold Medal and Bronze 2007 IPPY awards and was a finalist in the gift book category for the major Nautilus Book Award.
The one-of-a-kind book also highlights an exclusive section of original text and photography by Roy F. Guste, Jr. Guste, the noted author of the classic work The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré: the Historic French Quarter of New Orleans, is also a Creole culinary expert and former proprietor of Antoine's Restaurant.
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