William Faulkner’s inspiration for his second novel, <i>Mosquitoes</i> (1927), was his involvement in the 1920s New Orleans creative community. <i>Mosquitoes</i> explores the themes of sexuality and the societal role of the artist as it follows a bohemian cast of characters on a four-day cruise aboard the yacht <i>Nausikaa</i>, which is owned by a wealthy patron of the arts. The excursion on Lake Pontchartrain offers an intriguing glimpse into the youth of one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century.