Conversations with Jason Berry

Conversations with Jason Berry offers an intimate look at the life and mind of one of America’s most fearless investigative journalists and cultural historians. Across twenty-three compelling interviews, Jason Berry (b. 1949) reflects on the forces that have shaped his work--from uncovering corruption in the Catholic Church to chronicling the rich cultural and political landscape of Louisiana.

Berry’s groundbreaking exposés on clerical abuse established him as a leading voice in investigative journalism, yet his journey is equally personal--a struggle with faith, institutional betrayal, and an unwavering commitment to the truth. Beyond journalism, Berry’s deep love for his home city led him to become one of New Orleans’s most celebrated historians. His critically acclaimed book City of a Million Dreams: A History of New Orleans at Year 300 cements his legacy as a vital interpreter of the city’s contradictions, resilience, and enduring beauty.

This collection offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a writer whose work continues to shape public discourse, blending sharp inquiry with a profound understanding of the human condition.

Howard Hunter is a native of New Orleans and a history teacher of forty-two years. He is coauthor with James Gill of Tearing Down the Lost Cause: The Removal of New Orleans’s Confederate Statues, published by University Press of Mississippi; has published articles on New Orleans and the Civil War for both academic and general audiences; and is past president of the Louisiana Historical Society.