A Literary Landmark

Read the story

Hidden just off Jackson Square, behind the Cabildo, lies a townhouse built in 1837 that serves as a shrine to one of America's greatest writers. This is the site where William Faulkner lived in the 1920s and completed his very first novel, Soldiers' Pay. Today, Faulkner House Books occupies the ground-floor room where the author once resided, specializing in fine literature and rare editions.

The shop, which opened on Faulkner's birthday in 1990, transforms a historic residence into a living library. It's a quiet corner of the French Quarter where the art of the written word takes center stage, keeping the early literary life of a National Literary Landmark alive for every visitor who wanders down Pirates Alley.

Updated June 2026