Tom Piazza

Author Tom Piazza is one of many passionate advocates for rebuilding New Orleans (all of it, not just the tourist spots). His post-Katrina book Why New Orleans Matters implored the rest of the country to preserve what he and many others consider a vital part of our nation’s culture. Piazza’s latest work, City of Refuge, shows New Orleans life through the lens of fiction. The novel follows the families of an African-American carpenter from the Lower Ninth Ward and a white magazine editor, a transplant to the city. When the storm hits, the characters scatter, flee and long to return. Piazza’s familiarity with New Orleans gives City a ring of authenticity. Piazza reads and signs City of Refuge today at 2 p.m. Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-523-0701 or visit brazos.booksense.com. Free.
Sat., Aug. 23, 2 p.m., 2008