In 1916, at age fifteen, Norma Wallace arrived in New Orleans. Sexy and shrewd, she quickly went from streetwalker to madam and by 1920 had opened ...
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Jan 26, 2010
Anita
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I'm unsure how to go about reviewing this book. What do you say about an adequate biography that is interesting because the writer is competent and the subject matter is relevant to your interests? It was a fun-enough read and because I tend to keep any books that are not outright garbage, it will have a place in the biography sections on my shelves. But it was a merely adequate book. Not particularly thought-provoking. I read it when I was ill with H1N1, when Dr. Seuss would have been challengi
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Jan 04, 2012
Vern
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I have always been fascinated and in love with the city of New Orleans. I have forgotten how I came across this title but I was immediately intrigued and added it to my WishList. The history of the city has always been mysterious and The Last Madam gives us a glimpse into the underbelly of it all.
Norma Lenore Badon had a tormented childhood where she and her brother, Elmo, were raised in dire poverty. Shifted about and left for days due to a mother who was battling her own demons, N More...
Norma Lenore Badon had a tormented childhood where she and her brother, Elmo, were raised in dire poverty. Shifted about and left for days due to a mother who was battling her own demons, N More...
Jun 27, 2011
Xtiana
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For anyone who loves the tumultuous and always exciting history of New Orleans, this is a must read. What I loved best about this book was not just reading about the fascinating life of Norma Wallace, but how the history of the city was woven into her life story. Norma really embodied so much of what the French Quarter and life in the fast lane of the Big Easy was all about. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to dive into the New Orleans underworld from the 1920s through the 1960s and read a
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Mar 10, 2011
Faith
rated it:
Sex, bootlegged booze, beautiful women, and powerful men set against the steamy backdrop of corruption in New Orleans from the twenties through the aftermath of WWII. This is the stuff of which exciting novels are made. But, as in many cases, truth is more compelling than fiction. Christine Wiltz combines her mystery writing skills and deep affection for her native city in a real-life thriller, The Last Madam: A Life in the New Orleans Underworld. Norma Wallace, a powerful ambitious woman, r
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Nov 26, 2009
Kim
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Aug 14, 2009
Istop4books
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I don't have a whole lot to say about this book. It's the biography of Norma Patterson, one of the most famous Madams of New Orleans. She started out as a hooker at age 14 and before she was 20, she had opened her own place. She was gritty, street savvy, a bit of a celebrity around town, and a very lonely woman.
My issue with this particular book is the writing. The author goes from pages upon pages of facts, dates and names - mostly of cops, thugs, city officials, payouts, dirty More...
My issue with this particular book is the writing. The author goes from pages upon pages of facts, dates and names - mostly of cops, thugs, city officials, payouts, dirty More...
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Nov 15, 2008
Eric_W
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Wiltz has written a fascinating history of the social life in New Orleans during the Prohibition Era. She focuses on the life of Norma Wallace, a prostitute who managed to become a highclass madam and political power. Liquor was the source of her initial stake -- it was ironic that more liquor seemed to flow during Prohibition than before or after -- and she invested it in a house that served the sophisticated desires of the wealthy and powerful. These clients helped protect her from the periodi
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Jul 29, 2011
Rachel
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An intriguing look at a New Orleans legend, this nonfiction work is told in such an engaging, easy going fashion that it's not hard for readers to get sucked in to the rise and fall of notorious French Quarter madam Norma Wallace. The indirect look at the decline of the Quarter from sleazy but communal neighborhood to the tourist trap it is today is equally interesting.
Mar 11, 2008
Kirsti
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"You know, in another life, under other circumstances, I might have been a captain of industry. What the hell—maybe I was." —Norma Wallace, who ran whorehouses in New Orleans and elsewhere for over 40 years
Norma Wallace turned her hardscrabble existence into a glamorous (though tension-filled) life. She said with complete seriousness, "My girls had to be of the highest moral caliber," which to her meant that they could not take drugs, rob customers, or try to exto More...
Norma Wallace turned her hardscrabble existence into a glamorous (though tension-filled) life. She said with complete seriousness, "My girls had to be of the highest moral caliber," which to her meant that they could not take drugs, rob customers, or try to exto More...
