Chapter 1
a. What was one time when you had trouble appreciating something the first time you experienced it, but eventually began enjoying it? In what way does Piazza experience this?
b. How is NOLA different from other places, according to Piazza?
c. What is Piazza's goal in writing this book?
b. How is NOLA different from other places, according to Piazza?
c. What is Piazza's goal in writing this book?
Chapter 2
a. What did Piazza do on his first full day in New Orleans?
b. What was the traditional Monday meal in NOLA, and why?
c. Does Piazza's tone when describing Willie Mae's seem inviting, exclusionary, or something else? Explain your answer.
d. What happened to most of the restaurants mentioned in chapter 2?
e. How, according to Dr. John, is the audience at a show "part of the band?"
f. Describe a typical jazz funeral.
g. Why do you think the jazz funeral tradition came about? How would Piazza answer that question?
h. What distinction does Piazza make about religion in New Orleans?
b. What was the traditional Monday meal in NOLA, and why?
c. Does Piazza's tone when describing Willie Mae's seem inviting, exclusionary, or something else? Explain your answer.
d. What happened to most of the restaurants mentioned in chapter 2?
e. How, according to Dr. John, is the audience at a show "part of the band?"
f. Describe a typical jazz funeral.
g. Why do you think the jazz funeral tradition came about? How would Piazza answer that question?
h. What distinction does Piazza make about religion in New Orleans?
Chapter 3
a. What was Piazza's first introduction to the Indians?
b. What are the Indians? What theories exist on their origins?
c. How do Indians operate on Mardi Gras?
d. What surprised Piazza about the Indian Chief he met at a rehearsal?
b. What are the Indians? What theories exist on their origins?
c. How do Indians operate on Mardi Gras?
d. What surprised Piazza about the Indian Chief he met at a rehearsal?
Chapter 4
a. Why does Piazza place such importance on Jazzfest?
b. What happened to Piazza the first time he went to Jazzfest?
b. What happened to Piazza the first time he went to Jazzfest?
Chapter 5
a. What is meant by the saying "no cross, no crown" as it pertains to New Orleans?
b. What caused the failure of public schools in NOLA?
c. What kept NOLA so historic, where other cities change frequently?
d. Why was a highway built over Treme, but not near the French Quarter?
e. Look up David Duke. Why would supporters feel the need to protect their signs supporting him by placing them high up on telephone polls?
f. What is the reaction of Piazza's friends to his tale of the Zulu parade? What was the point of this anecdote?
g. What is Piazza's point about the way the well-off think of the poor? Is it a valid point? What is your opinion on the matter?
b. What caused the failure of public schools in NOLA?
c. What kept NOLA so historic, where other cities change frequently?
d. Why was a highway built over Treme, but not near the French Quarter?
e. Look up David Duke. Why would supporters feel the need to protect their signs supporting him by placing them high up on telephone polls?
f. What is the reaction of Piazza's friends to his tale of the Zulu parade? What was the point of this anecdote?
g. What is Piazza's point about the way the well-off think of the poor? Is it a valid point? What is your opinion on the matter?
Chapter 6
a. Before you read this chapter: What comes to mind when you think of Mardi Gras?
b. As an adoptive son of the Crescent City, does Piazza enjoy Mardi Gras? Does he suggest that most locals do? Does that surprise you? Why or why not?
c. What simile does Piazza use fot e Zulu parade?
d. What happens in the lower Quarter on Mardi Gras day?
e. Now that you've read the chapter: What do you think of Mardi Gras? Has your view changed? Why or why not? Explain.
b. As an adoptive son of the Crescent City, does Piazza enjoy Mardi Gras? Does he suggest that most locals do? Does that surprise you? Why or why not?
c. What simile does Piazza use fot e Zulu parade?
d. What happens in the lower Quarter on Mardi Gras day?
e. Now that you've read the chapter: What do you think of Mardi Gras? Has your view changed? Why or why not? Explain.
Chapter 7
a. How does Piazza first get back into New Orleans after Katrina?
b. How did Piazza actually first see how powerful the wind was during the storm?
c. What sight during the drive into New Orleans first make Piazza emotional?
d. What neighborhood did Piazza’s partner Mary live in? What happened to it?
e. What does Piazza find so frustrating about the attitude of the property owner who he met after she just returned from Boca Raton?
f. What significance did Piazza find in the scene at the Deck-Bar Country Store?
b. How did Piazza actually first see how powerful the wind was during the storm?
c. What sight during the drive into New Orleans first make Piazza emotional?
d. What neighborhood did Piazza’s partner Mary live in? What happened to it?
e. What does Piazza find so frustrating about the attitude of the property owner who he met after she just returned from Boca Raton?
f. What significance did Piazza find in the scene at the Deck-Bar Country Store?
Chapter 8
a. According to Piazza, who got the worst of the storm?
b. What was the atmosphere at Black River? What problems came up?
c. How did the Red Cross misunderstand the refugees, according to Piazza?
d. Piazza turns his anger on Barbara Bush at one point. What causes this outburst? What is his response? Which side do you agree with? Why?
e. What are two approaches that Piazza suggests are inevitable for the rebuilding of New Orleans? Which one does he prefer? Why? Which one would you prefer? Why?
b. What was the atmosphere at Black River? What problems came up?
c. How did the Red Cross misunderstand the refugees, according to Piazza?
d. Piazza turns his anger on Barbara Bush at one point. What causes this outburst? What is his response? Which side do you agree with? Why?
e. What are two approaches that Piazza suggests are inevitable for the rebuilding of New Orleans? Which one does he prefer? Why? Which one would you prefer? Why?
Afterword
a. How does Piazza justify the rebuilding of New Orleans? How does he use what happened in NOLA to raise a point about the pace of national decision-making in government? What issues does he specifically point out?
b. Do you agree with Piazza’s indictment of the system? Why or why not?
c. Does the afterword(written three years after the book came out) change the tone of the book? How?
b. Do you agree with Piazza’s indictment of the system? Why or why not?
c. Does the afterword(written three years after the book came out) change the tone of the book? How?
Proudly powered by Weebly
Thank you Mr. Payne for stealing all of my website design ideas!
|
about
contact support
|