Alex B. Johnson is an attorney and writer in New Orleans whose novel-in-progress was a top-ten finalist in the 2016 Faulkner-Wisdom Competition. Alex grew up on a farm in north Georgia and studied history and international affairs at the University of Georgia. On Capitol Hill, Alex worked for U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, before moving to New Orleans where he worked at Faulkner House Books while studying at Tulane Law School.
Alex’s fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, and music and book reviews have been published in various literary and law journals, music magazines, and newspapers. The following are some recent publications:
CREATIVE WRITING
Fiction
- Forever Tonight (Situate Magazine) (historical fiction based on the UpStairs Lounge fire in New Orleans in 1973), May 10, 2016. Recognized by French Quarter tour guide as an “eloquent” short story in NolaVie.
- Top 10 Shortlist: Novel-In-Progress (“Skylakes Fall”), Faulkner-Wisdom Competition 2016.
- Finalist: Short Story (“Home Remedies”), Faulkner-Wisdom Competition 2015.
- Semi-Finalist: Short Story (“Blood for Blood in the Heartland”), Faulkner-Wisdom Competition 2015.
Poetry
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Election Elegy: A Carpenter’s Prayer on a Walnut Bed in the Woods, Flagpole, December 28, 2016.
REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS
Music & Culture
- Tank Ball’s Abundant Life in New Orleans (INTERVIEW & ESSAY), Bitter Southerner, November 10, 2017.
- Jason Isbell & The Nashville Sound (REVIEW), OffBeat, June 26, 2017.
- Futurebirds Return to the ‘Center of the Universe’ to Headline AthFest (INTERVIEW & ESSAY), Flagpole, June 21, 2017.
- Jazz Fest Redux (REVIEW: “Happy Fest” lead and vignettes), OffBeat, May 30, 2017.
- Jazz Fest 2nd Saturday (REVIEW: Snoop Dogg, Tank & the Bangas, Irma Thomas, Marvin Gaye), OffBeat, May 7, 2017.
- Jazz Fest 1st Saturday (REVIEW: Jon Batiste, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Usher & The Roots, Alabama Shakes), OffBeat, April 30, 2017.
- St. Paul & the Broken Bones: Expanding the Canon (INTERVIEW), OffBeat, April 25, 2017.
- Patterson Hood Talks Politics, Favorite New Music Ahead of Drive-By Truckers’ Tipitina’s Shows (INTERVIEW), OffBeat, April 11, 2017.
- Alynda Lee Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff (INTERVIEW), OffBeat, March 29, 2017.
- Creating “Navita”: A Q&A with Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff, American Songwriter, March 8, 2017.
- Amanda Shires at House of Blues (PHOTOS), OffBeat, December 12, 2016.
- Amanda Shires Brings Her Piece of Land to New Orleans (INTERVIEW), OffBeat, December 8, 2016.
- John Prine Brings Hope & Spirit to the Saenger Theatre (with Shovels & Rope) (REVIEW), OffBeat, December 5, 2016.
- Jason Isbell’s Optimism Shines Brightly at the Joy Theater (REVIEW & PHOTOS), OffBeat, October 24, 2016.
- Jason Isbell: A Southern Gothic Songwriter Returns to New Orleans (INTERVIEW) OffBeat, October 21, 2016.
- Mardi Gras: “It’s About Being Happy, Baby!”, Faulkner House Books, February 4, 2016.
- Steve Earle Waxes Philosophical at Tipitina’s (REVIEW), OffBeat, November 17, 2015.
- Futurebirds Soar Back-To-Back Shows (REVIEW), OffBeat, October 26, 2015.
Law & Literature
- Selling Books from William Faulkner’s First Writing Room (INTERVIEW & ESSAY & PHOTOS), Literary Hub, September 25, 2017.
- Separating Hate from Heritage in the Lies They Told Us (ESSAY), Bitter Southerner, August 17, 2017.
- Good Trouble: John Lewis and Andrew Aydin’s March (INTERVIEW & ESSAY), Bitter Southerner, July 4, 2017.
- Stewart O’Nan’s 16th Novel: An Underground Jerusalem Thriller (REVIEW: City of Secrets), Faulkner House Books, October 13, 2016.
- Embrace the Mystery: Easter & Flannery O’Connor (Prayer Journal, Mystery & Manners, The Complete Short Stories), Faulkner House Books, March 28, 2016.
- MLK Day & the Most Important Book of 2015 (Ta-Nahesi Coates, James Baldwin, Pat Conroy), Faulkner House Books, January 18, 2016.
- Capital Crime & Punishment: An Analysis of Dostoyevsky, Collective Guilt, and Executions in America (Crime & Punishment, The Brothers Karamozov) (PDF), Georgia Law Review, August 26, 2016.
- The Funniest Book of 2015: The World’s Largest Man by Harrison Scott Key, Faulkner House Books, November 27, 2015.
- Glowing with Memory & Meaning: Helen MacDonald’s H Is for Hawk, Faulkner House Books, November 6, 2015.
- Imprisoned Again: Keith Cantore & the “Turtle Hustle” (U.S. v. Cantore and the criminal trade of exotic animals), Tulane Environmental Law Journal, Winter 2015.
- Faulkner & Justice: Two Short Story Collections (“Smoke” in Knight’s Gambit & “Barn Burning” in Selected Short Stories), Faulkner House Books, October 7, 2015.
- Best Of CURO published in UGA’s 2008 JURO, Journal for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (“The U.S. Intelligence Community: Why Unity Matters”).
- Co-winner of the 2008 Pajari Award, the State of Georgia political essay of the year (“Georgia Congressional District 10, 1994: A Partisan Tide Drowns a Moderate”).
Op-Ed
- Act Out Your Inspiration: Existentialism in New Orleans (Sarah Bakewell, Walker Percy), NolaVie, May 8, 2017.
- Earth Day: Escape from the Zoo, Nola Defender, April 17, 2015.
- S.C. primary captures America, The Red & Black, January 29, 2008.
