Petrochemical Nocturne
Petrochemical Nocturne by Amos Jasper Wright, published by Livingston Press in 2023, is a 350-page work that delves into the complex realities of life in the Deep South. The narrative centers on Toussaint, an African-American man whose experiences in the Standard Heights neighborhood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are intertwined with themes such as environmental racism, police brutality, and the impact of industrialization on marginalized communities. Through vivid imagery and poignant symbols, the book critiques contemporary consumerism and the historical forces that have shaped the lives of those in Cancer Alley.
Readers will find a discursive exploration that addresses significant issues like intergenerational trauma and climate change, all while reflecting on the haunting legacy of the past. The story weaves together elements such as boxing, chemical explosions, and the Angola prison rodeo, creating a rich tapestry that highlights the struggles faced by African-American communities. Petrochemical Nocturne serves as both a tribute and a lament for those erased from a poisoned landscape, inviting contemplation on the broader implications of these intertwined narratives.
Official synopsis Publisher
The Mississippi River. HAZMAT labels. Boxing. Suicide by cop. New Orleans Saints football. Chemical explosions. The Angola prison rodeo. Chlorine gas ghost ships. Through these symbols and themes we learn about Toussaint, an African-American man named after the Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture, and his formative experiences in the Standard Heights neighborhood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While the principal action is set in the Deep South, Petrochemical Nocturne is an indictment of what Toussaint describes as “that dystopian haunted carnival cruise line called America,” as Standard Heights and the ExxonMobil refinery which has destroyed it supply the energy and refined petroleum products which enable contemporary consumerism. A discursive exploration of environmental racism, southern history, the prison-industrial complex, police brutality, intergenerational trauma, and climate change, Petrochemical Nocturne is both paean and eulogy for the former enslaved communities of Cancer Alley, the erasure of an entire people from a poisoned landscape.
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