One in a growing series of well-informed histories, this book, organized by neighborhood, is perfect for travelers. McKinney examines the multi-cultural influences that make the Big Easy the least American of American cities, discussing its founders--French and Spanish colonists, Northern adventurers, riverboat men, pirates, and Cajuns--its distinctive Creole culture that influences its language, architecture, and cuisine, and its history as the cultural capital of the American South.  (USA158, $24.99)