Jul 30, 2010
Emily
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Such interesting history to the underworld of the New Orleans night clubs and brothel. Especially interesting since most of the places are still found in the french quarter and many descendents from actual characters in the book still play a pivot role in the modern New Orleans. Excellent, easy, read.
May 03, 2011
Amanda
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This book really hints at a much larger character than is actually recounted. Wiltz really focuses on Wallace as a shrewd business manager and a woman ahead of her time, but there are definitely allusions to Wallace's eccentricities that make her seem much more dynamic.
Jan 14, 2012
James
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Unabashedly trashy biography of Norma Wallace, a notorious 20th century French Quarter 'landlady.' Based primarily on tapes Wallace recorded for an unwritten memoir, the narrative has the unshaped, slightly wearying this-happened-then-this-happened quality of most oral history and it certainly doesn't pretend to any scrupulous rigor, but it's surprisingly and satisfyingly dirty in parts, and the evocation of time and place is effective. Trying to recall some of the buildings Wiltz describes was
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Sep 21, 2011
Joanna
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If you like New Orleans literature, you'll love this. It not only tells the fascinating story of the longest-running madam in NOLA, but has tons of pics and stories from NOLA history. And the building of her last brothel is still there-go check it out.
May 18, 2009
Kirsten
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The writer of this book wasn't the best, but it was a fairly interesting subject on life in the underworld of New Orleans. I wish it had been more about the history rather than Norma, but the book was meant to be a biography I suppose
Aug 30, 2010
Rosary
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A very biography that gives the reader a sense of the person and the place. The person is Norma Wallace--the last of the big time Madams in the place, New Orleans. Wiltz gives readers a great view of the French Quarter of the past, and of the wonderfully seedy world that is the New Orleans underground.
Jan 31, 2012
Chris
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New Orleans is known for it's unique culture, that culture is multi faceted. The Last Madam is a record of part of that culture from 20th century New Orleans. I found the story of Norma Wallace fascinating, it is an example of the way things worked and in many cases still work in New Orleans. The corruption, the sex, the lifestyle are all recorded in an easy to read and interesting style. The story telling style that the book is written in made me think that I was in Norma's living room hav
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Jan 02, 2009
Karen
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True Story of Norma Wallace, a madam in New Orleans during prohibition. Lot of history of Bourbon Street, but not much personal details about the industry!!
Jul 10, 2008
Catherine
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Christine Wiltz attempts to weave a scintillating tale of madam Norma Wallace's life in the underworld of New Orleans. She used anecdotes, transcripts of Norma's memories, and previous articles. Unfortunately, the whole thing reads like a list of facts with little style or wit. A story as interesting as this should grab the reader, draw them in, and keep them until the end. Wiltz, however, seemed unable to decide what type of book she wished to write. "The Last Madam" comes off a
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Nov 13, 2011
Michelle
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I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10275224
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10275224
Sep 01, 2011
Springrayn
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What a fascinating glimpse into New Orleans at the time of prohibition, and what a woman born in the wrong era will do to lead an independent life.
Nov 20, 2010
Kitty Tomlinson
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Story of one of the last “landladies” in a bordello in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Based on the audio tapes of Norma Wallace. Poorly written.
Dec 16, 2010
Aimée
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Not as steamy as one would expect. It is pretty interesting, but I would have liked more on her backstory. This is based on the memoirs of the actual "Last Madam." I felt the writing was a bit disjointed at times, which made me lose interest once or twice.
Mar 07, 2011
Saralibrary
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Kept hoping for more info or background color on what New Orleans was really like during this time period, but there wasn't much.
Mar 10, 2009
Lynn
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A fascinating study of life in New Orleans when prostitution was still legal. Many of the players are still alive.
Aug 05, 2011
It was not really to my taste-a bit too much info about some not very nice people.
Oct 30, 2011
Laura
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Bought this in New Orleans. I'm not a big non fiction fan, but I found it interesting.
Jun 19, 2009
Stephanie
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I found this in a used bookstore in Williamsburg. Oddly entertaining read.
Dec 20, 2010
Allyson
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Loved the subject matter! The writing style was a little iffy, but an all-around informative and engaging book.
Jan 28, 2010
Teresa
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I thought this book might be an interesting look at the New Orleans underworld during the 20th century. However, despite being generally well-written it is just pathetic. The Last Madam is a pitiful woman who was also something of a pedophile and just generally very disturbed.
