Reviews for An Elegy For The Lost City:
“Goldstein’s free-flowing prose, peppered with stinging humor propels the reader into the twi-lit, perfumed courtyards of the mysterious city and into the quirky, soulful spirits of its multi-racial denziens. A book to be savored like a spicy crawfish bisque – read it, but be warned of this risk: you may soon feel an overwhelming urge to experience ‘N’awlins,’ not just through Goldstein’s eyes and ears, but by spending a few weeks there yourself.”
~ Michael Lydon
A Founding Editor, Rolling Stone Magazine
“Very cool and v. funny – ambitious, it has a Delillo-like sweep, with a wonderfully American sense and sensibility.” Of the Audiobook he said: “I listened to some of this, and found it very good – sardonic, sad, with a mordant humor, haunting music.”
~ Daniel Menaker
Retired Random House Executive
Editor-in-Chief, and former Fiction
Editor of New Yorker
“Like a deep-South, down River Lake Wobegone, only with a truly funny, hipster host instead of that doltish clod”
~ Willy Holtzman
Pulitzer Prize nominated
playwright, Peabody Award and
Writer’s Guild Award winner
“A work set to leave its mark on New Orleans…a tangible landscape…a low-laying land…a city of the mind…past, present and future. Johnny Goldstein’s fancy, his memory, his vision, wonderfully captures our mesmeric city of gritty quaint features, a place in the realm of nowhere, the epicenter of everywhere and everything, alas, only too real.
His family saga of deep personal rifts and secrets, and coarse pleasures, gapes at us, pulling us deep into this layered labyrinth like a parable, a naked yet convoluted riddle to be solved…a warning, an invitation. He takes the reader on a tour, to challenge the senses. Are we asleep or awake? Raving in a tortured dream! Don’t be deceived by appearances. 1001 nights in no-man’s land. We don’t have a prayer. All is lost. But not.
Johnny’s soothing, blackstrap-pancake syrup voice leads the way, and we follow this soulful pied-piper of musical storytelling narrative, dancing along this crooked path Mississippi River as the choppy waters of time and those mired in its shadows roll on. Will we survive this perilous journey into the simmering gumbo whirlpool? Into the mist… You gotta love that “An Elegy for the Lost City”—FOUND. A work of fiction? Maybe.”
~Tj Fisher
author of “Orleans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carre”
2007 Winner of PMA Benjamin Franklin Awards
as; “Best New Voice, Nonfiction”
and “Best First Book, Nonfiction”
Media Reviews for An Elegy For The Lost City AudioBook
This is an epic little tale with all kinds of great music and stories within the overall story. The acoustic wonderment of this is very New Orleans but also very Americana in general. It also includes much venue atmosphere and live renditions. This book has it all, really. It glorifies everything from Louie Armstrong to baseball, good food and drink, some darker moments to keep it reality based even though it’s also fantasy based. Any way you slice it this is a great educational book about the New Orleans and its crazy but entertaining elements. — SP Clarke, GasHouse Radio
Elegy is no average CD. It compiles clearly over 25-30 songs at a long runtime. It’s like a marathon or anthology devoted to the continuous narrative of the southern hotspot. Trust me, though, it is less history lesson and more tribute. What catches your attention is the album’s diversity. It comprises of instrumentals, narrated entries, and vocalized numbers that sound nothing like the record before it. — Erman Baradi, Vents Magazine
Not like any other audiobook that you may find at a bookstore; what makes this record so unique is the way how Goldstein blends storytelling with traditional jazz (with few exceptions, of course) that takes you back -no matter where you are or if you have ever been in NOLA- to the colorful and well known city of Louisiana. If you are a fan of documentaries like Sonic Highways or you are an NPR avid listener, then look for An Elegy for the Lost City right away. — Steven Rivers, www.allwhatsrock.com
An Elegy for the Lost City by Johnny Goldstein is more than just an audiobook or a spoken word album, it’s in some way a little piece of history. In a format reminiscent of great documentaries like Sonic Highways, the album kicks off with the death of Louis Armstrong and from there on, Goldstein takes us back to both the golden and post-Katrina days along with some classic traditional jazz by some of the most exciting and classic artists and songs of the genre. — Rafael Jovine, Band Blurb
You will like his exuberant way of talking about the streets and the buildings of DT New Orleans and plenty mention of The Mississippi River. This isn’t something you will find every day, and if you’re not into audio books, you might be after picking this one up. It’s actually an awesome experience worth repeating time and again. — Scott Prinzing, IndieMunity
Johnny Goldstein isn’t your average music artist since 2006, and this approach is as good as any for an author or musician to get their passions across. I recommend this book, especially to blues, jazz and southern culture and heritage lovers. But most of all to both music and book lovers. — Larry Toering, Indie Music Reviews
Goldstein writes a beautiful story, an ode, to a lost time. The sound, rhythm, spoken word and variation of instruments creates such a unique listening experience. I’ve never encountered anything like it before. There is a special way the music takes you on a journey through time with the sounds of jubilant saxophones, guitars, drums and the soft key strokes of a piano alongside that unmistakable Louisiana accent. It’s a touching journey. — Breanna Davis, Skope Mag
With 27 songs woven into the mix, a few minutes in you might just feel like you’re watching an HBO special without realizing you’re missing the visuals. A real high point for people that enjoy real creativity, this is a very satisfying step into a brave new world. Well done. — MidWest Record
Talk of everything from Louie Armstrong to Harry Connick Jr, combined with the narration makes for a great audiobook told in radio form. After really getting into this it makes me want to look more into audiobooks for more of this auto-play sort of musical journey’s they can be. — Mindy McCall, Music Existence
It’s an honestly great thing to partake in, once you start you get taken further and further in, and that is a testament to the artist and this written and recorded work. — Cyrus Rhodes, No Depression, The Roots Music Authority
… a mythical story of a young trumpeter who disappeared trying to survive in the immediate days after the storm. He was thought of as the successor to the great Louis Armstrong. His tragic disappearance shocked the world. The narrator is producer John Goldstein. Many fine musicians including Louis Armstrong, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Preservation Hall Band and Kermit Ruffins provide the accompanying music. The music and the message come together as a fine performance. — D. Oscar Groomes , O’s Place Jazz Newsletter