These bohemian artists, artisans, architects, preservationists, activists, antiquarians, restaurateurs, and teachers lived outside the American mainstream and tolerated crumbling plaster, exposed lathe, and sagging galleries in exchange for communal festivity and joie de vivre. Photographer Richard Sexton documented where and how they lived; what they hoarded, collected, and worshipped.

In this second edition, historian Randolph Delehanty weaves together the history of New Orleans from the fragments he saw in those photographs. The authors explore in words and images how the combination of climate, a strongly European and Catholic culture, African influences, and the revelry of Mardi Gras have created a modern ambience unlike that of any other city in America.

A new layout, larger photos, and a revised narrative that includes the city's recent history, this second edition of New Orleans: Elegance and Decadence celebrates the joyous spirit of this distinctive culture!