"Louis Maistros has written a lyrical, complex, and brave novel that takes enormous risks and pulls them all off. He is a writer to watch and keep reading, a writer to cherish."
– Peter Straub

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"The Society of North American Magic Realists welcomes its newest, most dazzling member, Louis Maistros. His debut novel is a thing of wonder, unlike anything in our literature. It startles. It stuns. It stupefies. No novel since CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES has done such justice to New Orleans. If Franz Kafka had been able to write like Peter Straub, this might have been the result."
– Donald Harington,
Multiple award-winning novelist and
recipient of the Oxford-American Lifetime Achievement Award.

*

“Set in a meticulously researched, living and breathing Storyville-era New Orleans, The Sound of Building Coffins is variously an ultraviolet comedy, a family saga, and a meditation on race, class, and how those who think they're at the top of the heap seldom really are (more important points than ever in our post-Katrina landscape). Vividly drawn and frequently heartbreaking; a big, tremendously complex, absorbing, essential novel. Some authors live here all their lives and manage to write nothing but cliches about the city, but Louis Maistros gets it right the first time. The Sound of Building Coffins is easily one of the finest and truest pieces of New Orleans fiction I've ever read.”
- Poppy Z. Brite

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“Magical realism meets the seedy melting pot of early 20th-century New Orleans in this richly complex novel. The story has plenty of ghosts, magic, demons and, this being New Orleans, a ‘Cajun bogeyman’ named Coco Robicheux. It depicts a world where Jesus himself, speaking to a pastor busily wrestling with demons, would say ‘Get the fuck out of this house.’ It shows a place where outsiders are conned with elaborate scams that send them packing, none the wiser but considerably poorer. Those who survive this dangerous milieu are bound together by water, and the liquid becomes one of the novel's major leitmotifs. If all of this sounds improbable, it is. Yet this novel contains considerable wonders as well, and these wonders are more than enough to transcend the story's complexities.”
- Publisher's Weekly

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"Deeply original and as hypnotically strange as New Orleans itself, this novel breathes to life a magical realm. Louis Maistros' haunting characters are at once timeless and firmly tethered to their city's dark history."
– Elise Blackwell

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"This is not just historical fiction to me, but literature that illustrates human motivation soaked in the magic of human emotion. Everyone who is curious about or already in love with New Orleans should read this book." –
GiO,
The Burlesque Queen of New Orleans

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“Louis Maistros has an original and dark vision, full of power.”
- Douglas Clegg

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“The nineteenth-century New Orleans that Maistros creates in The Sound of Building Coffins could not come from normal research; you can write a book like this only after spending years obsessed, trawling through old newspapers and out-of-print books and even the streets themselves for clues to evoke this vision of the city's earlier life. That he tells a strange and intriguing story - a horror novel about the birth of jazz - almost doesn't matter. The weird way that this commercial thriller sings its paean to that lost era reminds me of Russell Greenan's IT HAPPENED IN BOSTON?, another classic that defies the easy caricature.”
- Peter Orr

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“Maistros is an explosive new talent whose writing reverberates with color and subtle irony.”
- S .P. Somtow

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“The Sound of Building Coffins is a soulful work from a writer of the weird. Maistros does more than make you feel for his characters and their twisted, damaged lives; he makes you *want* to feel.”
- Paul G. Tremblay

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“The Sound of Building Coffins is a magnetic story with beautifully drawn characters that keep you turning the pages. Maistros captures the dialect, the neighborhood, the whole ambience of Old New Orleans superbly.”
- Raymond Buckland

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(Above photos taken by and copyrighted by Louis Maistros)

Please visit Louie's blog.

Also, please visit Louie's MySpace page and add him as a "friend."

* * *

Louie's Juke Joint of New Orleans

New Orleans Music? Yeah, ya right!

