Donna Allen, owner Jan Asch Cindy Dike Frahn Koerner Gladin Scott

The favorite books of Maple Street Book Shop staff are on the shelves near the front window farthest from the front door. There is a Donna shelf, a Jan shelf, a Cindy shelf, a Frahn shelf, and a Gladin shelf

The books on these shelves are mostly paperbacks because they fit better. You’ll find fiction and non-fiction, recent titles and older ones—the titles will change frequently. What the books on the Staff Favorites Shelf all have in common is that we particularly treasure them and want our customers to share the pleasure we had in reading them.

The books on our Maple Street Staff Favorites shelves are only a fraction of the books that we can recommend. Please ask us about others. We also are very glad to discuss books that you’ve read and we’ve read and we both liked. We can then figure out what to recommend along the same lines—or different lines if you are feeling adventurous and trusting that day.

Donna Allen, owner back to top

Donna purchased Maple Street Book Shop from longtime owner, Rhoda Faust, in the Spring of 2007. Prior to this, she taught history at several local universities, including Loyola. When she’s not at the book shop, she can be found either renovating her home or gallivanting somewhere along the Mediterranean. Some of her favorite author’s include Michael Grant, Tony Perrottet, John Steinbeck, Robert Graves, and Beppe Severgnini. Although she primarily reads non-fiction, her favorite book of all-time is John Kennedy Toole’s “Confederacy of Dunces.”

Jan Asch back to top

A booklover since the womb (her parents read Thomas Wolfe to her), Jan retired from City University of New York and moved to New Orleans almost 15 years ago. She has done many things during her time here, none more enjoyable than her time at Maple Street Bookshop. In her dotage, Jan may have found her dream job: books, people and part time.

Jan is currently reading Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen, winner of the 2008 National Book Award for fiction. It is very long, very dark and very compelling. She is also reading The Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust. It is beautifully written and very moving. Both of these are highly recommended. Next she will go back to some Phillip Roth, always a great read, and she will reread some John Updike. It seems impossible that there won’t be anything new from that wonderful writer.

Cindy Dike back to top

Frahn Koerner back to top

Francesca “Frahn” Koerner was born and educated in New Orleans, Louisiana. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting with a minor in photography from Tulane University. In 1997, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of New Orleans, again majoring in painting with a minor in photography. Koerner has taught both at Tulane University and the University of New Orleans. In 2008 she collaborated in “The Apostolic Project,” a mixed media Installation that involved filling a flooded and gutted house in the 9th Ward area of New Orleans with thousands of paper boats. In her paintings she uses imagery such as boats, horses, and more recently the figure. These multilayered paintings allude to magic realism and her personal metaphysical transformation. She is currently working on a photography puzzle text series. An early Catholic upbringing, spiritual symbolism, Buddhist Philosophy, and mystical experiences inspire her work. In 2006 she was awarded a two month Artist Residency from the Santa Fe Art Institute of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This was funded in part by the Pollock Krasner Foundation. She was recently awarded a yearlong 2008-2009 studio residency at Louisiana ArtWorks, funded by the Ford Foundation. Her work has been shown both Nationally and Internationally. You can check it out on the web at frahnkoerner.com

Gladin Scott back to top

A long time customer of Maple Street Book Shop, Gladin joins the staff after a career in music and video distribution. Favorite writers include Pat Barker, Paul Bowles, E.M. Forster, Alan Hollingsworth, Ian McKuen, Iris Murdoch, Richard Russo, Paul Scott, Anne Tyler, and Evelyn Waugh. When he is not in the shop over-ordering the work of aging, obscure, or deceased British novelists, Gladin can frequently be found wandering Maple Street in search of coffee and other refreshments for the staff. Currently reading Patrick Gale’s A Sweet Obscurity, the story of a young girl’s efforts to keep her extended and eccentric family’s life from chaos and tragedy.