Frenchman, Desire, Good Children...and Other Streets of New Orleans

Whether drawn from saints and sinners, royal courts and revolutionary causes, or simply from the whims of colonial-era planners, these names map out more than geography—they map out identity. With every turn down streets like Elysian Fields or Tchoupitoulas, one encounters a city that speaks in code: regal, strange, and unforgettable. Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children…and Other Streets of New Orleans unravels the stories behind these names, offering a revelatory tour (fit with pictures and all) through New Orleans by way of its most enduring language: its streets.

For those looking to navigate the complex narratives of New Orleans' history, John Chase's unique decision to use street names as a guiding tool offers both clarity and surprise—revealing a city as layered in its language as in its past.