Louie's Juke Joint began in 1994 at the New Orleans French Market, selling hard to find local and American Roots Music. In 1997 we moved off the parking lot and into Record Ron's old spot on Decatur Street. In 1998, we moved across the street to a bigger location where we settled in for three years. In order to get away from the grind of the French Quarter and spend more time with my kids, I decided to shut down the physical store in 2001 and deal strictly online. With our newly found low overhead, we are able to sell much of the good stuff at a low, low cost. Check it out!

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Mojo working? Fine tune it here!

My partner in crime and lovely bride Elly became oddly famous for having a full service Voodoo botanica at the back of our shop, known as Scully Elly's Voodoo Joint. From time to time, I'll be selling some of Elly's shrines, altar pieces, artwork and other Voodoo relics on Ebay. Elly's the real deal, having been recently initiated as a Hounsi-Kanza in Haiti by Sylva Joseph and Edgar Jean-Louise.

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The Dynamic Duo

The above photo was taken by our 11 year old daughter Amberle while we were evacuated in Maryland.

"In the Dark" gulf coast tribute video, by Louie Maistros

The following video and song is dedicated to the folks in the Gulf Coast who still struggle to rebuild their lives -- many of whom are still just trying to find their way back home.

Louie Maistros is a musician and author who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. His most recent novel, "The Sound of Building Coffins," is represented by the Barbara Braun Literary Agency in New York City.

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Love Letter from the Office of the Mayor of New Orleans!

"...your excellent customer service is a fine example of the graciousness and Southern hospitality for which New Orleans is famous."

To read more about this letter and to see what our customers are saying about Louie's Juke Joint, Please click here!

Here are a few of our...

Favorite Links

Visit Louie's MySpace page!

Visit Louie's publisher, The Toby Press!

Quality Guitar Strings in Bulk!

Jazz & Blues Autographs!

