Author Guide · Nonfiction
Books Written by
Dan Baum spent years in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, following nine people whose lives spanned forty years of the city, from Hurricane Betsy in 1965 to Katrina in 2005. The result, Nine Lives, is one of the most loved books about the city. He also wrote about the war on drugs, a brewing dynasty and, as a liberal gun enthusiast, the American gun culture. He died in 2022. This guide covers all four of his books in order, and where to start.
By Lisanne Swart · 4 books · Nonfiction · 1996–2013 · Updated October 2026
ClickTap a spine to jump to that book below.
Quick answer
Dan Baum published four books: Smoke and Mirrors (1996), about the war on drugs; Citizen Coors (2000), about the brewing family; Nine Lives (2009), about New Orleans; and Gun Guys (2013), about American gun culture. He died in 2022.
Where to Start with Dan Baum
If you want the famous one
→ Nine Lives (2009).
If you want guns
→ Gun Guys (2013).
All 4 Dan Baum Books, in Order
Smoke and Mirrors
The history of America's war on drugs from the Nixon administration onward, and why it failed.
Citizen Coors
The Coors brewing family and their influence on American business and politics.
Nine Lives
Nine people in New Orleans, from a transgender bar owner and a high-school band director to the city coroner and a businessman who reigned as king of Carnival, from Hurricane Betsy in 1965 to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Gun Guys
A liberal gun owner travels America to meet gun owners and understand what guns mean to them.
How Many Books Did Dan Baum Write?
Four books between 1996 and 2013.
- Nonfiction — all four books. Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Dan Baum
His books stand alone; Nine Lives is the one to read first.
A reading path
1. Nine Lives (2009)
2. Gun Guys (2013)
3. Smoke and Mirrors (1996)
Quick facts about Dan Baum
- Died
- October 2022
- Career
- Journalist for The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Harper's and Rolling Stone
- Books
- 4, from 1996 to 2013
How Dan Baum Wrote: Listening at Length
Baum spent long periods with the people he wrote about and let them tell their stories in their own voices.
He often wrote from an unusual position, as a liberal who loved guns, or an outsider adopted by New Orleans.
Frequently asked questions about Dan Baum's books
How many books did Dan Baum write?
Dan Baum published four books: Smoke and Mirrors (1996), Citizen Coors (2000), Nine Lives (2009) and Gun Guys (2013).
What is Nine Lives about?
Nine Lives (2009) tells the stories of nine New Orleans residents across forty years, from Hurricane Betsy to Hurricane Katrina.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all his.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
If this shelf interested you, the full bookshelf has more: reading lists by theme, author guides, and notes on what is actually worth your time.
Browse the full bookshelf Get book recommendationsMore author guides
Books by Eliza Griswold · Books by Evan Osnos · Books by Francisco Cantú →
