Sunday, December 11, 2011

Passionate New Orleans (The Book)

Have you ever arrived in a new city, armed with a book or a list of things to do and places to spend your money? Over the course of a few days you've checked off many of the places on your list. You've had a great time but you still feel like something's missing. 
"Passionate People & Places of New Orleans" is the first book in a new series by Stephen Young that seeks to share one of those most important missing pieces - the lives of locals and the way they experience their beloved city - every day.



People are fascinating - often more so than the attractions and shops and restaurants where we are told to go. But when we get a glimpse into a day in the lives of real people - whether it's a student in Paris, a model in Cape Town, or a restauranteur in New Orleans, we get to experience those attractions through interaction. We go from being an observer as when we visit a zoo to being a participant. It's one thing to walk down a street and imagine what it might be like to live in "that" house. Well, "Passionate People & Places..." takes you inside.



From restaurant owners, architects, and a few beautiful artists to an indie rocker and a gospel cathedral parish priest, I shadowed nearly a dozen fascinating people who agreed to allow me to photograph and write about their New Orleans as they experience it every day.

From early morning until I was exhausted at night, I hung out with these folks as well as got to know their friends and favorite places that make the city truly unique.

What you're about to experience is not what you'll find in a conventional guidebook. If you want to know where to spend your money, pull out your phone and type "overpriced hot new tourist attraction."
But, if you want to know what it's really like to experience a city - in this case, New Orleans, join me in spending a week hanging out with locals who are in love with their town as well as their friends and neighbors.



There are even bar codes throughout the book that you can scan with your smart phone to see video clips.



So, you have a beautiful old world book that comes to life with videos of the fascinating people and their places.

A publishing veteran referred to the mockup as "the guide that Indiana Jones would take with him to New Orleans." The leather-bound, handstitched 1st edition is approximately 200 content-filled pages and 40 blank/lined pages for personal photos and memories. You will be proud to carry this with you on your journey and display it on your coffee table upon your return.

This brief clip demonstrates the project.

1 comment:

  1. I received my first edition copy today and have already have been through it and can't wait to visit New Orleans soon. What a beautiful treasure you have created, Stephen! Wishing you many more cities to share with us.

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