Louie's Juke Joint

Scully Elly's Voodoo Joint

Vinyl Resting Place

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To protect bidder privacy, when the price or highest bid on an item reaches or exceeds a certain level, User IDs will be displayed as anonymous names. For auction items, a bold price means at least one bid has been received. Note: Anonymous names may appear more than once and may represent different bidders. Currently featuring Jazz CDs, LPs, Autographs & Memorabilia, Show Posters from New Orleans & the work of famed outsider folk artist Dr. Bob! Ow! Ow! Ow! Hot Cha Cha! Item Start End Price Title High Bidder/Status 360205225615 Nov-05-09 Dec-05-09 13:36:54 $75.00 NO CAT SELLING! Door Sign New Orleans Folk Art DR. BOB Available 360205225621 Nov-05-09 Dec-05-09 13:36:54 $95.00 FLEUR DE LIS New Orleans Louisiana Folk Art by DR. BOB Available 360204593031 Nov-03-09 Dec-03-09 16:11:53 $325.00 OPEN BAR SIGN New Orleans Louisiana Folk Art by DR. BOB Available 360204590386 Nov-03-09 Dec-03-09 16:00:20 $125.00 9th WARD GATOR New Orleans Louisiana Folk Art DR. BOB Available 360204589766 Nov-03-09 Dec-03-09 15:58:08 $195.00 BURLESQUE QUEEN New Orleans Louisiana Folk Art DR. BOB Available 360203843498 Nov-01-09 Dec-01-09 11:18:36 $7.95 LARRY HAMILTON Rare Indy New Orleans R&B SEALED OOP CD Available 360203843407 Nov-01-09 Dec-01-09 11:18:26 $350.00 GUEDE New Orleans Voodoo Katrina Shrine by SCULLY ELLY Available 360203843354 Nov-01-09 Dec-01-09 11:18:17 $6.95 EARL KING New Orleans Street Talkin' OOP Blues CD Available 360203843340 Nov-01-09 Dec-01-09 11:18:15 $18.00 RARE NEW OLREANS JAZZ Alvin Alcorn, Papa French 1965 LP Available 360203843332 Nov-01-09 Dec-01-09 11:18:13 $60.00 MARIE LAVEAU New Orleans Voodoo Doll SCULLY ELLY Ouanga Available 360203833014 Nov-01-09 Dec-01-09 10:55:26 $10.95 BUNK JOHNSON & GEORGE LEWIS 1944 New Orleans SEALED CD Available 360197242878 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 19:29:34 $35.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .054 Phos Bronze Acoustic (E) Available 360197242664 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 19:27:33 $35.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .047 Phos Bronze Acoustic (E) Available 360197241496 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 19:17:57 $29.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .039 Phos Bronze Acoustic (A) Available 360197240878 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 19:13:17 $29.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .035 Phos Bronze Acoustic (D) Available 360197235487 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 18:35:03 $31.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .052 Nickel Wound Electric (E) Available 360197235124 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 18:32:13 $29.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .042 Nickel Wound Electric (E) Available 360197234022 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 18:24:17 $26.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .036 Nickel Wound Electric (A) Available 360197233526 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 18:20:59 $26.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .030 Nickel Wound Electric (D) Available 360197232410 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 18:12:35 $26.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .024 Nickel Wound Electric (D) Available 360197230454 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 18:00:27 $18.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .017 Steel, Elec G or Acoust B Available 360197230139 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 17:58:06 $18.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .016 Steel, Elec G or Acoust B Available 360197228818 Oct-10-09 Dec-09-09 17:49:26 $18.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS (48) .015 Plain Steel G Super Light Available 360195155245 Oct-03-09 Dec-02-09 13:31:27 $7.95 SANDRA REID Traditional French Songs, Louisiana Etc. CD Available 360195155241 Oct-03-09 Dec-02-09 13:31:26 $6.95 DALTON REED Louisiana Soul Man CD Deep Soul Blues Available 360195155228 Oct-03-09 Dec-02-09 13:31:23 $10.95 BRIAN JACK & The Zydeco Gamblers, Rare Louisiana NEW CD Available 360195149661 Oct-03-09 Dec-02-09 13:04:13 $14.95 ELVIS PRESLEY in New Orleans Pontchartrain Beach Poster Available 360195149631 Oct-03-09 Dec-02-09 13:04:08 $14.95 MUDDY WATERS 1957 New Orleans Night Club Blues Poster Available 360187128444 Sep-06-09 Dec-05-09 13:47:08 $5.95 TOMMY MUELLNER QUARTET All About Time, Jazz Piano CD Available 360187128439 Sep-06-09 Dec-05-09 13:47:07 $5.95 RICH CORPOLONGO Smiles, Post Bop Avant Garde Sax OOP CD Available 360187128429 Sep-06-09 Dec-05-09 13:47:04 $3.95 AL JARREAU w/ Stanley Clarke Bobby McFerrin MINT OOP CD Available 360187128420 Sep-06-09 Dec-05-09 13:47:01 $8.95 SONNY STITT Live at Ronnie Scott's 1964 Jazz OOP NEW CD Available 360187128412 Sep-06-09 Dec-05-09 13:46:59 $8.95 CAB CALLOWAY 20 Jump, Swing, Jive, Jazz Classics NEW CD Available 360187119358 Sep-06-09 Dec-05-09 13:12:45 $14.95 CHARLIE PARKER Dizzy Gillespie 1953 Massey Hall Poster Available 360182341375 