Picture a New Orleans native weaving tales of resilience and heartbreak through the lens of a city forever changed—meet C. Morgan Babst! This American author captured the soul of post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans in her debut novel, The Floating World, a lyrical masterpiece that blends family drama with the raw emotion of a natural disaster. With a style that’s both haunting and vivid, Babst invites readers into a world where loss and hope collide.
Born and raised in the vibrant heart of New Orleans, Babst’s life and work are deeply tied to the city’s culture and history. Her storytelling, shaped by personal experience and a keen eye for human struggle, has earned her praise as a fresh voice in literary fiction. Let’s dive into the journey of this captivating writer!
The Making of C. Morgan Babst
Born on November 4, 1980, in New Orleans, C. Morgan Babst grew up surrounded by the city’s rich tapestry of music, food, and history. She honed her craft early at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where her passion for storytelling took root. Babst went on to study French and Russian literature at Yale University, graduating cum laude, before earning an MFA in Fiction Writing from NYU in 2008. Her time in New York, especially after evacuating New Orleans just one day before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, profoundly shaped her perspective and fueled her literary voice.
Babst’s writing is informed by her deep connection to New Orleans and the personal impact of Katrina, which forced her to spend eleven years in New York City before returning home. This blend of displacement and homecoming infuses her work with authenticity and emotional depth, making her a standout in contemporary fiction.
C. Morgan Babst’s Unforgettable Stories
Babst’s debut novel, The Floating World (2017), is a tour de force that follows the Boisdoré family as they navigate the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The story centers on Cora, who stays in New Orleans as the storm approaches, and her family—Joe, a Creole artist; Tess, his white psychiatrist wife; and Del, their daughter in New York—who grapple with the aftermath. Praised by People for its “authentically detailed picture” of Katrina’s emotional toll, the novel weaves themes of race, class, and trauma with lyrical prose that’s both surreal and painfully real.
Beyond her novel, Babst’s essays and short fiction have appeared in prestigious journals like The Oxford American, Guernica, and The Harvard Review. Her essay “Death Is a Way to Be” was named a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2016, and “The House of Myth: On the Architecture of White Supremacy” earned similar acclaim in 2020. Her nonfiction often explores New Orleans’ cultural and racial complexities, blending personal reflection with sharp social commentary.
Babst’s style is marked by vivid imagery and emotional precision, drawing comparisons to Faulkner for her portrayal of vibrant characters like Vincent, the Boisdoré patriarch with Lewy Body dementia. Her work captures the sensory essence of New Orleans—think magnolia-scented breezes and the distant hum of tubas—while tackling universal themes of grief and resilience.
Why C. Morgan Babst Matters
C. Morgan Babst’s impact lies in her ability to transform personal and collective trauma into stories that resonate deeply. The Floating World was named one of the best books of 2017 by Kirkus Reviews, Amazon, and Southern Living, cementing her as a vital voice in literary fiction. By centering New Orleans—a city often misunderstood or romanticized—she sheds light on its racial and socioeconomic divides, particularly post-Katrina, when 68% of the storm’s victims were Black.
Her work also bridges the personal and universal, inviting readers to reflect on how we rebuild after loss. Babst’s return to New Orleans, where she now lives with her husband and child, mirrors the resilience she writes about, making her a storyteller who not only documents a city’s soul but also helps it heal.
- Birth Date: November 4, 1980
- Key Work: The Floating World (2017)
- Notable Honors: Notable Essays in Best American Essays (2016, 2020)
- Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
Snag The Floating World and dive into C. Morgan Babst’s haunting, heartfelt literary world—your heart will thank you!