Critical Praise

"Assiduously researched… even this book’s minutiae makes for good storytelling."

—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"Karen Abbott has pioneered sizzle history in this satisfyingly lurid tale. Change the hemlines, add 100 years, and the book could be filed under current affairs."

—USA Today

"Described with scrupulous concern for historical accuracy…an immensely readable book."

—Joseph Epstein, The Wall Street Journal

"Delicious… Abbott describes the Levee’s characters in such detail that it’s easy to mistake this meticulously researched history for literary fiction."

—New York Times Book Review