Aug-22-09 Dec-20-09 11:10:01 $115.00 BULK GUITAR STRINGS Martin Electric Super-Light 48 Sets Available 270404154164 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:11:56 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Post-K Mardi Gras Pig Girl Mask Photograph Available 360160875867 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:09:40 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS City Hall March Against Crime Color Photo Available 360160875736 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:08:34 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS PHOTO God is Love SCLC, MLK, Civil Rights Available 270404152233 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:07:17 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Krewe du Vieux Mardi Gras Parade Tuba Photo Available 360160875411 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:06:10 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS FLOOD Hurricane Katrina American Flag Photo Available 360160875261 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:05:01 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Lower 9th Ward Hurricane Katrina 8x10 Photo Available 270404150759 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:03:58 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Lower 9th Ward Hurricane Katrina 8x10 Photo Available 360160874901 Jun-06-09 Dec-03-09 13:02:36 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras Indians, Next Generation, Photo Available 270400659051 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:42:37 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS City Hall Historic Crime March Color Photo Available 360159456765 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:40:15 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras Decadence Drag Queen 8x10 Photo Available 270400656890 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:37:47 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras Bacchus Parade Dancer 8x10 Photo Available 270400654875 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:34:28 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS PHOTO Mardi Gras Bacchus Parade Jazz Photo Available 270400653678 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:32:07 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras Bacchus Parade Float 8x10 Photo Available 360159455171 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:29:11 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Katrina Cemetery 8x10 Photo LOUIS MAISTROS Available 270400650847 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:26:41 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS City Park Storm Clouds PHOTO Louis Maistros Available 360159454210 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:22:20 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras Indians, Next Generation, Photo Available 360159453848 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 14:19:22 $9.99 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras Indians, Big Chief, Color Photo Available 360159421059 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:56:03 $10.95 MEMPHIS MINNIE & Kansas Joe 1930-1931 NEW Document CD Available 270400563374 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:56:01 $10.95 EARLY BLACK VOCAL GROUPS 1927-1941 Vol. 7 Gospel NEW CD Available 270400561012 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:52:20 $125.00 BE NICE OR LEAVE! New Orleans Louisiana Folk Art DR. BO Available 270400560882 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:52:13 $11.95 CHICKEN SHACK BOOGIE 1 Jump Boogie Blues 28 Cuts NEW CD Available 270400560842 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:52:11 $10.95 EARLY BLACK VOCAL GROUPS 1919-1929 Vol 10 Gospel NEW CD Available 360159420029 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:52:09 $10.95 EDNA HICKS 1923 Tragic New Orleans Blues Singer NEW CD Available 360159420012 May-31-09 Nov-27-09 11:52:08 $10.95 1920s FEMALE BLUES SINGERS 26 Obscure Tracks NEW CD Available 360159264835 May-30-09 Nov-26-09 18:18:32 $195.00 BE NICE OR LEAVE New Orleans Louisiana Folk Art DR. BOB Available 270384705745 May-03-09 Nov-29-09 12:15:42 $14.95 MILES DAVIS 1958 at the Apollo Theater Jazz Show Poster Available 360144937298 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:08 $24.00 DAVE BRUBECK Bravo Brubeck Live in Mexico 1967 Mono LP Available 360144937297 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:07 $18.95 JAZZ MISSION TO MOSCOW 1979 reissue of 1962 OOP Jazz LP Available 360144937292 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:06 $11.95 TOM LEHRER Evening Wasted, Poisoning Pigeons COMEDY LP Available 360144937290 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:04 $11.95 JUNIOR PARKER Soul Blues Harmonica 1965 Mono OOP LP Available 360144937278 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:03 $14.95 ZACHARY RICHARD Allons Danser Cajun 1979 Louisiana LP Available 360144937273 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:01 $8.95 THE KINGSTON TRIO Here We Go Again 1959 OOP Folk LP Available 360144937269 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:04:00 $11.95 1957 Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis etc OOP Mono Columbia LP Available 360144937268 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 21:03:59 $7.95 FREDDIE HUBBARD High Energy OOP 1974 Jazz Trumpet LP Available 270370029683 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:43 $12.95 CHARLI PERSIP Rare 1980 Hard Bop Jazz Drummer OOP LP Available 270370029668 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:40 $12.95 FREDDIE HUBBARD & STANLEY TURRENTINE In Concert 1974 LP Available 270370029664 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:39 $18.95 GLENN MILLER Unforgettable 6 LP Box Set! 70 Classics Available 270370029653 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:37 $18.95 CANNONBALL ADDERLEY Quintet Plus 1961 Riverside Mono LP Available 270370029646 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:35 $18.95 STAN KENTON in Hi-Fi Original 1956 Mono Capitol Jazz LP Available 270370029623 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:34 $14.95 JIMMY KNEPPER & BILL EVANS Idol of the Flies OOP LP Available 270370029640 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:34 $45.00 JOHN LEWIS & COLEMAN HAWKINS Orchestra USA 1964 OOP LP Available 270370029612 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 20:59:31 $18.95 ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN 1968 LP Gatefold Cut-Out Available 360144915322 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:43 $18.95 RED RODNEY & IRA SULLIVAN Spirit Within 1982 OOP Bop LP Available 360144915314 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:42 $18.95 ROLLING STONES More Hot Rocks 1972 London 2 LP Set Available 270369978180 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:39 $24.00 STAN GETZ Voices OOP 1967 Mono Promotional Verve LP Available 270369978165 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:37 $24.95 RICHARD PRYOR Holy Smoke RARE OOP 1977 Laff LP, Comedy Available 360144915304 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:37 $24.00 Joe Bushkin Eddie Safranski Teddy Wilson '55 Allegro LP Available 360144915297 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:36 $35.00 PEARL BAILEY Autographed 1953 10" Jazz LP I'm With You Available 270369978149 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:34 $9.95 GILDA RADNER Live From New York, Original SNL 1979 LP Available 360144915276 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:31 $24.00 RUBY AND THE ROMANTICS Till Then 1963 OOP Kapp Mono LP Available 360144915260 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:28 $9.95 BUDDY GRECO Big Bands & Ballads 1960s Reprise SEALED LP Available 360144915263 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:28 $85.00 FATS DOMINO This is Fats AUTOGRAPHED Imperial LP SIGNED Available 270369978085 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:26 $8.95 AL HIRT & PETE FOUNTAIN New Orleans 1961 Mono Verve LP Available 360144915253 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:26 $12.95 PETE FOUNTAIN Best Of Vol 2 New Orleans SEALED 2 LP Set Available 360144915236 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:25 $45.00 BUNK JOHNSON Last Testament 1955 OOP Mono Columbia LP Available 360144915246 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:25 $14.95 STAN KENTON Live at Tropicana in Las Vegas 1961 OOP LP Available 360144915238 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:23 $24.95 ELVIS PRESLEY Blue Hawaii 1963 RCA Victor Mono LP Available 270369978066 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:22 $12.95 DEXTER GORDON w/ George Cables, Piano, 1978 Columbia LP Available 270369978053 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:21 $18.95 BILLIE & DEDE PIERCE, Jim Robinson 1962 New Orleans LP Available 270369978043 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:20 $11.95 VAN MORRISON & DR JOHN Period of Transition OOP 1977 LP Available 270369978046 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:20 $14.95 AHMAD JAMAL Trio Vol 4 1958 Jazz Piano OOP Argo Mono LP Available 270369978034 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:19 $9.95 GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION Freddie Hubbard 1982 OOP LP Available 270369978025 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:07:17 $7.95 VAUGHN MONROE Comin' On 1940s Big Band Archives LP Available 360144913742 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:00:34 $18.95 DUKE ELLINGTON Monologue RARE French CBS Import 1973 LP Available 360144913725 Apr-05-09 Dec-01-09 18:00:33 $11.95 WOODY HERMAN Woody Live East and West 1967 Mono LP Available Go see all current items for sale by this member. Here's a few things that have been recently added...

Favorite Links

Visit Louie's MySpace page!

Visit Louie's publisher, The Toby Press!

Quality Guitar Strings in Bulk!

Jazz & Blues Autographs!

Louie's Juke Joint

Scully Elly's Voodoo Joint

Vinyl Resting Place

Louie's Juke Joint has been lost in the Bizarro Ebay Universe since Friday, Jul 24, 1998

The current time in the Bizarro Ebay Universe is: Nov-24-09 23:18:40 PST

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