read | Empire of Sin

Empire of Sin is a snapshot of history that often gets overlooked. While the 1920s are certainly not forgotten, it's rare to hear about them in a setting outside of New York City. This book provides an interesting view of part of US history from a refreshing new perspective.

I don't read as much nonfiction as I probably should, and I find that when I do I have trouble establishing a strong narrative. Nonfiction often reads like bullet points from a presentation, which is understandable given that the author doesn't have the freedom to elaborate beyond what history confirms. This book, while held together by the glue that is the city of New Orleans, feels disjointed. It was much easier for me to approach this book as a collection of short stories about the city than as a continuous novel. As far as the history is concerned, this is a fascinating look at unique stories. For anyone interested in the 1920s, old-school gangsters, or jazz this book is an interesting representation from a new perspective.
3 out of 5 stars

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.