NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans comedian Michael Strecker — who also is the assistant vice president for communications at Tulane University — has “turned from the stage to the page” with the release of his debut comedic novel, The Knights of Wade.
Set in 1980s New Orleans, the novel chronicles the misadventures of Wade Terry, an “inveterate lottery player who will risk everything – except gainful employment – to strike it rich.” On his quest for a dubious payout, Terry unwinds his stepbrother’s meticulous life with comic results.
Former Times-Picayune columnist Angus Lind has likened the tome to A Confederacy of Dunces “with its own quirky and wacky characters that hits the bullseye while capturing N’Awlins accents and its institutions.”
“This book is riddled with hilarity,” wrote the New Orleans Advocate’s Leslie Cardé in a recent review. “You’ll laugh at the sheer craziness and absurdity of the everyday shenanigans that anyone who lives in this city has gotten used to and part of what makes this unusual place home.”
Strecker has performed in venues around the country, including the Improv in Los Angeles and the Saenger Theatre. He also is the author of several joke books for children, and he has written fiction for The Critic and other literary journals. His short fiction has been honored twice as a Tennessee Williams Festival finalist and he has a short story in the latest issue of Xavier Review.
“I am so grateful for the response to The Knights of Wade,” Strecker said. “I love this city and wanted to create a fun work, with some serious themes, too, that captured the flavor of New Orleans and its wonderful characters.”
